THE BEE. 143 



and described, and it may lead the ingenious to adopt it on a better 

 plan : 



" It consists of a tin pan, or tray, placed in a wooden box, -with a 

 float to fit, and a tin tube passes through the float and is secured to it 

 on the under side. The float may be raised at any time, even if it is 

 covered with bees, by means of the tube, and the syrup poured into the 

 pan through the tube by inserting a funnel in the top of it. The float 

 supports the bees and prevents them from getting into the syrup, and 

 as they consume the syrup it settles down with them. A piece of wood 

 across the top of the box, with a hole for the tube, keeps it in its place, 

 and a pane of glass on each side of this confines the bees, and affords an 

 opportunity to observe their operations while feeding." 



The same author recommends the following compositions for feeding 

 bees : 



First r two pounds West India or Orleans sugar ; three gills ale ; one 

 gill Malaga wine ; (if the ale and wine cannot be had, use sap or water,) 

 one teaspoonful fine salt. Mix together in a tin or copper vessel ; set 

 it over a slow fire ; stir occasionally until it arrives to a boiling point ; 

 set it off', and let it cool, remove the scum, and it is fit for use. 



Second : one gallon (or twelve pounds) of West India -or any other 

 honey ; four pounds West India or Orleans sugar ; one gallon maple 

 sap or water ; half a pint ale ; two tablespoonsfuls fine salt. Heat and 

 mix as above. This composition may be made without the ale by using 

 water. 



It is however doubted by some experienced bee-keepers, whether the 

 general feeding of bees is, upon the whole profitable. It is argued that 

 while it is wise to feed bees that have not snfiicient food to keep them 

 alive, any thing given them beyond that is unprofitable, and produces 

 an inferior article of honey, if any thing but pure honey be fed. The 

 following is Mr. Eddy's argument : 



" The theory of feeding bees on a large scale has had its day. It has 

 presented splendid results for a time, and resulted at length in splendid 

 failures. > Cheap honey, or a composition, has been used, and the bees 

 have been fed freely, under the impression that whatever they stored in 

 their cells must of course be honey of the first quality. I would ask 

 why Cuba or Southern honey is not made of the first quality when it is 

 stored up for the first time in Cuba or Florida, if bees have the power 

 of converting an inferior article into one of superior quality. The true 

 reason is, that much of this so-called honey is taken from the sugar 

 plantations, or from fiowers which do not furnish the best honey. And 

 the' second transportation, although done by " Yankee" bees, does not 

 produce any chemical change in the article which is fed. Honey is 

 gathered, not made by the bees. Those who purchase in market Cuba 

 honey which is packed up in " Yankee " boxes, do not get the best end 

 of the bargain. They have yet to learn that the packing or transpor- 

 tation does not make it the fine-flavored and wholesome article which 

 is found in white clover upon all our hills in New England. The feed- 

 ing of the bees on a large scale, or with a view to secure larger quan- 

 tities of surplus honey, operates unfavorably upon the bees in a variety 

 of ways, and the principal objections to it are the following; 1. There 



