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
For the Little Busy Bee.--Next to the poultry tents, and set
back against the yard fencing, is the exhibition of Mr. George
Neighbour & Sons, 127, High Holborn, and 149, Regent Street,
London, inventors and manufacturers of improved bee-hives for taking
honey without the destruction of the bees. The savage knows where
to find the nest of the wild bee, and how to get at his honey; but
all the improvement upon the covetousness of the savage made by the
long after ages of the world to modern times, was to find means of
luring the pattern of industry to a convenient atelier where he might
be more easily, first murdered and then robbed. Their habits early
attracted the attention of some of the best observers of ancient as
well as modern times; Cicero and Pliny tell of the philosopher Hyliscus
quitting human society and retiring to the desert to contemplate
their peaceful industry. The ancient poet in his _Sic vos non vobis_
plaintively sings over bee and beast, living, or rather dying, not
for themselves, but the lord of creation, yet was it left to modern
times--very modern times--to join the sentiment of humanity to the
rapacity of the barbarian. Mr. Neighbour has a very complete
collection of specimens of the ingenious and successful contrivances
in the construction of hives for the double object of preserving the
honey and the life of the bee; and also, subsidiarily of promoting its
comfort during its busy and useful life. We are not allowed to forget
here, that we have residing in our city one of the first apiarians in
the kingdom--Mr. Thomas Woodbury, of Mount Radford. If the bee
philosophy be his hobby, we may recollect that all great discoveries
and improvements owe their existence to men who have had the power and
the will to concentrate their faculties upon a single object. One proof
of his genius in this his favourite department of action, is seen among
this collection of Mr. Neighbour's in the "Woodbury Unicomb
Hive." It might be when closed up, for ought that appears, a neat case
of books; but on opening two doors of the Venetian blind pattern, back
and front, we see between the glass walls, the insect city exposed to
view with all the population in action. There it may be seen
How skilfully she builds her cell;
How neat she spreads her wax;
And labours hard to store it well
With the sweet food she makes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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