bee-keeper's manual. 91 



hold, and falling into the water, they would paddle across 

 to the stones, and soon take wing again ; but such is not 

 the case in cool weather, such as we generally have from 

 March to June. In very warm weather, fewer bees 

 under the same circumstances would perish ; yet water 

 is so benumbing to them, at almost any season, that 

 when once immersed they seldom recover, unless as- 

 sisted by man, in placing them in some warm, sunny 

 place to dry. 



EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE OF THE USE OF WATER. 



I will now relate what came under my observa- 

 tion, at my own apiary last spring, (1848,) relative to 

 the use and necessity of water in the labors of the 

 bees. 



Early in April I placed a tin-pan, filled with small 

 stones, on a bench near my hives. .This pan held 

 about a pint and a half of water, when filled with stones. 

 Every morning I filled it with fresh water — sometimes 

 with rain water, and at other times with well water, as 

 it happened to be. I then noted the daily use made of 

 this water by the bees. I had, at that time, but fifteen 

 hives ; yet I found that the pan did not hold enough for 

 them, by once filling every morning. Some days it 

 would be emptied before evening, and on other occa- 

 sions, the quantity was sufficient for them. 



SINGULAR DISCOVERY IN REGARD TO THE USE OP 

 WATER ON VERY WINDY AND WET BAYS. 



I particularly noticed a very singular circumstance 



