,transcriber ,note    ,text emphasis    
denoted by ,italics4                    
,,hints ,,on ,,the                      
,,history ,,and ,,management            
,,of ,,the                              
,,honey ,,bee2                          
,,being ,,the ,,substance ,,of ,,two    
,,lectures     ,,read ,,before ,,the    
,,members ,,of ,,the ,,hereford         
,,literary1 ,,philosophical1 ,,and      
,,antiquarian ,,institution1 ,,in ,,the 
,,winter ,,of #ahej-ea1                 
,,by                                    
,,edward ,,bevan1 ,m4,d4                
,,hereford3                ,,printed    
,,at ,,the ,,times ,,office1            
,,widemarsh-,,street4                   
,,mdcccli4      ,this ,lecture elicited 
so much approbation as to induce the    
,author to  have a few copies printed1  
for the amusement and instruction of    
those  who may feel an interest in the  
subject4                                
,,history ,,and ,,management            
,,of ,,the                              

,,honey ,,bee4    ,dr4 ,bevan 7the      
author of a well-known and admirable    
manual for  apiarians7 took as the theme
 of his paper the    ,,history ,,of     
,,the ,,honey-,,bee4    ,the learned    
gentleman began by saying1--,mr4        
,president4 ,ladies1 and                
,gentlemen--,you have before you a very 
old man1 but a very young  lecturer2 so 
young that this is the first time in my 
life that ,i ever  was induced to       
address a public assembly4 ,nor might ,i
 have summoned  courage enough to do so 
now1 but for the very powerful appeal   
which  was made to us all by our worthy 
,president in his inaugural address1    
wherein1 after the manner of the        
immortal ,nelson1 he admonished us  that
 every member of this ,society is       
expected to do his duty--that is  to    
say1 that individual attainments should 
be thrown into a common  stock1 from    
which each might draw1 and to which each
 might contribute1  with reciprocal     
benefit4 ,in obedience to this          

admonition1 and in  furtherance of its  
laudable object1 ,i now proceed to throw
 in my mite  of information4--,the      
subject to which ,i have the honor and  
the pleasure  to bespeak your attention 
this evening is the history and         
management of  that indefatigable       
,little insect the honey bee4 ,but1 it  
is a subject  on which ,i hardly know   
how to address such an assembly1 owing  
to the  various degrees of information  
which must needs be distributed among   
you4 ,some of you ,i imagine to have a  
very limited acquaintance with  bees1   
for the majority of those with whom ,i  
have conversed in other  places         
respecting them have had their whole    
knowledge comprised in  being simply    
aware that they can sting and gather    
honey4 ,to such of  my auditors1 if any 
such there be1 it would seem right that 
,i should  commence with the ,a ,b ,c of
 the subject1 even at the risk of       
proving  tiresome to those who are more 
extensively informed2 and some there    

are here present1 ,i have no doubt1 who 
know as much about the matter  as ,i do1
 perhaps more4 ,from such ,i can only   
bespeak indulgence4 ,of all  the various
 members of the insect race1 there is   
none which so abounds  with useful      
lessons1 or is more fraught with wonder1
 than the honey  bee ,from the earliest 
ages it is found to have occupied the   
thoughts  and the pens of the           
philosopher1 the poet1 and the moralist2
 and  whether we consider its instincts1
 or its contributions to our comfort    
and convenience1 there is scarcely one  
that can compete with it4 ,in  testimony
 of the early notice which it attracted1
 we have the evidence  of ,holy ,writ1  
from which it may fairly be inferred    
that honey must have  been one of man's 
earliest luxuries2 and considering the  
extent of  ,solomon's knowledge of      
natural history1 ,i find it difficult to
 believe  that the bee was not one of   
the creatures which he had in his mind  
when writing the #cjth chapter of       

,proverbs1 in which he says1 there  are 
four things that are little upon the    
earth1 but exceeding wise1  viz41 ants1 
conies1 locusts1 and spiders4 ,unaided  
by an acquaintance  with the ,hebrew    
language1 ,i had hoped to ascertain from
 some competent  ,hebrew scholar that   
the word which was translated conies or 
rabbits  might prove to be an error of  
some ,jewish scribe1 and that the word  
ought to have been translated           
bees--that1 in fact1 ,solomon meant to  
designate four insects1 not three       
insects and a rabbit2 for the rabbit  is
 not very little1 nor a builder of      
houses in the rocks1 neither is  it1 so 
far as ,i know1 celebrated for any      
especial wisdom1 whereas  the bee not   
only answers to all these conditions1   
but has ever stood  pre-eminent among   
insects4 ,the notion which ,i had formed
 upon this  subject was still farther   
strengthened by finding that the word   
which  had been translated conies in the
 generally-received version of the      

,scriptures was not so rendered in every
 version of them4 ,this1 at any  rate1  
betokened some degree of uncertainty    
upon the subject1 even among  the       
translators of ,scripture4 ,in this my  
difficulty ,i referred to two  eminent  
,hebrew scholars for enlightenment4     
,they at once decided that1  if the word
 had been rendered bees1 it would have  
been mis-translated4  ,still they could 
neither of them affirm conies to be the 
correct  translation4 ,having thus      
unsuccessfully endeavoured to vindicate 
the  wisdom of ,solomon1 ,i must leave  
the matter in the state of uncertainty  
in which ,i found it1 still claiming1   
however1 for my favourite  insect that  
high position which it will1 ,i am sure1
 be found richly  to deserve1 not only  
as a model of industry1 sagacity1 and   
loyalty1  but as affording1 under good  
management1 an interesting and rational 
amusement to the man of leisure1 as well
 as a source of profit to the  bumble   
cottager1 wherever located1 for1 so     

