330 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 1. 



myself and Dr. Miller as examples because we 

 do not happen to agree upon the amount of 

 vorable comparison with agricultural inven- 

 tions. The discovery of parthenogenesis, by the 

 blind Huber, followed since by the unraveling 

 of so many of the scientific mysteries of the bee- 

 hive, makes a record not surpassed in any 

 branch of husbandry. In literature, in inven- 

 tion, in discovery, or even in practical results, 

 we do not fear comparison with any branch of 

 agriculture There is no need of belittling 

 the pursuit because a few of us are not well 

 posted. 



THICK OR THIN SUGAR SYRUP. 



Dr. Miller prefers to feed a thin syrup, such 

 as can be made by the cold processes mentioned 

 in the query. I prefer to feed a thick syrup 

 with acid, such as can not be made without 

 heat. My answer, of course, was based on the 

 quantity of water in the syrup, while I infer 

 that Dr. Miller's was based on both the syrup 

 and the cold method of making the same. I 

 prefer to feed a thick syrup, because it saves 

 the bees much labor in evaporating, and also 

 that I may be sure they will not suffer, if, 

 from any cause, they fail to properly evaporate 

 a thin syrup. When a thin syrup is fed late in 

 the season (the time when feeding is done by a 

 majority of bee-keepers) it is not properly ri 

 pened. When fed early it is usually well ripen- 

 ed, but always at a heavy cost in the vitality 

 of the bees. The life of a worker bee is not 

 measured by time, but by the work it performs; 

 and it is not too much to say that a full quarter 

 of the vitality of a swarm of bees is often con- 

 sumed in storing a winter supply of sugar syrup. 

 Even when done under the most favorable 

 condition, the loss is so heavy that it is safe to 

 say that the feeding of sugar syrup in the fall 

 is at the best a necessary evil, and to be avoid- 

 ed whenever possible. The bees become aged 

 by this period of activity, and, although they 

 may winter well, in the spring are unable to 

 rear brood as rapidly as colonies depending 

 upon natural stores. The lack of brood in 

 sugar-fed swarms has often been observed, and 

 always explained by the supposed inferiority of 

 the food; whereas the cause is only partially 

 this. That close observer, Capt. Hetherington, 

 first called my attention to the great loss of vi- 

 tality connected with feeding. Cheshire also 

 admits the same, and gives a partial explana- 

 tion based on physiology. 



NATURAL STORES PREFERRED. 



For several years I have kept a record of 

 sugar-fed colonies, and I have been slowly 

 forced to the conclusion that, under present 

 conditions, natural stores are the best. Occa- 

 sionally, when honey is of poor quality, sugar 

 stores are the safest; but such years have late- 

 ly been the rare exception, and our best results, 

 on the average, come from hives heavy with 

 natural stores in the fall. With small brood- 



chambers a larger proportion of the honey will 

 be stored for market; but where will be the 

 gain if sugar has to be returned for winter? 

 Even if we grant that it can be fed so early as 

 to promote a sufficient brood-rearing to main- 

 tain the normal strength of the colony, the 

 extra amount consumed will more than coun- 

 terbalance the difference in price per pound. 

 The hundreds of tons of honey thus yearly 

 thrown upon the market by the exchange of 

 sugar for honey must make some difference in 

 present prices — quite likely more than any of 

 us surmise. 



I think it both unsafe and not wise to advo- 

 cate filling up all unoccupied space in the 

 brood-chamber, just previous to the honey- 

 flow, with sugar syrup. The aim should be to 

 get the brood-nest as nearly as possible filled 

 with brood, which is very much more favorable 

 for surplus storage than thick sealed comb- 

 tops. But admitting that it is a good thing to 

 fill up the combs, why not feed honey, and help 

 some poor producer of extracted honey instead 

 of the sugar trust? It is conceded that sugar- 

 syrup stores will cost, properly ripened, 4 cents 

 per pound; but the cost will be more nearly the 

 price of the bare sugar, or .5>.2 cts. Honey is 

 now quoted as low as i^^ cts. per pound in sev- 

 eral of the large markets; and in Cincinnati, 

 Albany, and San Francisco, as low as 4 cts. It 

 can be bought of producers as cheaply. Boil 

 it to prevent infection; add your water, and 

 feed. This, of course, is dark honey, but just 

 as good for winter, and we think we have more 

 uniformly good than light honey. Its being 

 dark will, therefore, make no difference what- 

 ever, as the advocates of this method say that, 

 in no case, will any of it be stored above. 

 Should any of it show in sections it will prove 

 that it is not safe to use sugar in this way. 

 Having had thousands of pounds of honey car- 

 ried above, both before and after the bass wood 

 flow, and having had, in full-size brood-cham- 

 bers and in full-depth frames, wide margins of 

 sealed honey carried above after basswood, I 

 need not predict the result of cramming the 

 hives with dark honey. 



THE EXCHANGE IN CAI,IFORNIA. 



I am glad to see the Exchange started in Cal- 

 ifornia. It will help us, if they succeed in 

 maintaining living prices. Overstocking the 

 principal markets, combined with the adulter- 

 ation of their extracted honey, whereby the 

 number of pounds is more than doubled, has 

 brought down prices rapidly. With guaran- 

 teed purity, suitable packages and proper dis- 

 tribution, California honey could all be mar- 

 keted west of the Rocky Mountains, at good 

 prices. I mention this section because it is 

 near at hand, and free from competition from 

 honey outside of the Exchange. As soon as the 

 Exchange begins operations in the East, a 

 strong effort will undoubtedly be made by un- 



