Neighbour and Son, 149, Regent Street, London (2157).—This is the most important of the exhibitions in this department. The "bees at work" are in hives open to the inspection of visitors, the bees passing out through tubes to the open air, and not being visible within the building, except through the glass of the hives; The collection of hives of all kinds is complete and interesting, and we subjoin a figure of the stand (see [page 102]) to show how bees as well as hives may be exhibited conveniently. Amongst the various contrivances exhibited by Messrs. Neighbour, Nutt's Collateral Hive has an important place, and though very fancifully got up, and therefore very attractive to amateur bee-keepers, we must make the same objection to it as we have above to other forms of the same from different makers. The Single-box Hive, the Taylor's Shallow Eight-bar Hive, are the best bee-boxes in this collection, and every way admirable. Here are no fancy ventilators which the bees will close up, nor provoking side boxes which they will hesitate to enter, and from which it will be hard to dislodge them in order to get them to winter in the "pavilion." Whoever begins bee-keeping with either of these will have a fair chance of success. The most popular of the hives is that called the "Improved Cottage." Its popularity, no doubt, is due to the compromise between wood and straw which it accomplishes. People cannot get rid of the idea that a bee-hive must be made of straw, though it is a material so ill-adapted for union of swarms, supering, and other operations of advanced bee-culture. The "Cottager's Hive" is well adapted for "those apiarians who are desirous of setting up their poorer neighbours in the way of keeping bees on the improved system." It consists of stock-hive, small super-hive, and straw cover, and is on the principle of Payne's, which, has been most successful among country-people who have got so far as to prefer keeping to killing their bees. The "Woodbury Bar and Frame Hive" is a novel construction, combining all the best features of the best bar boxes, and adding some new ones of great value and importance. We recommend every bee-keeper to become possessed of this admirable contrivance, with which Mr. Woodbury has accomplished wonderful things in the multiplication of the new race of Ligurian bees. In general form and proportions it resembles Taylor's and Tegetmeier's boxes, but in the arrangement of the bars it is unique. The stock-box is furnished with ten movable bars and frames, after the German plan. Each bar has a projection running along the under side; this ridge is chosen by the bees for the foundation of combs, rendering guide-combs unnecessary. The supers have glass sides and eight bars, so that the operator need never be in doubt when to add another box above, or take away the harvest.
The "Unicomb," or one-comb observatory hive, is intended solely for purposes of observation, and though furnished with doors to keep up a uniform degree of heat, Messrs. Neighbour have found in their experience at the Regent's Park Gardens and elsewhere, that the bees manifest no dislike to a continual exposure to light. As this elegant contrivance can be placed in the window of a drawing-room, it is adapted to the amusement and instruction of the family circle, as well as to the more serious objects of the entomologist and scientific apiarian. All that is necessary is to connect the outlet with the open air by means of a length of tubing or wooden tunnel, and the bees pass in and out without obtaining access to the room, and all the mysteries of the hive are open to daily observation. There are numerous other hives, bee-feeders, bee-armour, &c., &c., which we have not space to notice, but which we advise our apiarian friends to inspect, as the collection of Messrs. Neighbour illustrates fully every department of this interesting subject.
BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND AGRICULTURAL SHOW AT EXETER, IN JUNE, 1863.
From the "Journal of Horticulture" June 23, 1863.
A novel feature in the Exhibition of the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society, which took place at Exeter list week, was the stall of Messrs. Neighbour and Sons, in which were exhibited bees at work in glass hives, and apiarian appliances of every description. There were two Ligurian stocks of bees at full work, one in a full-sized Woodbury Unicomb Hive, having been brought from London For the occasion, and the other a smaller hive of the same description, being from the neighbouring apiary of our valued correspondent, "A Devonshire Bee-keeper." Amongst the hives exhibited, the Woodbury Frame Hive in straw appeared both novel and good, whilst amongst the apparatus, artificial combs, and the stereotyped plates for making them, seemed to us the most worthy of attention.
There was a remarkably curious specimen of artificial combs, or partition wall, partially fabricated into complete comb by the bees, which struck us as being well worth examination, showing, as it did, the various stages by which this transformation is effected, and being calculated to throw light on the problem as to the mode in which bees construct their combs. It is almost unnecessary to state that this unique and instructive stall was crowded throughout the week, and we hope its financial results were such as will lead Messrs. Neighbour to continue their attendance at the Society's meetings.
From the "Western Times" Exeter, June 12, 1863.
For the Little Busy Bee.—Next to the poultry tents, and set back against the yard fencing, is the exhibition of Messrs. George Neighbour and 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 the 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 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 must recollect that all great discoveries and improvements owe their existence to men who 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 aught 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;