94 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



pollen, although if you watch the bees, as they go laden into the 

 hives, even when working thickest in the boxes, you will see a 

 good many carrying in heavy loads of natural pollen. 



It seems to be a beneficent natural law, that bees do not 

 like to crowd one another in their search for pollen or nectar, 

 or else the meal-boxes would be untouched and aU the bees 

 would work upon the insufficient supply of pollen. In conse- 

 quence of this law it is necessary to furnish a sufficient number 





-H^ 



-■-f' 



< 



fe/ ?.-^>A<te, 



Fig. 32 — Combs of Honeij. 



of boxes, for although the bees will work quite thick if only 5 

 boxes are left for 150 colonies, they will work scarcely thicker 

 if only one box is left. 



OUT-DOOR FEEDING. 



I have fed barrels of sugar syrup in the open air, and it is 

 possible that circumstances may arise to induce me to do it 

 again, but I doubt. 



There are serious objections to this out-door feeding. You 

 are not sure what portion of it your own bees will get, if other 

 bees aie in flying distance. Considerable experience has proved 



