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THE SOUTHERN WORLD. JULY 16.
1884.
X gwarm of Bees.
BeeB are said to have originated in
Greece, whence they spread over the
rid. Although Pliny and others have
written about “ the little people in their
w axen cells,” it was not until the in
vention of glass hives, in 1712, that the
habits of bees were correctly understood.
<trang< to eay, the most reliable author
ity is Bi*ber, who was blind. His wife,
however, supplied in a measure, his de
ficiency '' sight* and, under his guid
ance, sh< watched the bees, carefully
noting down the result of her investiga
tions. The information thus gathered
f as of the most interesting nature, and
proved these little creatures to be gifted
!rith great intelligence.
The bees of the hive consist of the
qneen mother, the workers, and the
drones. The workers are of two kinds—
the wax workers, who produce
fax and the nurse bees, whose
duties are collecting honey for
their companions, taking care
of the grubs, and completing
the cells begun by the others.
Thequeen has special reverence
paid to her, and is always at
tended by a guard of twelve .
workers.
When a swarm migrates
the precaution is first taken to
stop up every crevice of the
tree, on which it intends to
alight, with propolis, a resinous
substance resembling jelly;
which is gathered by the bees
from the trees, and which they
use in connection with wax to
build their cells. Before leav
ing their cells they also secrete
wax, this being done in a state
of repose, the wax workers
suspending themselves in a
cluster in the hive. The bees
are not always allowed to re
main in the locality they have
so industriously prepared for
themselves, but are driven by
the bee-keeper into the new
hive he has ready for their fu
ture home. Some idea of the
utility of these little creatures
un be gathered from the fact
that in 1850 fifteen millions of
pounds of honey and wax wpre
pthered in the United States
from bees. *
At certain times a regular
■uigration from the cells takes
place. Some have thought that
the cause of this is the over
crowded state of the hive from
hich the bees take their flight;
they frequently leave the
ve when its inhabitants are
The immediate cause of
vanning, as this migration is
l®d,pa not known. A swarm
t left the hive made its way
Ver the top of some houses
'l through several streets,
finding an aperture in the
work of a house, in
*abury, England, forced
18 * a y in, taking possession of
room > where it was allowed
re ®ain. A queen conducts
ret s arm from the hive, leaving
c 0 bees to take care of the cells,
t sin- does not sett le on the branch
e tree elected, but waits until the
e gi [ io cluster, and then joins
"th ° \ a ^ en8e company crowd
er > iB seen in our illustration.
, r il 8w &rm unless the day is
hivi Me 8ensitive to bad weath-
^ mg :,een known to turn hack
ou suddenly obscured the sky.
oviuuemy o
Magazine.
'Pulif» Magazine is <'eservedly
Perb F 1 . t * le ladies on account of its
it ab:u °n Department and excel-
« up 1 In illustrations,
noti ng . ge “ eral appearance it
^ted l; 10 be desired. We are
* Page of tk 0r tbe U8e th® cut on
. £® swarm .°f bees. Bend
CUw *t magazine.
Open Fires vs. Stoves and Far .
•laces.
Among health topics, this isoneol the
most important. In this latitude per-
haps no other is so vital.
In fitting up a house for my familv I
should begin with, “An open fire i, J'm-
ber one among house blessings” It should
be of wood, in one of those generous,
old-fashioned fireplaces! How it fills the
family group with a comfortable, social
spirit! To supply the draught the air of
the room %» momentarily changed. The
carbonic acid and other excretions of the
animal body cannot accumulate; the room
cannot smell close, even when crowded.
Strange the people will not have this
delightful sun in their homes at any cost
or sacrifice. And pray, now, why not
have it all back again ? If a small part
of the money we spend in various foolish
room you open a small aperture, and look
in the jet of light aa it streams through
the room, you will discover that the air
is full of floating motes. The air of our
houses is always crowded with these.
In their ordinary condition they are not
mischievous, but after they have been
exposed to contact with a heated surface,
they do poison us. Millions of these
carbonised particles come from the stove
or furnace to poison our lungs and
blood.
If yon would have good throat, lungs,
and nerves, sit by an open fire, and
keep as far as possible from stoves and
furnaces. If you cannot escape those
evils, wear more clothing, especially
upon the feet and legs, and keep the
doors and windows open.
Most people, even many intelligent
reformers, have the idea that to sleep in
A SWARM OF BEES.
fashions were given to the reintroduc
tion of this good old-fashioned blessing,
how much healthier and happier we all
should be!
