Correspondence. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Feeding Extracted Honey to be Stored 

 in Sections. 



Q. M. DOOLITTLE. 



We are asked to give our views of the 

 practicability of feeding extracted 

 honey to produce comb honey. Quite an 

 excitement has been caused in this di- 

 rection by the experiments given in the 

 book "Blessed Bees," as claimed to 

 have been conducted by the author. As 

 Mr. Allen quotes Doolittle in his notes 

 to prove his position to some extent, 

 perhaps a few words regarding the mat- 

 ter will not be amiss. We know of no 

 better way to illustrate what we wish to 

 say than to give our experiments, the 

 first of which were conducted in 1876. 



During 1875 we received our first foun- 

 dation, sent out by John Long ( Win. M. 

 Hoge), and as the bees accepted it read- 

 ily, we thought here was a chance to 

 make a profitable business by extracting 

 our honey during the flow of white 

 honey, and to feed the same back to the 

 bees, to be stored in boxes during the 

 period of scarcity we always have be- 

 tween white honey and buckwheat. By 

 the use of foundation much could be 

 saved by the bees in comb-building. 

 Accordingly, after the harvest of white 

 honey was over in 1876, we prepared 

 three colonies thai were strong in num- 

 bers in this wist' : The first was given 

 28 prize boxes nearly filled with founda- 

 tion, and 2 boxes in the centre at the 

 top full of comb and two-thirds full of 

 honey. 



The second was given 21 boxes from 

 one-half to two-thirds filled for market 

 for the bees to finish up ; the 21 weigh- 

 ing, when put on the hive, 35 lbs. or 

 thereabouts. The third was given 21 

 boxes with only starters in them, just 

 as we have described in the American 

 Bee Journal during the past year. 

 We fed each colony all they would carry, 

 and kept a record of each one. We do 

 not find the record just now, when 

 wanted, but quote from memory , which 

 is nearly if not quite correct. 



Each one took 15 lbs. (the first feed) 

 before they made any start to work in 

 the boxes. Soon after, those having 

 boxes two-thirds filled began lengthen- 

 ing the cells and storing honey, and 

 when they were completed, ready for 

 market, we had fed 42 lbs. of extracted 

 honey. Upon weighing them again, we 

 found they weighed 47% lbs. ; so we had 



fed 42 lbs. to make a gain of 12% lbs. in 

 the boxes. Thinking that perhaps they 

 would do better on a second lot, we im- 

 mediately put on 21 more, weighing 

 about 34 lbs., and fed 39 lbs. to get them 

 finished. Those were not filled so full, 

 and only weighed 46 lbs. when finished. 

 So we fed 39 lbs. to make a gain of 12 

 lbs. the second time. No. 1, with the 

 foundation, were fed till we had given 

 them 134 lbs., when we took the boxes 

 off, having 22 finished, which weighed 

 49% lbs., and 8 unfinished, weighing 13 

 lbs. : so we had 62% lbs. gross weight as 

 a return for 134, and a cost of $1.25 for 

 foundation at the prices then asked 

 for it. 



Our experiments with colony No. 3 

 were never completed. After we had 

 fed them 50 lbs., or thereabouts, they 

 went to building comb quite nicely, 

 but it soon seemed to become an old 

 story, and after awhile they simply lived 

 out of the feed-dish, and done nothing 

 else. If we recollect aright, we ob- 

 tained about 25 lbs. in the boxes, mostly 

 unfinished, after feeding nearly 125 lbs. 

 Twice since we have conducted similar 

 experiments with partly-filled boxes, as 

 in the case of No. 2, with just about the 

 same results. 



In all our feeding operations we have 

 ascertained this fact, that bees fed in 

 excess of what they consume in feeding 

 the brood, become idle, simply living 

 out of the feeder and not getting an 

 ounce from the fields, while those not 

 fed will nearly get a living from the 

 fields. If fed when honey is plenty in 

 the fields, they will store no faster out 

 of a feeder than others not fed will from 

 the fields ; while those storing from the 

 fields work in the boxes with double the 

 energy which those do that are being 

 fed. The experiments given above 

 prove the fallacy of those given in 

 " Blessed Bees." 



Another thing is proven by these ex- 

 periments, and that is that the great cry 

 about a year ago of box honey made of 

 glucose was groundless. Glucose will 

 have to fall below the price that it now 

 brings before it can be made profitable 

 to feed for bees to store in boxes. That 

 extracted honey is largely adulterated 

 with glucose there is no doubt. The 

 great prejudice there has been in years 

 past against candied honey has been 

 the main reason for this adultera- 

 tion, and a greed for gain the minor one. 

 If we, as producers, can turn the preju- 

 dice so it will be against liquid honey, 

 or secure the passing of a law requiring 

 the correct labeling of all articles sold, 

 the cry of li adulteration" will soon be a 

 thing of the past. 



Borodino, N. Y.. January, 1880. 



