128 FEEDEfG. 



honey may be used for this purpose ;' Southern or West 

 India is good, and of moderate cost. Inferior sugar, mixed 

 with honey, will do, but they do not relish it so well when 

 fed alone. " I have usually taken about equal quantities of 

 each, adding a pint of water to ten pounds of the mixture, 

 boiling and skimming it. The idea has been advanced 

 that candied honey is injurious to bees — even fatal. I 

 never could discover any unfavorable result, further than 

 that it was a perfect waste, when fed in this state. When 

 boiled, and a little water added, it appears to be as good 

 as anything. Xearly every stock will have more or less 

 of it on hand at this season, but as warm weather ap- 

 proaches, and the bees increase, it seems to become liqui- 

 fied from heat alone. The bees, when compelled to use 

 honey thus candied, waste a large portion ; a part is liquid 

 and the rest is gi-ained like sugar, which may be seen on 

 the bottom board as the bees throw it out. 



Another and less commendable object in feeding bees, is 

 to give inferior honey, mixed with sugar, and flavored to 

 the taste, to the bees, and let them store it in boxes for 

 market. I have no faith that honey undergoes any chem- 

 ical change in the stomach of the bees, while they are 

 going from the feeding dish to deposit it in the cell, and 

 can not recommend this as an honest course. Xeither do 

 I think it would be very profitable to feed for this purpose, 

 under any circumstances. I have sometimes had boxes 

 nearly full, and almost ready for market, at the end of the 

 honey season ; when it would seem that feeding a little 

 would complete them, provided the hive were full. T have 

 fed them a few pounds of good honey at such times, but 

 I always found that of several pounds fed, but very little 

 would be stored in the boxes. 



