Not the least interesting thing in an apiary is the honey extractor, consisting of a large can inside of which a light metal basket is made to revolve by means of a simple gearing. The frames containing the full comb are placed in this basket, the caps being shaved off. After several rapid revolutions the comb is found to be empty and is then returned to the hives to be refilled by the bees.
The queen bee is about one-third larger than the worker and is the mother and monarch of the hive. Queens are sometimes raised by bee-keepers for sale, especially by those who have an improved strain of a certain species, or a new and desirable species of bee. When the bee-keeper gets a mail order for a queen he procures a mailing-cage, which is a small box-like cage covered with wire screen and cloth, in one end of which he places a supply of food, the other end being occupied by a ventilator. The queen and from eight to twelve workers, as royal attendants, are then placed in the cage, the wire-screen and cloth covers carefully wrapped around them, the address written, a one cent stamp affixed and her royal highness is ready for her trip across a continent, or, with additional postage, around the world.
When, from any cause, the bee-pastures become unproductive bees from different hives often declare war on their neighbors, the strong colonies singling out as enemies those that are weak or disorganized by the loss of a queen. The war is always pursued without quarter and thousands on each side perish in the fray, the victors always carrying off every drop of honey in the hive of the vanquished, leaving the unfortunate survivors of the defeated hive to perish by starvation.
In many parts of England when a member of the family dies someone must tell the bees; this is done by taking the house door-key and rapping thrice on each hive, repeating at the same time the name of the deceased and his station in the family. If this ceremony is omitted the bees will surely die. In some places the hives are draped with a strip of black cloth when a death occurs in the family and with white cloth in case of a wedding. If these ceremonies are omitted the bees are insulted and will leave. Singing a psalm in front of a hive that is not doing well will also set all things right, in some parts of England. I will not attempt to explain how the American bee-keeper rears bees without these ceremonies, but refer the reader to the various hand-books on bee-keeping which will doubtless explain it.
The bees occupy a position in the economy of nature far higher than that of mere honey-gatherers. The service they render in pollenizing the flowers is worth far more to the world than endless stores of honey. There are a number of flowers that are so adjusted that their pollen cannot of itself reach the stigma but is so disposed that it is certain to be carried away by any bee or moth that chances to visit it, while the stigma is so placed that an incoming bee is certain to reach it on first alighting on the flower and dust it with the pollen which has accumulated on the hairs on the under portion of the bee, or has clung to his legs; this, of course, causes cross-fertilization, a peculiar and wonderful provision of nature, which seems to be necessary for the preservation of fruits and flowers and for the improvement of the different kinds. Whole volumes have been written on this subject, which even now is not entirely understood, but a single case will give a little insight into the matter. The common primrose will produce even from seeds selected from the same pod, two different kinds of flowers, in about equal proportions, which are sterile of themselves. But each kind may, by means of the good offices of the bee or other honey-loving insect, fertilize the other. If no bees or other insects visit either of these flowers no seed can be produced and the life of the plant ends in a single season. Cross-fertilization is necessary to some plants and beneficial to all. Nature has so devised it and has accordingly made the flowers conspicuous to insects by painting them, in most cases, a different and brighter hue than the foliage of the plant, making the blossom, in some cases, give forth a pleasant odor, and in nearly all cases causing the flower to secrete the nectar which the insects love. Flowers which do not attract the insects by their bright colors, odor, or nectar, are generally adapted to cross-fertilization by the wind or are partly or wholly fertile in themselves.
It is a pretty well established fact that the flowers which we particularly esteem, the bright-colored, perfumed, nectar-producing varieties, owe their existence to the bees. We also owe the fruits which we love to the selection of the bee to a large extent. Some of the best varieties of strawberries are entirely sterile and must be planted in close proximity to fertilizing varieties in order to bring forth any fruit at all. Some varieties of pears also require fertilization by the bees, and cannot bear fruit if bees are excluded. Even the apple is not perfect unless fertilized by the bees, five distinct pollenizations being required to perfect a single blossom, and in places where orchards do not bear it is often found that the introduction of four or five hives of bees for each one hundred trees will cause them to bring forth fruit in abundance.
So, whether we wear bright flowers, or eat fruit or honey, or stroll through meadows sweet with clover, the handiwork of the bee follows us and impresses us with the fact that our little friend lives only to give us sustenance, sweetness, and pleasure.
BIRDS AS SHEPHERDS.
