The apiary; or, bees, bee-hives, and bee culture [1865]: Being a familiar account of the habits of bees, and the most improved methods of management, with full directions, adapted for the cottager, farmer, or scientific apiarianNeighbor, Alfred
Science
The apiary; or, bees, bee-hives, and bee culture [1865]: Being a familiar account of the habits of bees, and the most improved methods of management, with full directions, adapted for the cottager, farmer, or scientific apiarian
One of the most interesting and instructive objects is the honey bee
at full work in transparent hives. In the International Exhibition,
Class 9, Eastern Annexe, Messrs. Neighbour and Son, of Holborn
and Regent-street, exhibit, amongst a collection of the most approved
bee-hives and apparatus, a glass hive, stocked with a colony of Italian
Alp bees; the hive is so constructed as to admit of easily seeing the
queen, surrounded by the working bees. Contrary to the long established
notion that the bees work only in the dark this hive is completely
open to broad daylight. The bees do not manifest the least dislike to
the exposure, and they are not discomfited when light is occasionally
admitted for inspecting them. It is obvious that a knowledge of this
new feature must tend to a more general acquaintance with the habits
and hidden mysteries of the bee than has hitherto been the case. The
queen may be seen depositing the eggs in the cells; in this manner she
goes on multiplying the species, the working bees surrounding her, and
paying the most deferential attention, with their heads always towards
her. Not the least interesting part is to watch the entrance; facility
is afforded for doing so, the sunken way communicating with the hive
being covered with a flat piece of glass; the busy throng, pass and
repass through the aperture cut in the wall, so that the bees go out
at their pleasure into the open court, fly over the Annexe into the
Horticultural and other adjacent gardens, and return laden with crystal
sweets gathered from the flowers. The novelty of being able to inspect
living bees, and those of a new variety, as easily as goods in a shop
window, will well repay the trouble of finding Messrs. Neighbour's
stand. These gentlemen will no doubt cheerfully give any information
that may be required.
_From the "Gardener's Weekly Magazine" September 1, 1862. Conducted by
Shirley Hibberd, Esq., F.R.H.S._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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