universally accommodating  is the bee in
 its habits1 that under the fostering   
care of man it has  been found to       
flourish in every clime to which it has 
been introduced4  ,since the period to  
which ,i have just referred1 viz41      
between three and  four thousand years  
ago1 the bee seems never to have ceased 
to occupy  attention more or less1 and  
through the observations of a succession
  of naturalists1 which their pens have 
recorded1 books enough have been        
written on apiarian matters to form a   
goodly library in themselves4  ,i have  
adverted to the profit which may be     
derived from a judicious  management of 
bees3 ,i will relate to you an anecdote 
in illustration  of it1 which ,i could  
wish may be generally circulated among  
our rural  population1 not excepting    
even our rural clergy2 for even in this 
land  of ,goshen ,i fear there are but  
too many of our working clergy to whom  
the anecdote may be well worthy of      
attention4 ,a good old ,french bishop1  

in paying his annual visit to his       
clergy1 was very much afflicted by  the 
representations they made of their      
extreme poverty1 which indeed  the      
appearance of their houses and families 
corroborated4 ,whilst he  was deploring 
the sad state of things which had       
reduced them to such  a condition1 he   
arrived at the house of a curate who1   
living amongst  a poorer set of         
parishioners than any he had yet        
visited1 would1 he  feared1 be in a     
still more woful plight than the others4
 ,contrary1  however1 to his            
expectations1 he found appearances very 
much improved4  ,everything about the   
house wore the aspect of comfort and    
plenty4  ,the good bishop was amazed4   
,how is this1 my friend1 said he1 you   
are the first pastor ,i have met with a 
cheerful face and a plentiful  board6   
,have you any income independent of your
 cure8 ,yes1 sir1 said  the curate1 ,i  
have2 my family would starve on the     
pittance ,i receive  from the poor      

people that ,i instruct4 ,if you will   
walk with me into  the garden1 ,i will  
show you the stock that yields me such  
excellent  interest4 ,on going to the   
garden1 he showed the bishop a long     
range of  bee-hives4 ,there1 said he1 is
 the bank from which ,i draw an annual  
dividend1 and it is one that never stops
 payment4 ,his harvest of honey  enabled
 him to reduce materially his           
consumption of sugar1 and also to  send 
a considerable quantity to market2 of   
the coarser portions he made  a         
tolerable substitute for malt liquor1   
and the sale of his wax nearly  paid his
 shoe-maker's bill6 ,ever since this    
memorable visit1 when any  of the clergy
 complained to the bishop of poverty1 he
 would say to them  ,keep bees6 keep    
bees6 ,so say ,i4    ,i ,shall now      
proceed to call your attention to the   
several members  which form the bee     
community1 and to some points in their  
wonderful  economy4 ,every family of    
bees1 when fully constituted1 comprises 

a  queen1 several thousands of          
labourers1 and several hundreds of      
drones4  ,it is usual for naturalists1  
in giving an account of these insects1  
to  commence with the ,queen2 but ,i1   
though a very loyal subject1 shall give 
precedence to the labouring population1 
as constituting by far the most         
numerous portion of the family1 and as  
being the most continuously and         
actively employed4 ,these are the bees  
on which ,dr4 ,watts so beautifully     
fixed the attention of childhood1 as the
 little busy bees4 ,they are            
emphatically called the working bees1   
and most properly1 for they are  true   
workers1 enjoying nearly the whole of   
their time in fine weather  in the      
collection and storing of provisions3   
much of it is also devoted  to the      
construction of the waxen cells in which
 their stores are  deposited and the    
young bees reared ,to each of these     
offices it has  been generally          
considered that certain bees are duly   

appointed1 and  that thus the business  
of the hive is1 by a regular division of
 labour1  judiciously carried on4       
,shakspere seems to have had a glimpse  
at this  regular mode of proceeding in  
the bee-hive1 for he speaks of bees     
being  creatures that teach the art of  
order to a peopled kingdom1 of their    
having officers of sorts1 some of them  
as building roofs of gold1  while others
 make boot upon the summer's velvet     
buds4 ,the whole of his  description is 
very beautiful1 and1 so far as ,i have  
quoted from him1 ,i  believe correct2   
the rest is mere poetical fancy4 ,by    
some it has been  conceived that there  
is an original difference in the bees1  
according  to the duties they are       
destined to fulfil2 but it appears more 
probable  that all are born with equal  
capabilities1 and that whatever         
difference  may be observable in adult  
bees arises from causes connected with  
their  occupations4 ,to these it is that
 the poets and moralists have applied   

the terms1 the busy bee1 the industrious
 bee1 the provident bee1 the  skilful   
bee2 and most truly do they deserve     
every one of those titles4    ,i hope   
the senior members of this assembly will
 bear with me while ,i  address a few   
words to the younger portion of my      
auditors4 ,i shall do  so in the form of
 a letter which ,i once addressed to a  
young lady with  a present of honey4 ,i 
should premise1 though1 that she was a  
very  young lady1 lest you should       
conceive that ,i am about to read to you
 one  of my old love-letters4 ,it ran   
thus3--      ,my dear young friend1--,i 
dare say you have heard it said that    
things  are great or small by           
comparison2 this true saying is highly  
applicable  on the present occasion4 ,to
 you the accompanying pot of honey may  
seem  to be a small pittance3 to the    
industrious little insects by whom it   
was harvested it would have seemed to be
 a large treasure4 ,by you1 ,i  dare    
say1 it could be very comfortably       

disposed of at half-a-dozen  meals3 it  
would serve to maintain a hundred bees  
for twice as many  months6 ,think how   
many flowers a bee must have visited to 
collect it1  the trouble she must have  
had in constructing combs to receive it1
  how many journeys she must have made  
to import it1 the pains she must        
afterwards have taken to secure it from 
being injured by exposure to  the air1  
as well as from the depredations of     
wasps1 moths1 and other  plunderers4 ,i 
do not call your attention to these     
things for the  purpose of enhancing or 
magnifying my little present in your    
eyes1  but because they form a few among
 the many wonders of creation1 with     
which we are so familiar that we are apt
 to pass them by without being  duly    
impressed by them4 ,how few are there1  
for instance1 who1 when  partaking of   
their daily food1 ever think of the     
numerous heads and  hands that have been
 occupied in producing it1 their anxious
 thoughts  and laborious toils--to use a

