CONSTRUCTIVE BEEKEEPING 23 



and it naturally follows that the temperature of the nectar in the 

 bee's stomach is the same. Observation tells us that the bees 

 ripen the honey drop by drop, bringing it from the stomach and 

 pulsating each drop in the mouth for about ten minutes.J The 

 drop during this process is exposed to the air at the particular 

 temperature of that part of the hive where the bee is doing this 

 work. When this temperature is 20 degrees colder than the drop 

 of nectar true steam is given off. This evaporation takes place, 

 no matter how much water vapor is in the air, and varies with 

 the difference of the temperature of the air surrounding the drop 

 of nectar. This is forced evaporation. We find conditions fa- 

 vorable to forced evaporation in cool night temperatures and a 

 hive with a generous around of room. 



To clearly comprehend the great amount of water that must 

 be evaporated to get a pound of ripened honey, let us assume 

 that 12 pounds is the weight of one gallon of honey, and 48 

 pounds the weight of 6 gallons of water. 6 gallons of water mix- 

 ed with 1 gallon of honey gives 60 pounds of water and- honey. 

 20 % of ripened honey is water. 20 % of 12 pounds or 1 gallon of 

 honey is 2.4 pounds. 48 pounds plus 2.4 pounds is 50.4 pounds, 

 which is the weight of water in this mixture. 50.4 poundsl is 

 84 % of 60 pounds. 84% is a conservative estimate of the amount 

 of water in nectar. To get 1 gallon of honey 48 pounds of water 

 must be separated from the nectar. To get 1 pound 1-12 of 48 

 pounds of water must be separated, or 4 pounds. Let us grant 

 that 2 pounds of this water is disposed of before the bees enter 

 the hive. They will still have 2 pounds of water to evaporate 

 before they produce 1 pound of ripened honey. When the honey 

 increase of a hive is 4 pounds a day, 8 pounds of water must be 

 evaporated. The nectar carried into the hive that day would re- 

 quire about three frames for temporary storage. When condi- 

 tions are such as to hamper evaporation for two or three days 

 of successful honey gathering, it can readily be seen that a 

 crowed condition could exist. 



$A. G. Miller. 



