84 
THK II I VIC AND HONEY-BEE. 
furnish a substitute. Dzierzon, early in the Spring, 
observed his bees bringing rye-meal to their hives from a 
neighboring mill, before they could procure any pollen 
from natural supplies. The hint was not lost ; and it is now 
a common practice in Europe, where bee-keeping is exten- 
sively carried on, to supply the bees early in the season 
with this article. Shallow troughs are set in front of the 
Apiaries, filled about two inches deep with finely ground , 
dry , unbolted rye-meal. Thousands of bees, when the 
weather is favorable, resort eagerly to them, and rolling 
themselves in the meal, return heavily laden to their hives. 
In fine, mild weather, they labor at this work with great 
industry ; preferring the meal to the old pollen stored in 
their combs. They thus breed early, and rapidly recruit 
their numbers. The feeding is continued till, the blos- 
soms furnishing a preferable article, they cease to carry 
off the meal. The average consumption of each colony is 
about two pounds. 
Mr. F. Sontag, a German Apiarian, says, that in tire 
Spring of 1853, he fed one of his colonies with rye-meal, 
placed in the hive in an old comb ; continuing the supply 
till they could procure fresh pollen abroad. This colony 
produced four strong swarms that Spring, and an adjoin- 
ing stock not supplied with the meal, only one weak 
swarm. 
Another German bee-keeper says, he has used wheat 
flour with very good results ; the bees forsaking the 
honey furnished them, and engaging actively in carrying 
in the flour, which was placed about twenty paces in 
front of their hives. 
The construction of my hives permits the flour to be 
easily placed where the bees can get it, without losing 
time in going abroad, or suffering for the want ot it, when 
the weather confines them at home. 
