INDIGESTION OF BEES. 355 



have been so great ; but it must have been a most fanciful 

 conceit to suppose that the bees would so far depart from 

 their nature as to eat a farinaceous substance whilst labour- 

 ing under a particular disease, which in a state of health 

 would be directly obnoxious to them. 



From these various remedies, differing however con- 

 siderably in their component parts, it might be supposed 

 that one could be selected of such tried efficacy, as to be 

 able to stop the ravages of one of the most formidable 

 diseases to which the bees are subject. Such, however, 

 is not the case, for the malady appears in general to baffle 

 every remedy that is applied ; and rather than attempt the 

 hopeless task of a cure, we consider that it would redound 

 more to the benefit of the proprietor to suffocate the bees 

 at once, and take possession of their honey before it be 

 rendered useless by the excremental matter of the bees. 



Cleanliness may contribute greatly to check the progress 

 of the disease, for which purpose the stand should be fre- 

 quently cleaned and washed with salt and water, or chloride 

 of lime. It must be evident that the accumulation of the 

 infected fasces on the stand must aggravate the disease ; 

 independently of which, the cleansing of the stand is the 

 means of renewing the air in the hive, and dispelling that 

 humidity, which by generating a quantity of foul air is so 

 prejudicial to the health of the bees. 



The indigestion of bees is generally caused by the ad- 

 ministration of a gross and corrupted food ; but when they 

 subsist on the mere produce of the hive, it is a disease with 

 which they are seldom afflicted. Amongst the substances 

 administered to the bees as food, there is perhaps no one 

 more likely to bring on indigestion than common coarse 

 sugar, and especially if the bees have no water at hand with 

 which to dilute it. It becomes a kind of granulated sub- 

 stance in their stomach, which the digestive organs cannot 

 receive, and the death of the insect is the consequence. 

 q 6 



