1412 Department of Agkicultuke 



comb and usually in small sections, and the latter to all honeys 

 separated from the comb, either in liquid or granulated form. 



As the principal income from the apiary is through the honey 

 produced, it is of vital importance to the apiarist that he should 

 produce the maximum amount, and that of the highest quality ob- 

 tainable. By quality is meant the ripeness and richness of the 

 extracted product and the most perfectly filled and whitest capped 

 in comb honey. With the latter this requires especial care and 

 attention at just the proper time. 



Pollen 



Pollen is the fertilizing dust of flowers, which is gathered by 

 the bees and packed in solid lumps on their posterior legs for trans- 

 portation to the hives. On their arrival home, they insert these 

 legs into an empty cell or one partially filled "with pollen and dis- 

 lodge the lumps with their other legs and again return to work, 

 leaving the iDollen in the cell to be kneaded down flat by other and 

 younger bees. The cells containing pollen are never entirely filled 

 with this substance, but are frequently filled up Avith honey and 

 sealed over. Pollen is usually stored in worker comb, and in queen- 

 less colonies the breeding space is often badly clogged with it. It 

 is of many colors, depending on its source, rangiug from cream to 

 dark purple. Some flowers yield a. large amount with but little 

 honey and vice versa. 



Pollen is used by the bees for the preparation of food for the 

 larvae, and little or no brood can be reared without it or some sub- 

 stitute for it. 



Propolis 



This sticky substance is gathered from the buds of trees and 

 shrubs, and is used by the bees for cementing the crevices and cov- 

 ering up rough places in the hive. In sections where it is plen- 

 tiful, they frequently use large quantities of it, and daul) it over 

 the inside of the hives and sections quite freely. Tn such cases it 

 proves to be a nuisance, since it interferes with the handling of 

 frames, and largely increases the labor of ])reparing comlj honey 

 for market. Where pro])()lis is somewhat scarce, the bees often 

 mix wax with it, and occasionally use pure wax as a cement ; espe- 

 cially is this the case early in the season. Late in the season the 



