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£46 TREATISE ON THE 
its primitive, limpid state, so far from being 
injurious, it is highly beneficial to them. 
Of this I have not the shadow of a doubt. 
For autumnal feeding I prefer honey to all 
other substances, and recommend it as the 
most proper food that can be given to them. 
In general, rich stécks are healthy and strong 
in the spring. Poverty is the predisposing 
cause of dysentery among Bees; a regular 
supply of their natural—their peculiar food, 
does not induce dysentery or disease of any 
sort. For spring feeding, I advise to take a 
certain quantity of honey and put one-third 
water, and let a small quantity of common 
salt be added. By a small quantity I mean 
a drachm or two, at most, to a quart of the 
liquid. Salt, it has been said, is conducive 
to the health of the Bees, and the most effi- 
cacious remedy for the dysentery, which 
sometimes affects Bees in the spring ;_ there- 
‘fore, it may not be amiss to put a little salt 
into their food, by way of preventive, rather 
than to have recourse to it afterwards as a 
remedy. 
