We have been told that a vicious, kicking horse is cured by hanging a bag of hay at his heels in the stall. It is tit for tat; the more he kicks the bag the more it molests him, till his strength is exhausted. His vice leaves him, and the hostler is allowed to do as he likes, and the bag to dangle at his heels. The bee-keeper may place a provoking handkerchief or two in the hands of the scarecrow.

HAVE BEES A LANGUAGE?

To be sure they have. Who has not seen a flock of rooks or crows feeding quietly in a green or ploughed field rise on wing as a black cloud, in the twinkling of an eye, on hearing the watchword sounded by a single bird, which has seen apparent or possible danger near? So bees have a language well understood by themselves; and, we might venture to say, pretty well known by bee-keepers of extensive experience.

There is the hum of contentment and the hum of trouble -the hum of peace and the hum of war-the hum of attack and the hum of defence-the hum of plenty and the buzz of starvation-the hum of joy and the roar of grief-the cry of pain and the music of their winter's sunshine-dance-the buzz of the heavy-laden and the scream of suffocation.

Where is the bee-keeper who is not acquainted with the sound of bees bent on mischief? They have not stung him, but he knows they mean it. Sometimes we have been wishful to let the bees of a weak hive have the honey of some combs half empty. at work outside, a morsel of comb has been taken to the door of this weak hive; and as soon as four or six bees

When no bees were

began to feed on it, they were carried quietly to the combs to be emptied. As soon as these few bees got home with their booty, the whole hive seemed to be made aware that there was more to be had, and hundreds, nay thousands, were soon busily carrying it home. Bees, then, have a language.

CHAPTER IV.

LIGURIAN OR ITALIAN BEES.

As our object in writing this book is to guide inexperienced bee-keepers in a safe and profitable course, we may be expected to say a few words about Ligurian bees, which were introduced into this country some years ago.

The principle of novelty is implanted in the human mind, and the weakest part of an Englishman is his gullibility. A new style of dress, a Cochin-China fowl, a Ligurian bee, if well puffed and advertised, will command lots of customers. People go mad for novelties. If anybody were bold enough to advertise that he would swallow his own foot at the Free-Trade Hall, the half of Manchester would go to see him; and the house would be filled two hours before the time.

But do you mean to say that the Ligurian sort of bees, which is so much praised and talked about, and sold at such high prices, is not better than the common English sort? Better for what? Do they.fly faster? No. Do they carry heavier loads? No. Do they lay more eggs? No. Do their eggs become perfect bees sooner? No. Are they not earlier astir in the morning? No. Do they work later at night? No. Don't they gather more honey? No. Nor breed faster? No. Nor swarm more? No. But are they not better in any sense? No. But are they not prettier then? I think they are, rather;

but a wasp is prettier than either. Why then give £5 or £6 for a swarm of Ligurians? We cannot answer this question. If a gentleman sets his heart on possessing a stock of such bees, let him have it by all means. The gratification and satisfaction arising therefrom may be more than an ample return for all the money he paid for it. At first these bees were by some honestly considered superior to our common bees. The reader will, we hope, see that our object in making these remarks is to guard him against representations that might mislead him, that might induce him to pay a large sum for Ligurian bees, which are not a whit better than those he may already possess.

CHAPTER V.

THE GOVERNMENT OF A HIVE.

M. LAMARTINE once said that "England is a great republic, with a monarchical frontispiece." Using his language, we say a hive of bees is a great republic, with a monarchical frontispiece. The political system of bees is admirable, and perhaps the best that can be adopted by any country or community of human beings.

The queen bee is monarch of the hive; and every hive of bees must have a queen reigning, or in prospect, that is, in embryo. If they have not, their loyalty and activity leave them; they soon become worthless. The monarchy of a bee-hive is a very limited one; for the presence of the queen amongst the bees or in the hive is all the authority she wields; but that is enough to secure the greatest order, contentment, and activity. Deprive a hive of its queen, and we presently find the bees thrown into a state of chaos and commotion, tumultuous to a degree. Let her be restored to them, and there is presently a great calm, and evident tokens of joy and satisfaction.

The queen is called monarch, but she does not rule and govern. The wee workers are the governors, rulers over both queen and drones. The harmony of a hive is so great and unique, that it is but seldom necessary for the bees to exercise their great ability, or call into play their mastership. When queens become old and enfeebled, their governors