212 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' HE VIEW. 



brood chamber has a greater tendency to 

 prevent tlie swarming fever than a small 

 one. Is there any truth in the assertion and 

 if so, just what is it ? Does not the experi- 

 ment tend to show that small brood cham- 

 bers prevent the swarming fever ? It will 

 be noticed that the column in the table giv- 

 ing the increase in weight of the hives into 

 which swarms were put also indicates the 

 colonies which cast swarms and from that it 

 appears that of the large hives eleven cast 

 swarms and of the small ones but four. 



The table itself scarcely needs any further 

 explanation. Following the table is a sum- 

 mary giving a comparison of the average of 

 those fed with those not fed, and of those 

 packed with those not packed, in each kind 

 of hive, and also a comparisDnof the results 

 in the case of the best of the large hives with 

 that of the best of the small ones. This sin- 

 gle experiment gives those which were given 

 stimulative feeding some advantage over 

 those not so fed. while those not packed give 

 decidedly better results than those which 

 were packe L 



Lapeeb, Mich. .July 25. 18t)4. 



The Cause of Honey Candying Not Fully 

 Understood. 



K. m'kNIGHT. 



JN a recent num- 

 ber of the ^1 -mi f^r- 

 ican Bee Journal 

 the f o 11 o w i n g 

 (I u e s t i () 11 s were 

 propounded to the 

 experts who an- 

 swer (ju est ions 

 through the col- 

 umns of that jour- 

 nal ; 1st, Will all 

 good pure honey 

 granulate in cold 

 weather ? 2nd, If not, why not, and how 

 may it be prevented ? The answers are in- 

 teresting, inasmuch as they clearly show that 

 the cause of crystallization is a mystery to 

 all of them ; well, indeed, it may be, for I 

 believe the man has not yet been born who 

 has got to the bottom of this mystery. 



Professor Tyndal delivered a lecture in 

 Manchester some years ago on " Crystals 

 and molecular force " in which he summer- 



ized all that is known of the cause of crys- 

 talization. After describing the varied 

 forms of crystals, their planes of cleavage 

 as they manifest themselves in different 

 substances, and many other interesting 

 things in connection with his subject, he 

 says, "Looking at these beautiful edifices, 

 and their internal structure, the pondering 

 mind has forced upon it the questions. How 

 have these crystals been built up ? What is 

 the origin of this crystaline architecture ?" 

 His reply to these questions is, " Without 

 crossing the boundary of experience we can 

 make no attempt to answer these ques- 

 tions." If the most profoundly scientific 

 minds of this and former generations failed 

 to fathom the depths of this mystery, how 

 can an ordinary bee-keeper be expected to 

 explain it ? 



The theory of scientists as stated by the 

 Professor is " That polar force may Vje resi- 

 dent in the molecules of matter and by the 

 play of this force structural arrangement is 

 possible. The atoms and molecules of which 

 crystals are built are endowed with definite 

 poles, whence issue attraction and repulsion 

 for other poles. In virtue of these attrac- 

 tions and repulsions some poles are drawn 

 together, some retreat from each other ; 

 atom is thus added to atom, and molecule 

 to molecule — not boistrously or fortuetously 

 but silently and sympathetically and in ac- 

 cordance with laws more rigid than those 

 which guide a human builder when he 

 places his bricks and stones together. From 

 this play of invisable particles we see finally 

 growing up before our eyes these exquisite 

 structures to which we give the name of 

 crystals." Such is the theory of crystaliza- 

 tion. While the cause is still within the 

 realm of speculation, the result is well 

 known. In many cases the means by which 

 the result may be brought about is also un- 

 derstood. It is known to the salt manufac- 

 turer. It is known to the sugar refiner, as 

 well as to the bumpkin who boils sap in the 

 maple grove. It is understood by the thrifty 

 maiden who converts a naked wire frame- 

 work into a thing of beauty, by coating the 

 unsightly skeleton with alum crystals : and 

 to the confectioner who strings his " rock- 

 candy " on slender threads. While we are 

 ignorant of the cause of crystalizatiou, I 

 say we know the means by which it may be 

 effected in many substances, and we are also 

 ac(iuainted with the agent to be employed 

 in taking down those crystaline edifices — in 