 homely expression1 that consider how   
the bread comes into the far mouths6    
,but ,i have said enough1 ,i trust1  to 
set you a thinking1 to call into        
exercise that best gift of ,god to  man1
 his reasoning faculty1 and feel        
confident that you will not be          
addressed in vain by your very sincere  
friend4 7,applause47      ,i have told  
you that the working bees form the most 
numerous portion of  the community2     
indeed for eight months of the year they
 and the queen  constitute the whole2   
and in the height of the season every   
family  numbers from twelve to twenty   
thousand1 or more1 but in winter they   
become very much diminished1 owing to   
the natural shortness of their  lives1  
which only extend to from six to eight  
months4 ,the bees that are  so rapidly  
bred in spring1 as to render swarming or
 additional room  necessary1 finish     
their career about the commencement of  
winter3 on  those alone that are bred in
 smaller numbers1 in autumn1 devolves   

the  business of the hive till the      
following spring1 in the course of which
  they also become defunct4 ,hence the  
very great disproportion observable  in 
the number of all such families at      
different seasons of the year4      ,i  
shall now advert to a few of the most   
interesting parts in the  anatomy of the
 bee4 ,in common with other insects1 it 
has been divided  into the head1 the    
trunk1 and the abdomen1 or hinder part4 
,the head is  furnished with two eyes1  
two antenn1 or horns1 as they are       
sometimes  called1 two feelers1 and a   
proboscis1 this latter comprising an    
intricate apparatus of which ,i shall   
speak presently4 ,to the trunk are      
attached a double pair of gauze-like    
wings and six legs1 the thighs  of the  
hinder pair being each furnished with a 
small cavity fringed  with hair1 which  
serves as a basket for the conveyance of
 food for the  young1 c4 ,the hinder    
part contains the bowels1 the honey-bag1
 the  venom-bag1 c41 and at its         

extremity a concealed sting1 to which1  
as  also to the proboscis1 ,i have now  
to bespeak your attention1 on account   
of their peculiar structure and uses4   
,the proboscis has attached to it  a    
very long tongue2 it is also provided   
with several joints2 by both  these     
contrivances it is rendered capable of  
every variety of motion1  and of probing
 to the very bottom of most flowers when
 searching  for honey4 ,and here we may 
pause to contemplate the very admirable 
contrivance by which this long          
implement1 the tongue1 which would      
otherwise have proved highly            
incommodious1 is preserved from injury4 
,the joints of which ,i have spoken     
enable it to fold itself up when at     
rest1 and the desired protection is     
still further accomplished by means  of 
a double sheath1 in which the tongue1   
when unemployed1 is always  enclosed4   
,there is much to excite our admiration 
in the manner in which  the bees collect
 whatever they are in need of4 ,their   

first occupation  in the earliest days  
of spring1 as soon as breeding          
commences1 is to  collect the           
fertilising dust of flowers1 known by   
the name of pollen  or farina1 and1 as  
soon as they afford it1 to procure honey
 from  them2 the latter chiefly for     
themselves1 the former chiefly for their
  nurslings4 ,i have often seen them1   
after rolling upon the anther-dust  of  
the flowers1 which their fine hairs     
enable them to retain upon  their       
bodies1 return home thus enveloped1     
having the appearance of  a different   
kind of bee4 ,this coating of pollen    
they brash off with  their downy legs1  
or their companions do it for them1 and 
apply it to  the general purposes of the
 hive4 ,their ordinary mode of          
proceeding is  to collect it into little
 heaps or pellets1 and to transport it  
upon  their thighs to their companions  
in the hive4 ,that which is not wanted  
for present use is kneaded down with a  
little honey and stored in the  cells1  

in which state it is called bee-bread4  
,the bees collect also another substance
 called propolis1 of a resinous  nature4
 ,this is collected from certain trees1 
to fasten the combs to  the roof of the 
hives1 to varnish and strengthen the    
cell-work1 and  to stop up the crannies 
of the hive4 ,this substance is used as 
soon  as collected1 while it is soft1   
none of it being stored1 for its        
collectors are well aware that in a     
short time it would become so hard  as  
to lose its ductility4    ,in the       
generality of seasons the bees obtain   
their principal stores of  honey from   
the flowers of the fields1 but they     
also1 in some seasons1  collect it much 
more abundantly from the leaves of      
several sorts of  trees1 on which it is 
deposited in the form of honey-dew1 a   
very sweet  substance which1 having been
 sucked from the aforesaid leaves by an 
insect called the aphis or tree-louse1  
passes through its body nearly          
unchanged1 covers those leaves which are

 beneath1 and thus affords a  delicious 
repast to bees1 butterflies1 and other  
insects4 ,the bees  collect this food by
 means of the long tongue which ,i have 
described  to you1 and which acts as a  
sort of brush1 so that bees may be said 
rather to lap their food than to suck   
it4 ,by the repeated action of  this    
brush-like contrivance1 they gradually  
conduct the sweet juices  into their    
mouths1 from whence they pass into their
 honey-bag1 and when  this is filled1   
they carry home the cargo1 regurgitate  
it1 and deposit  it in those cells      
which1 either by themselves or their    
companions1  have been previously       
prepared to receive it4 ,they are then  
quickly  in the fields again in quest of
 a fresh supply4 ,thus1 throughout the  
spring1 summer1 and autumn1 whenever the
 weather is favourable1 and  even in    
unfavourable weather1 if they are much  
in want of food or other  materials1 to 
use the language of the poet1 the bees  
are to be seen1        ,gathering honey 

