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journal, R. a. s. (ceylon). [Vol. V1L, Pt. L 



into the second, which is flat and deep. When the first section, or 

 mouth-piece with an opening of about 10 in. across, is taken up, 

 the honey-combs are easily removed without any injury to the 

 combs or to the bees, eavingthe brood combs intact within it. 

 Directly the honey-combs are removed the mouth-piece is 

 again replaced, tied fast, and placed in its proper position, when 

 all the bees return to it and begin to work as if they were never 

 disturbed. At this critical stage, however, they are fed for a 

 few days with jaggery and water, which is made into a thin 

 light syrup, and placed close to the mouth of the pot in a flat 

 vessel. In this manner I have always had a supply of honey 

 for house use, and occasionally to spare for my friends. With 

 regard to the English bee-hives, I have made little or no progress 

 with them. The bees take to them easily, but it is an effort to 

 keep them in long, as they shew a disposition to get out. By 

 continual feeding they may be regularly established in them, 

 and when once established they keep on and build their combs 

 and fill the stock hive ; but I have never been successful in 

 inducing them to take to supers, which may be attributed to my 

 want of ingenuity and experience to adapt the frames to their 

 mode of comb-building, or to the bees preferring pots, which are 

 I believe cooler than the boxes. 



The bees are easily moved about in combs in frame boxes, and 

 hence it is my impression that they can be by competent persons 

 easily reared according to the European system, and with 

 profit and advantage. 



The native system of bee-keeping is very simple indeed. 

 They invariably sweeten the pot intended to be used as a hive 

 by fumigating it with resin, and place it in a cool elevated 

 position, smearing the mouth of the pot with a little honey 

 during the swarming season. The wild bees take to them 

 without the least trouble and begin building their combs, and 

 filling them. When the proper season comes round they break 

 the pots, blow into them to drive the bees aside, and abstract 



