156 A COUNTRY READER 



BEES. 



THERE are three reasons why a cottager, when- 

 ever possible, should keep bees, provided, of 

 course, he knows .something of their ways and 

 habits, and how to treat and handle them. 



(a) Because honey is useful and delightful as 

 a food, and especially nourishing and warmth- 

 giving to growing children. 



(6) Because bees increase the quantity of fruit 

 of a garden and district. 



(c) Because bees are profitable. 



Honey as Food. 



I't has been proved that a certain quantity 

 of pure sugar is necessary to the formation and 

 strengthening of a child's bone, and also that it 

 gives warmth and nourishment to its body. 



A certain amount of sugar has also been found 

 useful in feeding farm animals. Horses have 

 borne the strain of long and tiring campaigns the 

 better for having been fed with a certain amount 

 of sugar each day. 



Starch forms three-fourths of the bread that we 

 eat ; this starch must be digested, must be con- 

 verted into liquid sugar, before it can nourish 

 our bodies. 



Now honey is the purest and most nourishing 