from every opening flower4      ,the    
quantity which they collect in this way 
is often surprising1  considering how   
small a portion is imported on each     
excursion4 ,i have  just stated that1   
with the exception of those seasons when
 honey-dews  abound1 the principal      
resources of the bees are the flowers of
 the  fields1 chiefly those of the white
 clover1--a plant which is found  upon  
most pasture lands1 but none are more   
luxuriantly clothed with it  than the   
meadows of this county4 ,hence the      
excellent pasturage they  afford for    
sheep as well as for bees2 thus         
corroborating a very ancient  opinion1  
that the finest honey is collected in   
districts which yield  the finest wool  
and the finest wheat2 these productions 
comprehending  two of the five w's for  
which ,herefordshire has been long so   
justly  celebrated1 viz41 wheat1 wool1  
wood1 water1 and women6 ,how worthy the 
latter are of this pre-eminence ,i have 
abundant evidence around me6    ,having 

explained to you the mechanism and      
functions of the proboscis1  ,i now     
proceed to describe those of the sting1 
which are no less worthy  of admiration 
for the perfection with which that organ
 is formed1  and by which it            
accomplishes its various purposes4 ,it  
consists of a  couple of darts1 enclosed
 in a sheath2 but the darts and sheath  
are  so very minute that the separate   
parts are not distinguishable by  the   
naked eye4 ,that part called the sheath1
 though appearing to be  a single tube1 
is divided into several portions1 each  
of which is  capable of being received  
by the one above it1 like the pieces of 
a  telescope1 so that it can be         
lengthened or shortened at pleasure4    
,the  beauty and utility of this latter 
part of its organisation will be  still 
more evident when ,i come to speak of   
the ,queen4 ,in some other  insects this
 apparatus serves not only the purpose  
of a sting1 but also  that of a saw or a
 gimlet1 to pierce a passage through    

wood or other  materials4 ,when the     
insect stings1 the sheath is the first  
part that  penetrates the skin1 but it  
is instantly followed by the darts1 not 
simultaneously1 but first one and then  
the other1 and with the rapidity  of    
lightning2 by which means1 as each dart 
is provided with a barb1  it can lay    
firmer hold1 and penetrate deeper into  
the flesh4 ,when at  its full depth1 a  
poisonous liquor1 which is always ready 
prepared at  its root in the venom bag1 
is forced down the sheath into the      
wound1  causing that sharp pain1        
inflammation1 and swelling which usually
  ensue4 ,i say usually ensue1 for in   
some peculiar habits1 as ,i have  known1
 in several instances1 no apparent      
inconvenience is produced by  a sting1  
not even so much as would be caused by  
the prick of a needle2  owing to the    
exquisitely superior fineness of the    
former4 ,i once had  an opportunity of  
having this confirmed in a remarkable   
maimer by a  respectable ,kentish       

farmer1 who pat it to the test upon one 
of his  female servants4 ,she was       
boasting one day of her flesh being     
poison  proof1 and saying she did not   
mind the sting of a bee or a wasp--not  
she1 for they never did her any damage1 
and that she should not mind  letting   
any one inflict any number of stings    
upon her at a penny a  piece ,i ,her    
incredulous master accepted the         
challenge1 and ,verily1  said he1 ,i    
took six penny worth of stinging out of 
her1 without  causing her to flinch in  
the least1 or apparently to suffer the  
very  slightest uneasiness1 or any      
subsequent inconvenience6 ,this1        
however1  is an impunity which very few 
are endowed with1 for in general the    
pain  inflicted by a sting is very      
severe1 not only at the moment1 but1    
where  timely remedies have not been    
applied1 of considerable duration1      
ending  often in much tumour and        
inflammation1 and in some instances1    
where the  stings have been numerous1   

fatal consequences have ensued4         
,whenever an  attack is made by a bee1  
the person aimed at should walk quietly 
away  to the nearest bush or other      
shelter4 ,if he start or suffer himself 
to  be ruffled1 he is much more likely  
to be stung2 and even if he were  stung1
 in such a comparatively quiescent      
state1 so much the smaller  would be the
 injury received1 a calm deportment     
enabling the bee to  withdraw the sting 
by her own efforts1 by clenching the    
barbs round  its shafts1 these forming  
the only obstacles to its withdrawal4   
,if it  be left behind in the wound1 the
 best treatment is quickly to extract   
it with a pair of tweezers1 and in any  
case to apply promptly a little  spirit 
of hartshorn1 or any other alkaline     
liquor that will penetrate  the wound2  
the venom inserted1 being evidently an  
acid1 is neutralised  by an alkali1 and 
rendered comparatively harmless2 but    
everything  depends upon its prompt     
application4 ,from what ,i have stated  

to be  the most effectual remedy for the
 sting of a bee1 it may be inferred     
that those who are stung with impunity  
are very good tempered1 for if  they had
 any sourness in their composition they 
would have no such  exemption from      
suffering when stung6 ,considering1     
therefore1 how very  important good     
temper is to connubial felicity1 may it 
not be prudent  for persons prior to    
betrothment to submit each other to the 
test of  the bee's sting1 when perhaps  
the amount of good temper possessed     
might  be ascertained by the extent of  
the suffering inflicted8 ,should such a 
test be found upon trial to be depended 
upon1 what persevering efforts  would it
 not infallibly induce in the           
cultivation of good temper1 and  to what
 an incalculable degree would it        
contribute to the promotion  of social  
harmony6 ,and how delightful it would be
 to find that1 in  addition to their    
well known importance in other respects1
 we had made  of the hivites a virtuous 

nation4    ,i have now to introduce to  
your notice another highly-interesting  
and  important member of the bee        
community--one that is generally        
considered  to rank above all the rest1 
and hence the following couplet has been
  applied to her3--       ,first of the 
throng1 and foremost of the whole       
,one stands confest the sovereign and   
the soul4    ,she is usually designated 
by the name of queen2 and as she suffers
 no  rival near her throne1 she may be  
regarded as an absolute queen4 ,she     
varies considerably in her appearance   
from the working bees1 still more  so in
 her functions4 ,she is both larger and 
longer than the workers2  their relative
 proportions are very fairly given in   
the plate upon the  table2 from which   
you will perceive that1 though the      
queen's body is  longer than that of a  
worker1 her wings are about the same    
length1 so  that they ,call considerably
 short of covering her body4 ,her       
movements  are more slow and graceful   

