33G FEEDING BEES. 



AVhile such methods succeed in a mild and damp climate, 

 like that of France, they are not advisable in the Northern 

 part of the United States, unless the bees are wintered in 

 cellars 1^646). 



615. The prudent Apiarist will regard the feeding of 

 bees — the little given by way of encouragement excepted — 

 as an evil to he submitted to only when it cannot he avoided, 

 and will much prefer that they should obtain their suiaplies 

 in the manner so beautifully described by him whose inimitable 

 writmgs furnish us, on almost every subject, with the hap- 

 piest illustrations: 



' ' So work the honey-bees, 

 Creatures that, by a rule in Nature, teach 

 The art of order to a peopled kingdom. 

 They have a king and oflficers of sorts, . 

 "Where some; like magistrates, correct at home. 

 Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad; 

 Others, like soldiers, armed in their stings, 

 Malce boot upon the Summer's velvet buds; 

 AVhieh pillage they, with merry march, bring home 

 To the tent royal of their emperor, 

 ^Vho, busied in his majesty, surveys 

 The singing masons building roofs of gold; 

 The civil citizens kneading up the honey; 

 The poor mechanic porters crowding in 

 Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate; 

 The sad-eyed justice, with his surly hum. 

 Delivering oVr, to execvitors pale, 

 The lazy, yawning drone." 



Shakespeare's Hcnrjr \, Act 1, Scene 2. 



616. All attempts to derive ju'ofit from selling cheap 

 honey or syrup, led to bees, haw mvariably proved unsuc- 

 cessful. The notion that they can change all sivecls, howe\'er 

 poor tlicir ([uality, into honey, on the same i)rinciple that cows 

 secrete milk from an3' acceptable food, is a complete delusion. 



Different kinds of honey or sugar-syrup fed to the bees 



