1883.] BEE-KEEPING. 163 



upper sections, and that will be removed. Now the bees have 

 no honey for winter, or if they have some not a sufficient 

 quantity for the winter. It is absolutely necessary, therefore, 

 that they should be fed in the winter. As I before remarked, 

 a swarm should have thirty pounds. Now this feeder has 

 been invented, one of which can be introduced every day, 

 filled up with sugar instead of honey. It is claimed that this 

 is an economical method, but you see that it requires a good 

 deal of judgment, knowledge, and skill, which it is supposed 

 farmers do not possess, because they will not take the trouble 

 to acquire them. 



Mr. Wetherell. Do the bees make honey, or only gath- 

 er it? 



Mr. Bradley. They simply gather it. They will bring in 

 the honey from apple blossoms in the spring of the year, and 

 if you taste that honey, you find it tastes just like the blos- 

 soms. Raspberry honey has a flavor peculiar to itself. I 

 think it is the finest flavored honey we have. 



Mr. Adams of Rockville. I would like to ask a single 

 question on the subject of swarming. I understand by the 

 paper that the rule was, that the bees come out of the hive 

 and alight on a neighboring branch. I wish to ask if that is 

 the rule or the exception ? 



Mr. Bradley. I made general statements ; I did not par- 

 ticularize. As a general rule they will go to a bush, or a small 

 tree, by preference. If there are no trees in front of the 

 hive, or near it, by placing some apple tree limbs around, as 

 you would pea brush, they will almost invariably alight on 

 them. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, they will alight 

 before they leave for other parts. I do not know that I 

 ever had a natural swarm come out and depart without first 

 alighting. 



Dr. RiGGS. Did you ever feed glucose ? 



Mr. Bradley. No, sir, I don't recommend it. 



Mr. Augur. I would like to ask Mr. Bradley to name the 

 plants and trees which furnish the best bee food in the order 

 in which he regards them ? 



