WATERING BEES. 245 



in which the}' were wintered, was cold enough to 

 candy the honey, I have invariably found the greater 

 part of it, after the bees were set out, and when they 

 had abundant opportunity to get water. These par- 

 ticles may be seen at any time during spring, when 

 the bees do not obtain sufficient honey from the 

 flowers for themselves and brood, and are necessitated 

 to draw on their old stores. This seems very plain 

 without the theory of wanting water, as ma}' be read- 

 ily seen.* In each cell only a part of the honey can- 

 dies ; the bees can swallow only the liquid por- 

 tion, and must reject the other; this may be the case, 

 although they fly out daily. When the temperature 

 of the hive becomes sufficiently warm to liquefy this, 

 it is no longer to be found. 



I rather suspect that Mr. L. has depended very 

 much on the testimony of others, in this matter of 

 wintering bees. In his first edition of the "Hive 

 and Honey-Bee," in 1853, he recommended what he 

 called a "protector," as very important. In his second 

 edition, he abandoned that plan, as not likely to pay, 

 and suggested "special depositories." To show the 

 advantages of this method, he quoted Dzierzon, and 

 several pages from me, explaining the manner of 

 getting rid of this water. And now two or three 

 years later, he supposes water is absolutely essential. 



In all our rural affairs there is no branch where 

 there are more conflicting theories than in bee- 

 culture, especially wintering them. JSTo one can be 

 sure till he makes a few experiments of his own. 

 Yours, truly, 

 21* M. Qutnby. 



