174 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



of bees, the vast increase of swarms, &c. and yet you 

 say you feed your bees even in California, in the 

 midst of all this profusion of honey from natural 

 sources. 



Yes, this is all true of California. It is one of the 

 finest honey-producing States on this continent, and 

 one of the most salubrious climes for the profitable 

 culture of the honey bee. The seasons are long, 

 the winters mild, and there is a good succession of 

 honey-producing flowers throughout the season ; and 

 yet, notwithstanding all these favorable circum- 

 stances, intervals in the honey harvest are of fre- 

 quent occurrence. Sometimes for a few days only, 

 at other times for weeks, but little if any honey can 

 be obtained from the flowers ; the bees will cease to 

 build any combs, and rear but little if any more 

 brood than was under way when the supply of honey 

 failed, and even a portion of this is sometimes 

 abandoned. Thus they not only cease to advance but 

 actually retrograde, for as soon as the honey fails. 

 abroad they consume of that stored for winter use, 

 besides losing much valuable time. I made it a 

 point to feed liberally at all times, when there was 

 any scarcity of honey abroad. The mode was, to 

 feed promiscuously, by putting the syrup into large 

 feed boxes, as has been described, set a few rods 

 from the apiary. Feeding will always excite bees 

 to greater activity ; but it gave us no trouble from 

 quarreling or robbing, which some authors seem so 

 much to fear. 



The strong and the weak partook just in propor- 



