THE MODERN BEE-FARM 263 



supply of sugar-syrup from the first moment that 

 breeding commences in the hives. Chemically, 

 the sweet constituent in nectar is almost identical 

 with that from the sugar-cane ; and sugar-syrup 

 has this advantage over honey given — that it more 

 nearly simulates the natural flow. The bees re- 

 sponsible for the nursery-work in the hive and the 

 regulation of the queen's fecundity, are young bees 

 that have never yet flown. They can, therefore, only 

 judge of the progress of the season by the amount 

 of nectar and pollen coming into the hive. Where 

 this is steadily increasing day by day — and it is 

 this regular natural progress in prosperity which 

 the bee-keeper must strive to imitate in artificial 

 feeding — the nurse -bees gain confidence, and 

 brood-raising forges rapidly ahead. 



But sugar-syrup and pea-flour are not natural 

 foods for bees, and there is little doubt that a pro- 

 longed course of such diet tends to lower the tone 

 and stamina of the race, and thus may prepare the 

 way for disease. The golden rule in the matter 

 seems to be that artificial feeding should be re- 

 sorted to only where strength of stocks is neces- 

 sary to secure the harvest, or where actual starva- 

 tion threatens. In purely heather-districts, when 

 the big population is quite early enough if it is 

 to hand in late June, nothing short of imminent 

 starvation should induce the bee-master to give 

 artificial, and therefore unavoidably inferior, food. 

 In sheep-country the same rule holds. Except in 