than those of the workers4 ,the under   
parts  of her body are of a copper      
colour1 so likewise are her thighs1 but 
they are not furnished with baskets2 for
 she has never occasion for  any1 being 
always waited upon by the workers4 ,the 
sting of the working  bee is quite      
strait2 that of the queen is somewhat   
curved2 and the tube  which encloses it1
 besides its utility1 as a sheath for   
the sting1  affords a passage for the   
eggs which she lays2 and1 by its        
telescopic  construction1 she is able so
 to extend it as to deposit her eggs at 
the very bottom of the brood cells2 and 
this object is still further            
facilitated by the tapering form of her 
hinder part4 ,these eggs1 at  the height
 of the season1 she deposits at the rate
 of #bjj a-day1 and  thus becomes the   
fertile mother of many thousands        
annually1 consisting  of workers1       
drones1 and a few scions of royalty4 ,so
 fast indeed does  her progeny increase 
at this season as to render fit         

necessary that  their numbers should be 
diminished either by the issue of       
swarms1 or by  affording the family     
additional room4 ,i have now a few words
 to offer  on the remaining members of  
the family of bees1--those which have   
been  denominated by ,shakspere as the  
lazy yawning drones4 ,these are the     
gentlemen of the hive2 and truly do they
 deserve that name1 for they do  no     
work1 and never venture abroad but in   
fine weather1 when they can  enjoy the  
sunshine and philander with the royal   
ladies4 ,they are nearly  the same      
length as the queen1 but more bulky1 and
 very clumsily formed1  and they are not
 armed with a sting4 ,superficially     
regarded1 it would  seem as if they came
 into the world merely to consume the   
produce of  others' industry4 ,they must
 not be hastily condemned1 however1 for 
not  being gifted with the organs       
necessary either to collect or to convey
  food2 they ought not to be reproached 
on that score1 and as we know  some of  

their uses1 we may fairly give them     
credit for others4      ,having in the  
former portion of my lecture referred to
 the very early  period at which the    
attention of man was drawn to the       
honey-bee2 to the  profit which may be  
derived from a judicious culture of that
 valuable  insect2 to the various       
members of which a family of bees       
consists2  to their very great powers of
 increase2 and to the very curious and  
wonderful contrivances exhibited in     
their anatomical structure2 ,i now      
proceed to detail to you one of the most
 curious and astonishing facts  which   
their marvellous history affords1 viz41 
the power they possess  of supplying the
 place of a lost queen4 ,when such a    
misfortune befals  them1 provided there 
be any eggs in the worker-cells1 or even
 grubs  that are not more than three    
days old1 they immediately break down   
three worker-cells1 destroy two of the  
eggs or grubs1 as the case may  be1     
surround the third with the walls of a  

cell peculiarly appropriate  for raising
 queens1 and by administering to the    
inmate a particular  food called royal  
jelly1 they are enabled to raise up a   
bee possessing  every attribute of      
royalty1 which1 but for the peculiar    
diet and the  large royal cradle with   
which it was supplied1 would have turned
 out  simply a working bee4 ,a knowledge
 of this power in the bee has long  been
 familiar to a few foreigners1 though   
for a time discredited in  this country4
 ,in consequence of this discovery1     
apiarians have been  enabled to increase
 their stocks of bees by means of what  
has been  called artificial swarming4   
,should there be no suitable egg or grub
  in the hive from which to replace a   
lost sovereign1 so heavily is the       
calamity felt1 that she is mourned over 
with so fervent and sincere a  regret   
that it would seem as if a disaster had 
befallen them of so dire  a nature as to
 threaten the dissolution of the        
community1 and1 for a  time1 no         

successor that could be presented to    
them would be acceptable4  ,still this  
exhibition of grief is not of long      
continuance2 for though  within the     
first twenty-four or thirty hours they  
are so inconsolable  as not only to     
reject1 but even to sacrifice1 any other
 queen that  might be presented for     
their acceptance1 yet1 after the        
expiration of  the period ,i have named1
 their sorrow becomes mitigated1 so     
that1 on  being presented with a        
stranger queen1 she is no longer treated
 as a  stranger1 but even cordially     
received1 and joyfully admitted to the  
honors of sovereignty4 ,if the family   
have neither a queen presented to  them1
 nor eggs1 nor grabs of a suitable age1 
they either pine gradually  away or join
 some other establishment1 transferring 
their allegiance  to the sovereign      
thereof1 and rewarding their new        
associates for their  hospitality by an 
importation of the stores of the        
deserted hive4  ,before ,i take leave of

 the all-important lady ,i have been    
describing1  ,i will just refer to the  
time the eggs which she respectively    
lays  require for their full development
 as perfect bees4 ,the egg of the       
working bee is hatched in about four    
days1 when it becomes a grub1  in which 
state it is fed for about five days     
more1 according to the  temperature of  
the season2 when it has increased so as 
to fill the  cell1 it is covered in by  
its nurses with a waxen lid4 ,it now    
spins  round itself a silken web1 called
 a cocoon1 in which it is occupied  for 
about thirty-six hours4 ,after this its 
various members become  gradually       
developed1 till1 on the #bast day from  
the laying of the eggs  it comes forth a
 winged insect4 ,as respects the embryo 
queen1 in her  case every stage of the  
progression is shortened1 and she is    
ready to  emerge as a full-grown queen  
upon the sixteenth day4 ,the progression
 of  the drone is the slowest1          
four-and-twenty days being occupied     

