EYE MEAL AS A SUBSTITUTE. 213 



they will survive through the winter without it, while 

 if fed on it alone they soon die. The amount con- 

 sumed by the bees of a single hive is very large, 

 probably as high as thirty or forty pounds in a single 

 year. 



RYE MEAL AS A SUBSTITUTE. 



" Though the importance of pollen has long been 

 know, it is only of late that any attempts have been 

 made to furnish a substitute. Dzierzon, early in the 

 spring, observed his bees bringing rye meal to their 

 hives from a neighboring mill, before they could pro- 

 cure any pollen from natural supplies. The hint was 

 not lost ; and it is now a common practice in Europe, 

 where bee-keeping is extensively carried on, to sup- 

 ply the bees early in the season with this article. 

 Shallow troughs are set in front of the apiaries, filled 

 about two inches deep with finely ground dry unbolted 

 rye meal. Thousands of bees, when the weather is 

 favorable, resort eagerly to them, and, rolling them- 

 selves in the meal, return heavily laden to their hives. 

 In fine, mild weather, they labor at this work with 

 great industry, preferring the meal to the old pollen 

 stored in their combs. They thus breed early, and 

 rapidly recruit their numbers. The feeding is con- 

 tinued till the blossoms furnishing a preferable article 

 they cease to carry off the meal. The average con- 

 sumption of each colony is about two pounds." 5 * 



*Langstroth. 



