SPRING MANAGEMENT. 277 
supersede some of the evils attending the adminis- 
tering of liquids at this season. In one of my 
feeding troughs I have sometimes put some large 
lumps of refined sugar, dipped previously in water, 
till pretty well saturated (loaf sugar in a dry state 
they cannot appropriate). Of the various concrete 
saccharine preparations, however, I have found none 
entirely combining the needful requisites except that 
in which the erystallising properties of the sugar 
had been altogether destroyed. It is well known that 
this change can be effected by certain methods of 
boiling. I believe I am correct in stating that the 
heat required to convert crystallisable into uncrystal- 
lisable sugar is from 320° to 360° of Fahrenheit. If, 
therefore, to two pounds of loaf sugar half a pint of 
water is added in a saucepan, it must be boiled up 
to a temperature not exceeding 360° of heat. This 
may be pretty well known when the syrup becomes 
brittle ; ascertainable by suddenly cooling a little on 
a cold substance, or plate, when it begins to assume 
a pale yellow colour. The longer it is exposed to 
heat, up to this point, the more perfect is the 
change produced; but about twenty minutes’ boiling 
is usually sufficient. If, instead of water alone, a 
fifth to a fourth part of vinegar is mixed with it, the 
process is expedited; and when thus made, the bees 
appear to give it a preference.* The whole must be 
poured out gradually upon a cold dish, or a slab of 
stone, marble, or slate, previously rubbed with a very 
little fine oil, or other unctuous matter, to prevent 
*Jt will be well to add the salicylic acid solution, in the same pro- 
portion to the sugar as directed for the syrup above. 