before  he arrives at maturity4 ,in the 
respective periods of their adult       
existence1 there is a still greater     
relative difference than in that  of    
their embryo state4 ,i have told you    
already that the length of life         
allotted to the working bee does not    
extend beyond six or eight months2  that
 of the drone seldom exceeds four       
months1 whilst the queen's life  is     
usually extended to three or four years4
 ,it has been a question to  what       
distance bees will fly when exploring   
the fields1 and it has been  ascertained
 that the usual extent of their flight  
from home is about a  mile and a half2  
but if within that range they do not    
find what they  seek for1 they have been
 known to exceed more than double that  
distance4    ,having now presented you  
with a sketch of the history and        
physiology  of the bee itself1 ,i shall 
proceed to notice that miracle of insect
  architectural skill1 a honey-comb1    
without which any lecture on its        

artificers would be very incomplete4 ,a 
honey-comb is universally  allowed to be
 one of the most striking achievements  
of insect industry1  and a most         
admirable specimen of insect            
architecture4 ,every comb  in a hive is 
composed of two ranges of cells backed  
against each  other1 and each cell is   
constructed with the strictest          
mathematical  correctness4 ,according as
 they are designed for the cradles of   
working  bees or of drones1 they vary   
somewhat in dimensions1 but in each size
  the strictest uniformity is preserved4
 ,for storing honey both sizes  are     
constructed and used indiscriminately2  
but for whatever purposes  intended1 one
 or other of those two sizes is         
invariably adhered to1 and  they are so 
contrived as to make them contain the   
greatest possible  quantity in the      
smallest possible space1 and with the   
smallest possible  quantity of          
materials4 ,specimens of drone as well  
as of worker-cells1  full and empty1 are

 upon the table4 ,on observing the full 
ones1 it  will be perceived that every  
cell is sealed over1 so as to prevent   
the  external air from having access to 
the honey2 and this may serve as  a hint
 to those who wish to preserve their    
honey in as pure a state  as possible1  
that it should from first to last be as 
little exposed  as possible to the      
external air4 ,the cells are all of them
 of an  hexagonal shape1 that having    
been found by some of the profoundest   
geometrical scholars to be the one which
 most perfectly accomplishes  the       
results which ,i have specified4 ,what  
an astonishing coincidence  is this6    
,several celebrated mathematicians      
occupy themselves in  solving an        
intricate problem1 and1 after the       
exercise of the highest  ingenuity and  
the deepest thought1 find their         
conclusions made manifest  in the       
operations of the bee6 ,not only are the
 cells thus curiously  constructed with 
the strictest regard1 to the economy of 

space and  materials1 but so as to      
afford the utmost available degree of   
strength  for though the cells are      
formed in doable rows1 back to back1 you
 will  perceive1 on examining the       
specimens before you1 that no two cells 
are directly opposed to each other1 but 
that every separate cell is  fortified  
by having the walls of three others     
running across the bottom  of it1 and   
all three meeting in its centre6 ,such  
wonderful specimens  of constructive    
skill in the bee1 as well as in some    
other members of  the insect race1 might
 well have excited the astonishment of  
,solomon  and have called forth the     
apostrophes of ,david1 and have led him 
to  exclaim1 when contemplating them1   
,marvellous are thy works1 ,o ,god6 in  
wisdom hast thou made them all6    ,i   
have given you a description of the     
curiously-constructed cells which       
constitute a honey-comb1 and have told  
you what steps the bees take  when they 
have to supply the loss of a queen4     

,this gave me occasion  to advert to one
 of the modes in which they prepare a   
royal cell4 ,in  such an emergency the  
usual mode of proceeding is departed    
from1 the  royal cradle being built     
round the egg or grab1 and therefore    
having  its site wherever that egg or   
grub may happen to be1 not1 therefore1  
upon the edge of a comb2 whilst in the  
regular course of nature the  royal cell
 is constructed1 not where the egg has  
been laid1 but where  it is proposed    
that it shall be laid1 and in that case 
always upon  the edge of a comb1 its    
dimensions increasing progressively1 as 
the  royal insect increases in size1 and
 requires increased accommodation4      
,this proceeding always commences a     
short time previous to the intended     
issue of a swarm4 ,the wood-cut on the  
table will give a tolerable  notion of  
the relative appearance of every        
description of cell1 and  in every      
state4 ,at the top of the comb may be   
seen cells filled with  honey and sealed

 over with fattish waxen lids 7specimens
 of which are  afforded by the plate of 
stored honey-comb72 somewhat lower down 
are  cells containing brood in an       
advanced state1 sealed over with convex 
lids2 lower still are represented open  
cells1 containing grubs in  every state 
of progression1 the whole being         
encompassed by open cells1  ready to be 
occupied either with honey or brood1 as 
may be required4  ,there is also a      
specimen of a full-sized royal cell upon
 the table1  in the state which precedes
 a queen's emergence from it2 and       
likewise  a half-finished cell of the   
same description4 ,in the formation of  
the  common cells1 you will be struck   
with the lightness of their structure1  
the wax expended upon them being        
employed with the strictest regard to   
economy1 not a gram more being used than
 is barely necessary2 whilst  in        
fashioning the royal cradle1 economy of 
materials would seem to  be the last    
thing thought of4 ,this has been so well

 expressed by an  accomplished apiarian 
friend1 the late ,dr4 ,evans1 of        
,shrewsbury1 that ,i  cannot forbear    
quoting his very words3--       ,no more
 with wary thriftiness imprest1         
,they grace with lavish pomp their royal
 guest2      ,nor heed the wasted wax   
nor rifted cell1      ,to bid with      
fretted round th' imperial palace swell4
    ,you will perceive that the walls of
 these regal edifices1 instead of  being
 like those of the other cells1 as thin 
as paper1 to compare great  things with 
small1 are as substantial as the walls  
of a palace1 the  very title conferred  
upon them by ,dr4 ,evans4    ,the source
 from which wax is produced1 though it  
had been imperfectly  glanced at by one 
or two old apiarians1 was not determined
  satisfactorily till within the last   
sixty or seventy years1 it having  been 
almost universally imagined that the    
substance which the bees  import upon   
their thighs1 viz41 farina1 formed its  
chief constituent2  whereas it is now   

