HUES. 81 



will probably invent his own. Those which are intended 

 for the top of the hive g-enerally have a hole through the 

 centre to correspond with that which forms the communi- 

 cation with the cup or bell-g-lass, and through which the bees 

 ascend. One form is that of a flat wooden basin of a 

 soup-plate form, with a tube throug-h the centre through 

 which the bees pass, and a great number of concentric cir- 

 cular channels cut around the tube, the hollows of which 

 were filled with honey, so that the bees could safely sit 

 upon the ridges while they sipped their food from the chan- 

 nels. Perhaps the most ingenious plan is that of a French 

 bee-keeper, who manufactures a paper comb, and places 

 that upon the hive, so that the bees can take their honey 

 almost as if they were drinking it out of real combs. Tllte 

 only difference is that the cells of the paper comb are cylin- 

 drical instead of hexagonal. 



With regard to the material with which they are to be 

 supplied, their natural nutriment honey, is, of course, the best ; 

 but care must be taken that it has not been removed from 

 a hive by means of sulphur, or the bees will be made most 

 seriously ill by the tainted food, and probably lose many of 

 their number. Above all things, take great care that the 

 honey is not candied ; it not only is actually poisonous to 

 the bees, but they also have often perished from daubing 

 themselves with the candied honey, which they have in- 

 dignantly cast on the floor of their hive, and through which 

 they must pass whether they enter or leave the hive. 

 Sugar, mixed with boiling water or beer, is an excellent 

 substitute for honey. The best way of making this pseudo- 

 honey, is by dissolving a pound and a half of sugar in a 

 quart of ale, boiling- it gently for about five minutes, care- 

 fully skimming ofl" the scum. Some prefer adding a little 

 salt when it is presented to the bees. If a real comb cannot 

 be ]-)rocured, or an artificial one take up too much time iri 

 making, a piece of thin wood or pasteboard, pierced full of 

 holes, and laid on the surface of the food, will float there, 

 and enable the bees to get at their food without daubiog 

 themselves in their attempts to feed. 



o 



