POLLEN. 801 



The second (and it is of but little less importance 

 than the first) is to have perfect combs so arranged 

 as to suit the wants of the bees. If in the first of 

 the season, they will wish to extend the structures. 

 If at the close, they will desire to remain quiescent. 

 Feeding without these conditions is useless. 



MATERIAL. 



The materials suitable for feeding are honey , pol- 

 len, sugar, %&& flour. 



HONEY. 



Honey for feeding bees is to be preferred to sugar, 

 provided it is of good quality, but great care should 

 be taken that no honey from hives containing foul 

 brood is fed, for it will surely reproduce the disease. 

 The dark fall honey, particularly that gathered from 

 honey-dew, is inferior to sugar for bee food ; hence it 

 ought only be given after the weather becomes warm 

 in the spring. 



If strained honey which has become candied, or 

 of thick consistency, be used, it should first be re- 

 duced to that of new honey, which is done by adding 

 a little water and placing it over a slow fire until it 

 attains 120 Fahr. ; it is then to be taken off and 

 cooled, and is fit for use. 



POLLEN. 



Pollen is an indispensable article of food during 

 the season of breeding, yet the adult bees subsist in 



