POLLEN. 89 



to gather pollen when the honey fails; for instance, 

 toward noon the honey is mostly all gathered or 

 evaporated for that day, and but little more can be 

 procured; after that time they will also cease to 

 gather pollen, although it might be obtained in great 

 quantities. When this occurs, put out plenty of honey 

 or feed, (if they know the way, having been fed) ; 

 in less than an hour's time they will be vigorously 

 carrying in pollen, as well as the honey or feed. I 

 tried this very frequently in California, where we 

 fed promiscuously and largely. In the afternoon 

 when the honey would get scarce, I put out a few 

 gallons of syrup, when the effect was truly aston- 

 ishing; all were on the qui vive in a few minutes, 

 carrying in pollen as well as the feed, and ranging 

 the fields, examining carefully every flower, to see if 

 any honey had previously escaped their observation. 



Langstroth says that rye flour, if fed in the spring 

 of the year, will serve as a substitute for pollen. I 

 have not tested this sufficiently to say whether it will 

 or will not be of any practical advantage ; at present, 

 I attach but little value to it. It may be of some im- 

 portance in localities where flowers producing pollen 

 are rare, or for late swarms, that come off after 

 pollen gets scarce, and whose supplies are conse- 

 quently limited ; but all strong, vigorous stocks, in 

 any locality that I am conversant with, will lay in a 

 supply of pollen just in proportion to the quantity of 

 honey gathered. 



To feed bees liberally with honey or syrup during a 

 scarcity of honey, and to pursue this course through- 

 8* 



