mathematicians’ natural scientists on the other [3]. According to the records, the
students, all of which were young men, are said to have behaved unusually well
during the same period.
12.1 Contributions to Prize Questions
Bergman, who had successfully contributed in the prize question of finding a
remedy against caterpillars (Sect. 6.3), also contributed to a prize question by the
Royal Academy in Montpellier on the topic of classifying soils in order to determine suitable crops for different soils, and a way to improve infertile soil. Bergman’s suggestion won, but unfortunately the ticket with Bergman’s name that
accompanied his contribution was lost, and at first the committee had no idea who
the winner was [4]. Hjelm later wrote that Bergman’s winning contribution was a
pure pleasure to read, despite the fact that it contained no new information [4].
Bergman also contributed to a prize question with an attempt to analyse indigo, [5]
where he attempted the task of determining its composition, a task impossible in
Bergman’s days, as well as a discussion on the best ways of dying silk and wool
with indigo.
12.2 Bergman’s Study of Bees
After his installation as professor of chemistry, Bergman had little or no time for his
work in physics and astronomy. He would not, however, completely give up his
interest in insects. He was still regarded as an authority on pest insects. In response to
an anonymous paper on pine forests in 1769, [6] Bergman wrote a short paper on
insects attacking pine trees [7]. The same year he submitted a contribution to the prize
question of finding a means against caterpillar attacks on fruit trees (Sect. 12.1). His
next paper on insects would appear ten years later, in 1779, and concerned beekeeping [8]. The nearly thirty pages long paper is a very good example of how
Bergman attacked a problem. Bergman may have got some assistance from his wife
in taking care of the bees [3].
Bergman’s object was to study the profitability of beekeeping in Uppsala. He
had studied bees for several years and had come to the conclusion that these
hard-working creatures gave a high yield with a minimum of effort. The chemist
Bergman, who was at the time working on the development of quantitative
chemical analysis, constructed a balance that allowed him to safely weigh the hives.
Bergman studied two colonies, denoted A and B. Colony A (about 25,000 bees)
swarmed on June 30, 1778 from a healthy hive while colony B was about half that
size and swarmed on July 6, from an unhealthy hive. Bergman regularly weighed
the hives, and his tabulated results fill several pages of the paper. The weight of the
hives increased until August, then it started to decrease. On August 16, 1779, both
190
12 Bergman’s Life as Professor
students, all of which were young men, are said to have behaved unusually well
during the same period.
12.1 Contributions to Prize Questions
Bergman, who had successfully contributed in the prize question of finding a
remedy against caterpillars (Sect. 6.3), also contributed to a prize question by the
Royal Academy in Montpellier on the topic of classifying soils in order to determine suitable crops for different soils, and a way to improve infertile soil. Bergman’s suggestion won, but unfortunately the ticket with Bergman’s name that
accompanied his contribution was lost, and at first the committee had no idea who
the winner was [4]. Hjelm later wrote that Bergman’s winning contribution was a
pure pleasure to read, despite the fact that it contained no new information [4].
Bergman also contributed to a prize question with an attempt to analyse indigo, [5]
where he attempted the task of determining its composition, a task impossible in
Bergman’s days, as well as a discussion on the best ways of dying silk and wool
with indigo.
12.2 Bergman’s Study of Bees
After his installation as professor of chemistry, Bergman had little or no time for his
work in physics and astronomy. He would not, however, completely give up his
interest in insects. He was still regarded as an authority on pest insects. In response to
an anonymous paper on pine forests in 1769, [6] Bergman wrote a short paper on
insects attacking pine trees [7]. The same year he submitted a contribution to the prize
question of finding a means against caterpillar attacks on fruit trees (Sect. 12.1). His
next paper on insects would appear ten years later, in 1779, and concerned beekeeping [8]. The nearly thirty pages long paper is a very good example of how
Bergman attacked a problem. Bergman may have got some assistance from his wife
in taking care of the bees [3].
Bergman’s object was to study the profitability of beekeeping in Uppsala. He
had studied bees for several years and had come to the conclusion that these
hard-working creatures gave a high yield with a minimum of effort. The chemist
Bergman, who was at the time working on the development of quantitative
chemical analysis, constructed a balance that allowed him to safely weigh the hives.
Bergman studied two colonies, denoted A and B. Colony A (about 25,000 bees)
swarmed on June 30, 1778 from a healthy hive while colony B was about half that
size and swarmed on July 6, from an unhealthy hive. Bergman regularly weighed
the hives, and his tabulated results fill several pages of the paper. The weight of the
hives increased until August, then it started to decrease. On August 16, 1779, both
190
12 Bergman’s Life as Professor