42 THE BOOK OF BEE-KEEPING. 



commence to boil violently with a crackling sort of noise but 

 will cease to froth up. Keep it thus boiling- for exactly 

 three minutes, then remove it from the fire. Now procure a 

 bath of sufficient size to accommodate the preserving - pan 

 within it ; into this put sufficient cold water so that when the 

 pan with its boiling contents is put into the water, the latter 

 will not overflow into the sugar. Having put the pan into the 

 cold water, leave it thus while you place some pieces of clean 

 white paper on some plates or dishes upon which to run the 

 candy into cakes. Return to the hot sugar and with a spatula 

 quickly stir it. Continue to do this without intermission until 

 it commences to change colour from transparent to cloudiness, 

 which gradually increases, until the whole mass assumes the 

 appearance of very thick gruel ; then pour it into the plates. 

 It will be sufficiently cool to give to the bees in about half 

 an hour. Flour candy is simply made by stirring into the 

 above candy when hot half of a id. packet of pea-flour to every 

 5lb. of sugar. 



76. Artificial Pollen. — Artificial pollen is flour made from 

 peas, wheat, or rye ; preference is given to pea-flour. 



77. Water. — This is a very important food to be provided 

 for the bees, especially in spring. It is placed in vessels so 

 fcrmed that the bees can drink without any danger of drowning. 

 Pieces of cork form convenient floats for the bees to stand on. 

 A small quantity of salt sprinkled in is of great benefit, and 

 ought not to be neglected. 



IX.— SWTARMirJG. 



78. Natural Swarming. — Swarming is the bee's natural 

 mode of procedure for the reproduction of colonies. At a certain 

 season of the year, usually from May to July, the hive having 

 become too crowded, the queen lays drone eggs. When a number 

 of these have been produced, the bees commence forming a 

 variable number of queen cells ; most frequently when the first 

 of these is sealed over, the weather being propitious, the major 

 portion of the population, together with the old queen, issue 

 forth from the hive, and, after circling in the air for some time, 

 settle in a compact mass upon some adjacent position, usually 

 on the branch or branches of some low tree or bush ; this mass 

 of bees is called a swarm. After remaining in this position for 

 an uncertain period, they, if not secured by the bee-keeper, fly 

 to another place, perhaps some miles away, and there, if a 

 suitable place is found, construct combs, gather honey, rear 

 brood, and go through the same routine as has been before done 

 in the original community ; when they have so furnished their 

 home they are called a stock. This description of swarming is 