Next to an open wood-fire, the open
coal-grate is the best means of warming
and ventilating. And if, with a good
draught, the coal used be bituminous, it
is a very excellent fire.
There has been a fearful increase of
consumption, bronchitis, headache, and
some other affections, sincejthe general
introduction of stoves and fiirnaces. If
with the higher degree of heat, the doors
aind windows are kept open during the
entire season, as may be easily and com
fortably done, the evil would not be so
great, but, as generally managed, it is
the gravest mistake in our physical life.
If in the window-shutter of a dark
a cold room la good—essential to health.
It is an error. It is better to have an
open fire in your bed room. The atmos
phere is not only by this means con
stantly changed, but you will keep the
window open, which will add greatly to
the needed ventilation. But more than
this, with the fire you will have fewer
bed clothes over you, which is a gain, aa
a large number of blankets not only in
terferes somewhat with the circulation
and respiration, but prevents the escape
of those gases which the skin is con
stantly emitting. Even furnace or stove
heat with an open window is better than
a close cold room. Interchange with
the external atmuephere depends upon
the difference between the temperature
of the air within and that without.
But let ua have the open fire. Let ua
go without silks, broadcloths, carpets
and finery of all kinds, il necessary, that
we may have this excellent portlier and
diffuser of joy in all our houses. In my
own house I have three open grates, and
if it were in any other department o(
housekeeping, I should feel I could not
afford it; hut in this I do not flinch, so
important do I deem the open fire.—Dio
Lewis’s Monthly.
♦ ♦.
How to Fall Asleep.
I have often uoticed that when en
gaged in deep thought, particularly at
night, there seemed to be something like
a compression of the eyelic’s, the upper
ones especially, and the eyes themselves
were apparently turned upward, aa if
looking in that direction. This invari
ably occurred; and the moment that, by
an effort, I arrested the course of thought
Mnd freed the mind from the
I subject with which it was en
gaged, the eyes resumed their
normal position and the com
pression of the lids ceased.
Now it occurred to me one night
that I would not allow the eye
to turn Upward, but keep them
determinedly in the oppoeite
position, as it .looking down;
and having done so for a short
time 1 found that the mind did
not revert to the thought# with
which it had been occupied,
and I soon fell asleep. I tried
the plan again with the same
result; and after an experience
of two years, I can truly say
that, unless when something
specially annoying or worrying
occurred, I have always been
able to go to sleep very shortly
after retiring to rest. There
may occasionally be some diffi
culty in keeping the eyes in the
position 1 have described,,but
a determined effort to do so ia
ail that ia required, and I am
certain that if kept in the down
looking position it will he found
that composure and sleep will
be the result.
It may be said that aa the
con tiuued effort to keep the
ey eballa in a certain position
so diverts the attention aa to
r 4 e the m ind from the disagree
able aub ject which it had been
engaged, sleep will follow aa a
natural con sequence. It ia not
improbable t h at this ia to some
extent correct, and if ao, it ia
well that by means ao simple
and so easily adopted, auch a
desirable result can be secured.
But I think this ia not the only
nor the principal reason. The
position in which the eyes
ahonld be kept ia the natural
one ,*they are at ease in it; and
when there ia no compression
of the lids or knitting of the
brows, the muscles connected
with and surrounding the eye*
are relaxed. This condition ia
much more favorable for sleep
than for mental activity or deep
thought.—Chamlters’ Journal.
««-•«*
Tub Rose, aa a genus, is universally
admired; it has figured in hiatory to a
greater extent than any other flower.
Since the War of the Roaes, it has been
the distinctive badge of England. It
first appears upon the great seal of
Edward IV., ana it is to be found on the
great seal of all the succeeding mon
arch! down to James 11. lta brat ap
pearance in the coinage was on the rose-
noble in the reigns of Henry VI. The
rose commands onr especial admiration,
and many a loving tribute baa been paid
it in poetry and song, from time imme
morial, and yet the. hall has not been
told.
"Ob, Rosea! Rose*! who (ball ilng
The beauties of tbs flower of uod;
Or : tbauk tbs angel fiom wbuss wing
Tbs wall ere Matured on tbs sod.
From which such bloom • nd perlumt Spring.
Ob. (western flowers! Oh, flowers that bold
Tbs fragrant life of Par ad 1m 1
For a brief day shut fold In fold,
That wa may dnnk It lu a trice,
And drop tba empty pink and gold.
—Mas. U. W. FLAJ'DXk.S