THE APIARY, 
379 
If, then, the bee has the power of making the 
transformation, why, it may be asked, be at the 
trouble of effecting it ? Why not feed cane sugar 
direct? The answer is three-fold — first, in most 
forms of feeders, crystallisation is a practical 
nuisance, fixing parts intended to move, and keeping 
asunder surfaces intended to meet ; next, the trans- 
formation is a physiological saving to the bee — a 
matter, as I take it, of importance, at least where 
large quantities of syrup have to be rapidly converted 
with comparatively little other work to be done, as 
in the case of condemned bees ; and, lastly, where 
crystallisable sugar is rapidly stored, the conversion 
is very imperfectly performed, and considerable crys- 
tallisation in the cells is frequently the result. The 
syrup which is carried over the ligula and between 
the maxillae and labial palpi (page 96, \ oh L), as 
is always the case where liquid food is presented 
in bulk, largely escapes the action of the salivary 
secretion. 
The general practice of bee-keepers is in favour of 
converting the sugar into the uncrystallisable form^ 
by the addition of an acid — a thick syrup being made 
by boiling for a few minutes, with each qlb. of sugar, 
I quart (or 40 oz.) of water and about half a table- 
spoonful (or ^oz.) of vinegar. Stirring, so as to prevent 
burning, is important. This syrup, as hereafter ex- 
plained, is suitable for autumn feeding, wdiile, during 
the spring and summer, double the quantity of water 
would not be excessive, if the object be the raising 
of brood or the building of comb. Should the syrup 
crystallise during us-e, it may be re-boiled with a little 
