The apiary; or, bees, bee-hives, and bee culture [1866] / 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

by Alfred Neighbor

DESCRIPTION OF PLATES.

[PLATE I.]—(Frontispiece.)

1.	Queen-Bee.
1a.	Antenna of ditto.
1b.	Hind leg of ditto.
1c.	Front view of head of ditto.
1d.	Mandible of ditto.
2.	Worker, or imperfect female.
2a.	Antenna of ditto.
2b.	Hind leg of ditto, inner side showing the pollen-brushes.
2b*.	Ditto, outer side showing the pollen-basket.
2c*.	Side view of head.
2c.	Back view of ditto, showing the junction of the gullet with the thorax, and position of the tongue and its appendages.
2d.	Mandible.
3.	Male, or drone.
3a.	Antenna of ditto.
3b.	Hind leg of ditto.
3c.	Front view of head of ditto.
3d.	Mandible of ditto.
A.	Enlarged view of the wing. B. Hind edge of fore wing showing the thickened margin, and fore edge of hind wing, showing the hooks, which hold on to the thickened margin of the fore wing and keep them together during flight.

[PLATE II.]—Page 31.

1.	Body of a bee divested of antennæ, legs, and wings, showing the anatomy of the thorax and natural position of the stomach.
5*	The eyes.
a.	The ocelli.
bbb.	The muscles that move the wings.
c.	The external covering of the thorax.
ee.	The bases of the wings.
d.	The honey-bag, or first stomach.
f.	The ventricle, or true stomach, distended with food.
g.	The rectum.
h.	The biliary vessels.
i.	Portion of the membranous tissue lining the inner surface of the segments, and enclosing the stomach and intestines.
q.	The stomach emptied of its contents, to show the muscular contraction of the ventricle.
d.	The honey-bag.
f.	The ventricle.
g.	The rectum.
h.	The biliary vessels.
i.	The ligula, or tongue, and its appendages.
l.	The base of the ligula.
m.	Maxillary palpi.
n.	The maxilla.
o.	The labial palpi.
p.	The tongue.
4.	The sting and its muscles.
g.	The attachment of the muscles to the outer covering of the abdomen.
r.	Muscles that move the sting.
s.	Curved base of the sheaths that enclose the sting.
t.	Poison-bag.
u.	Glands connected with the poison-bag.
v.	Honey-plates covering the muscles r, and to which the sheaths of the stings are attached at s.
**.	Base of sting connecting with the poison-bag t.
4*.	Magnified view of point of sting, showing the serrations on each side.
5.	Three hexagonal prisms of a bee's eye (Swammerdam).
6.	Abdominal plates of the bee, detached to show the wax-cells.
7.	Eggs of bee, natural size, and magnified (from Reaumur)
8.	Helminthimorphous, or apodal larva of a bee (Reaumur).

THE APIARY;
OR,
BEES, BEE-HIVES, AND BEE-CULTURE.

HERE are two classes of persons for whom bee-culture should have a strong interest, and two distinct purposes for which the pursuit may be followed. First, there is the cottager or small farmer, who, in thousands of instances, might add considerably to his income by bee-keeping; and, secondly, there is the man of "retired leisure" and refinement, who, in the personal tendance of an apiary, would find an easy and interesting occupation, and one which could not fail to quicken his faculties of general scientific observation. Moreover, in contemplating the wonderful skill, industry, and prevision of his insect-artisans, the bee-keeper would find in his apiary constant illustrations of creative wisdom.

Amongst the humbler classes in the rural districts, the neglect of bee-keeping is to be attributed to an exaggerated idea of the trouble needful for the care of a few hives, and also to ignorance of the easier and more profitable methods of modern management. Many of the wealthier country or suburban residents, also, are averse to the personal trouble which they fancy needful in keeping an apiary; and, perhaps, some gentlemen are more afraid than they would like to own of that very efficient weapon of defence with which the honey bee is provided. But the prejudices against bees are quite unnecessary; bees are as tractable as they are intelligent, and it is the purpose of this little book to show that bee-culture is an easy and safe, as well as a deeply interesting, pursuit. Possibly, also, some who do us the favour to read our detailed explanations will see how the rural clergyman, or the benevolent landlord, who keeps an apiary of his own, may be of signal service to his poorer neighbours in explaining to them the mysteries of bee-keeping.