clearly ascertained that farina does not
 enter at  all into the composition of  
wax1 but that it is imported solely as  
food for embryo bees1 and that wax is a 
secretion from between the  scales1 on  
the under parts of the bee's body1 from 
which it is thrown  off in thin layers4 
,the little creatures1 when wax is      
needed1 distend  their stomachs with    
honey and remain in a quiescent state   
for about  twenty-four hours1 within    
which time the honey becomes changed in 
its  nature1 and oozes out between the  
scales in thin flakes ready for  use4   
,these the little artists remove with   
their hind legs1 carry them  forward to 
their mouths1 and then mincing them up  
with a frothy liquor  till the mass     
becomes glutinous1 reduce it to a state 
which admits of  its being easily       
moulded into honey-combs or any other   
form4    ,i have now endeavoured to fix 
your attention upon several of the      
wonderful proceedings of the            
bee--proceedings which are generally    

regarded as the result of instinct1     
though some of them would almost        
incline us to award to it the same      
attribute that has been applied to a    
creature of much greater magnitude1 and 
to speak of the half-reasoning  bee as  
well as of the half-reasoning elephant4 
,indeed the enlightened  ,boyle1 when   
contemplating the various wonders of    
nature1 has declared  his astonishment  
to have been more excited by the mite   
than by the  elephant1 and that his     
admiration dwelt not so much upon the   
clocks  as upon the watches of creation4
 ,in support of what ,i have felt       
disposed to designate as a              
half-reasoning power1 many very striking
  illustrations might be adduced1 shall 
on this occasion confine myself  to one1
 in addition to those ,i have already   
detailed to you2 and ,i  do so the      
rather as it occurred to an old friend  
of mine1 who ended  his days in this    
city4 ,i allude to the ,rev4 ,richd4    
,walond1 one of the  former ,treasurers 

of our ,cathedral1 and ,rector of       
,weston-under-,penyard4  ,as he was     
inspecting one of his bee-boxes one day 
towards the end of  ,october1 he        
perceived that a centre comb loaded with
 honey had become  separated from its   
attachments1 and was leaning against    
another comb1  so as to prevent the     
passage of the bees between them4 ,this 
accident  excited great activity in the 
colony1 but its precise nature could not
  be ascertained at the time4 ,at the   
end of a few days1 the weather being    
cold1 and the bees clustered closely    
together1 ,mr4 ,walond observed  through
 the window of the box that they had    
constructed two horizontal  bars between
 the combs alluded to1 and had removed  
so much of the  honey and wax from the  
top of each as to allow a free passage  
to a bee4  ,in about ten days the bees  
had effected an uninterrupted           
thoroughfare2  the detached comb at its 
upper part had been secured by a strong 
barrier1 and fastened to the window4    

,this being accomplished1 the           
horizontal pillars1 first constructed1  
being of no further use1 were           
demolished4 ,had such expedients been   
had recourse to by human beings1  they  
would have been regarded as affording   
evidence of a continued  chain of       
reasoning1 for the most intelligent     
architect could not  have more          
judiciously propped up a tottering      
fabric till it could be  effectually    
secured4      ,let me now bespeak your  
attention to the practical management of
  bees1 and ,i shall precede my         
observations1 thereon by addressing a   
few  words to you upon the subject of   
swarming1 though in all probability  it 
is a proceeding familiar to most of you4
 ,i have already stated that  in the    
winter and the early spring the queen   
and the working bees  constitute the    
whole family2 but in ,april and ,may1 in
 mild weather much  earlier1 so great a 
number of eggs is deposited1 chiefly    
worker-eggs1  but some portion also of  

drone-eggs1 as1 when hatched and brought
  to maturity1 to encumber the hive so  
much by their numbers and the           
overpowering heat they produce1 unless  
additional room be afforded  them1 as to
 cause the emigration of a large portion
 of the family4 ,in  this case1 one     
division issues from the hive1          
accompanied by the old  queen1 leaving  
the other division in the parent hive4  
,these latter  transfer their allegiance
 to a new queen1 one or more being      
always  either ripe or in embryo1 some  
days prior to the swarm's issuing4 ,the 
same stock will occasionally throw off  
several swarms in the season1  each     
successive swarm being always           
accompanied by the princess royal  ,in  
general all the younger-princesses are  
kept imprisoned in their  cells1 till   
all further intention to swarm is given 
up1 when those  that are not required   
the queen regnant is allowed to destroy1
 which  her jealousy is ever prompting  
her to do1 whether they be required or  

not1 and which nothing but the sedulous 
guard kept over them by the  workers    
could prevent4 ,if two or more of these 
royal ladies should  happen to be at    
liberty at the same time1 there is      
always a contest1  which continues till 
fatal to all but one4 ,a swarm consists 
of a queen1  several thousands of       
working bees of all ages1 generally also
 of a few  hundreds of drones4 ,when all
 things are prepared for their issuing  
forth1 storing themselves1 for instance1
 with honey sufficient for a  few days' 
consumption1 and1 according to the      
opinion of some apiarians  7myself among
 the rest71 having made choice of a     
future residence1  there arises great   
commotion in the hive1 and those bees   
that have1  by previous concert1 decided
 upon emigrating1 sally forth through   
the  entrance of the hive in a rapid and
 tumultuous manner1 and with so  loud a 
buzz as to be audible at some distance4 
,after hovering rather  diffusely for   
some minutes in the air1 they gradually 

congregate and  settle round their      
queen1 usually upon a tree or bush1 from
 which1 as  soon as they have become    
tolerably quiet1 they are shaken into a 
hive  held beneath them2 the hive is    
then instantly inverted1 and placed on  
a table covered with a cloth upon which 
two sticks have been laid to  prop up   
the hive sufficiently to allow a free   
passage for the bees4  ,the whole is    
then well sheltered from the sun by     
green boughs or some  other protection4 
,if the hive prove agreeable to the     
bees1 they soon  recover from the       
commotion1 and as soon as they have     
become tolerably  quiet1 they should be 
carried to the place where they are     
intended to  remain permanently1 from   
whence they will soon begin to roam the 
fields  in search of materials to       
furnish their new home4 ,it is customary
  among the cottagers to make a noise   
when bees are swarming1 generally  by   
striking a frying-pan smartly with a    
large key4 ,this they do from  a notion 

