152 



THE AMERICAN APICULTUBIST. 



statement as proof that pollen does 

 not cause clianhoea, but simply as 

 an offset to the proof of friend Fra- 

 denburg. 



Pure honey and pollen are the 

 natural foods of the honey-bee. 

 But we are told that eating pollen 

 causes distension of the bowels to 

 such an extent, that the bee is 

 forced to void the fieces, and that 

 this is diarrhoea. 1 do not believe it. 

 Nature is ever in harmony with lier- 

 self. Obey her laws and health is 

 the result ; break them and disease 

 follows. The honey-bee is pro- 

 vided with the means of withstand- 

 ing long terms of confinement, 

 Avithout its bowels becoming 

 clogged or distended. When in its 

 normal condition, it voids its faeces 

 in a dry state, and no harm arises 

 therefrom, whether honey, pollen, 

 or sugar syrup is used as food. 

 When, however, it partakes of im- 

 pure food, such as fermented honey 

 or pollen, then tiie bowels become 

 slightl}' irritated, a watery secre- 

 tion is formed in the endeavor of 

 nature to get rid of the irritating 

 substance, and bee-diarrhoea re- 

 sults. Imperfect ventilation will 

 cause excess of moisture ; excess 

 of moisture will cause fermentation, 

 and diarrhoea follows from eating 

 fermented stores. Brother Hed- 

 don hit it pretty nearly riglit when 

 he started the bacteria idea ; if he 

 had followed it up a little more 

 closely, he would have been nearer 

 the mark than he now is. Fer- 

 mentation is bacteria ; and taking 

 that view of it, bacteria is the cause 

 of bee-diarrhoea. A discussion of 

 this question will bring out opin- 



ions and as a consequence, good re- 

 sults must follow. 



I have added my mite to the 

 cause ; I ma3^ be wholly wrong, but 

 if so, who is wholly right? One 

 thing is sure, the disease, diarrhoea, 

 is a certaint}', and one we wish to 

 prevent in the future, and we can 

 only do so by giving it thought and 

 study. Let us all then set our- 

 selves to the task, and not "let up," 

 until we know "sartin" that bee- 

 diarrhoea is among the things that 

 were. 



FoxhoTo. Mass. 



A GUIDE TO 



TIIE BEST METHODS OF 



BEEKEEPING. 



By J. L. Christ. 



{Continued from p. 108, Vol. II.) 

 THE BODY-GUARD OF THE QUEEN. 



That the queen has her special 

 body-guard is well known and the 

 evidence drawn is very conclusive ; 

 but it does not consist of the drones 

 but of a number of bees provided 

 Avith stings (or worker bees) which 

 not only are constantly about her, 

 but they also caress and alwa^'s ac- 

 company her wherever she goes in 

 the hive. She is indeed generally 

 quite concealed in the innermost part 

 of the liive, and one cannot often 

 easil}' find her, especially when she 

 is depositing eggs which takes place 

 most of the morning until eleven 

 o'clock. If she now comes to the 

 light, she is surrounded continually 

 by a circle of bees, her attendants, 

 which caress her as do also the 

 worker bees as she passes by them. 



