CONSTRUCTIVE BEEKEEPING 25 



has evaporated. Note the statement that the wind reduces the 

 amount of honey gathered. Wind increases evaporation. 



Unless some close observer along this line can prove other- 

 wise, we must reason that the flower containing nectar in the 

 morning, and if this nectar has not been removed by any insect, 

 would, still contain nectar in the afternoon, so that the bees could 

 gather it, if evaporation had not reduced it to such consistancy 

 as to be useless to the bees. 



ABSORBTION OF WATER BY HONEY 



It would be impossible for the bees, except under the most 

 favorable conditions, as regards humidity of the air, to produce 

 well ripened honey wholly by evaporation and depending on v n- 

 tilation alone to carry off the water vapor. Honey put up in bar- 

 rels that are not dry, absorb water from the wood, shrinking it 

 enough to cause leakage. One of the causes of watery cappings 

 is that the honey has absorbed water from the moisture-laden 

 air. 



Even if the bees ripened all the honey by some pro_cess with- 

 in themselves, as some have suggested, (this would have to allow 

 for only worker-bees doing the ripening and throwing off the 

 water in the flight from the hive) , the moisture-laden air, would 

 soon undo the work of the bees. Hence to produce well ripened 

 honey we have to let the bees condense the moisture of the hive 

 on the inside walls and ceilings. An exception of this would be 

 in localities having a very dry atmosphere, but these are very 

 scarce during the urge period. 



CONDENSATION 



A good understanding of the condensing properties of a hive 

 Avill make clear a great deal that pu z zels us about bees, and such 

 knowledge constructively applied to honey production, cannot 

 fail to give results, the magnitude of which, the beekeeper with 

 his present knowledge, would hardly dare to hope for. 



We have seen that ventilation, by moving the warm air out 

 of the hive reduces the heat of the hive. When better results 