that it will charm the bees down1 but   
the experience of all  intelligent      
apiarians has proved this to be a       
useless practice4 ,while  furnishing    
their hive with combs the great bulk of 
the bees suspend  themselves from its   
roof1 in a cluster1 consisting of a     
succession of  semicircular festoons1   
one within the other1 and they keep up  
such a  degree of warmth as to render   
their waxen materials soft enough to be 
easily moulded4 ,to enable themselves to
 form this cluster1 they cling  to each 
other by their claws1 the fore feet of  
one bee hanging upon the  hind legs of  
the one above it4 ,this clustering      
prevents their earliest  proceedings    
from being witnessed in hives of the    
usual form4 ,this1  however1 is a       
difficulty which ingenious apiarians    
have found means to  overcome1 by the   
use of a unicomb or mirror hive1 one of 
which ,i shall  be well pleased to show 
any lady or gentleman who may feel      
inclined  to see the construction of it1

 and the facilities it affords for      
observation4    ,i shall now put you in 
possession of what ,i conceive to be the
  simplest1 cheapest1 and most          
profitable mode of managing bees4 ,there
  are two prominent systems in use      
directed to these objects1 each based   
upon the importance of giving room to   
the bees1 and diminishing thereby  their
 disposition to swarm4 ,by one of these 
systems we are directed  to place the   
hives or boxes side by side 7the        
collateral system72  the other system   
advocates the piling of the boxes one   
upon another  7the storifying system71  
affording in both cases a free          
communication  between the boxes        
whenever required4 ,i have tried both   
systems myself1  and have taken         
considerable pains to ascertain the     
success of others1  who have also given 
both an ample trial4 ,the result has    
been to give  me a decided opinion in   
favour of storifying1 and indeed many of
 my  acquaintances1 who had originally  

been induced to adopt the collateral    
plan1 have wholly abandoned it for that 
of storifying4 ,whichever of  these     
modes he had recourse to1 it has been   
found that the bees have  a regular     
habit of constructing their combs at    
uniform distances from  each other2 but 
they have also another habit1 when they 
are untutored1  viz41 that of building  
them irregularly1 insomuch that their   
position  is frequently curvilinear1 and
 sometimes they are even placed at right
  angles with each other4 ,this         
proceeding forms a great impediment to  
the  manipulation of wax and honey4 ,it 
is an impediment1 however1 which the    
mere cottager pays little regard to1 and
 blunders through it4 ,but to  the      
scientific apiarian it is indispensably 
necessary to avoid these  various       
incurvations4 ,to accomplish this       
desirable object1 every box  or bee-hive
 should be furnished with movable wooden
 bars1 upon each  of which1 or at any   
rate upon every other bar1 pieces of    

worker-comb  should be fixed1 to serve  
as a guide to the bees1 prior to their  
introduction to a swarm4 ,this1 you will
 perceive1 has been attended to  in the 
hive and boxes before you4 ,and it will 
be found that the bees1  if they have   
their guide-combs correctly and securely
 fixed1 will  invariably accept them as 
the foundations of their future         
structures2  by which means several     
important objects will be accomplished4 
,in the  first place1 the facility of   
taking the stored honey will be very    
much increased4 ,in the next place1 if  
the bees are not wealthy enough  to     
spare a whole box full of honey1 you can
 without difficulty take  from them what
 they can spare4 ,and thirdly1 if in    
your apiary there  should be any        
families very unequal in wealth1        
provided the boxes and  bars are        
reciprocally adapted to each other1 one 
or more bars can be  removed from a weak
 hive and exchanged for the same number 
of loaded  bars from a strong one1 thus 

giving needful support to one or more   
families without injury to any4 ,in the 
performance of these operations1  the   
use of a little tobacco smoke is        
required to paralyse the bees so  far as
 to prevent them from being intrusive4  
,but ,i will now endeavour  to          
illustrate what ,i have stated to you1  
by having recourse to the  boxes upon   
the table4 ,i will suppose a swarm to   
have been introduced  to one of them1   
and that the box and bees have been     
placed where they  are to remain        
permanently4 ,if your object be to      
collect pure honey1  and to prevent     
swarming1 as soon as you have           
ascertained that the  box is about      
three-parts full of combs1 another box  
should be placed  either under or over  
the first1 and a communication opened   
between  them2 if the season promise    
well1 the family may be supered1 if not 
nadired4 ,in some remarkable seasons    
even a third box may be required2  but  
this will rarely happen during the first

 year of a family's  establishment4     
,indeed1 during the first year honey    
should generally be  rather sparingly   
taken4 ,in future years1 with good      
seasons1 from thirty  to forty pounds   
may be taken from each family2 in highly
 favourable  seasons1 in a good         
locality1 much more4    ,i have now     
brought this lecture to a close4 ,my    
chief difficulty in  the composition of 
it has arisen from the exuberance of my 
materials1  which it was not easy to    
compress into the form of a lecture4    
,you  will1 of course1 infer1 therefore1
 that much has been left untold1 for    
which ,i must beg to refer you to those 
works which have been written           
professedly on the subject4    ,so ,i   
here take leave of my brief history of  
the honey-bee--that  wonderful1 that    
useful insect1 which1 though not        
possessed of the  advantages with which 
man is gifted1 having neither religion  
nor reason  for its guide1 affords      
nevertheless an example to man of the   

most  perfect order1 the most           
unremitting industry1 the greatest      
harmony1 and  the most undeviating      
attention to the welfare of all4        
7,applause47           99       99      
99       99       99    ,,hereford3     
,,printed ,,at ,,the ,,times ,,office1  
,,widemarsh-,,street4