MAINE STATE SOCIETY. 33 



will, when kept in this manner, be well fattened in seven or 

 eight days. The above breeds of poultry, with the mode of 

 feeding-, is the best I have ever been able to obtain. I have 

 taken some pains in experimenting, and have found my present 

 method the most profitable, and if in the opinion of your com- 

 mittee, any portion are worthy of the premiums, I respectfully 

 request the same may he granted. 



Honey. 



Statement of John Furbish, Brunswick, " My honey wag 

 made in Brunswick, and was produced from flowers by the bees ; 

 neither do I believe it best to feed bees when it can be avoided. 

 The hive was made about fifteen by twelve inches in the clear. 

 This box was set on the top, having the entrance at the bottom, 

 through holes in the top of the hive. In taking honey from the 

 bees I use the bee dress, by which means any operation may be 

 performed with perfect safety to the person. After taking the 

 honey from the hive, I remove it a short distance, when the 

 bees will soon leave." 



Statement of Sylvester Davis. My honey is made from the 

 first early blossoms, which I am enabled to get, by stopping the 

 passage from the brooding hive to the honey boxes, and early 

 in the spring I feed my bees with a liquid feed, so as to fill (m 

 ■a measure) the brooding hive, and when the first blossoms 

 appear, I let my bees into the boxes, which enables me to get 

 a superior quality of honey from that which is gathered from 

 later blossoms, such as fire weed, buck wheat, &c.,-and by thus 

 managing, I get a much larger quantity, as well as a better 

 quality. My hive is constructed of wood and glass. The hive 

 is sixteen inches long, eleven inches high, and eight inches wide, 

 with glass in front end, with slide door, so as to see the bees, 

 <fcc., with passages through the top to the honey boxes on a line 

 with the .side of the hive, saving the bees the trouble of passing 

 through the comb in the hive to get to the boxes, which are on 

 top of the hive, covered by a chamber. It (the hive) is set on 

 a platforni made to receive the feed drawers and filth drawers, 

 and covered with wire cloth, through which the filth drops to 

 3 



