Apiary Inspection.
Bulletin No. 7A.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
SOFT CANDY FOR BEES.
By Dr. Burton N. Gates.
From the Sixty-first Annual Report of the StateBoard of Agriculture.
BOSTON:
WRIGHT & POTTER PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS,
32 DERNE STREET.
1914.
Approved by
The State Board of Publication.
SOFT CANDY FOR BEES.
The So-called “Fuller Candy” for Queen Cages,Transportation of Combless Colonies, Stimulativeand General Feeding.
The well-informed beekeeper has learned that it is unwiseand hazardous to feed under any circumstances honey in anyform, even though it be from his own apiary. There havebeen many sad and general infections with bee diseases bysuch unguarded feeding. Thus it has become almost anaxiom, “Feed no honey.” Consequently, substitutes havenecessarily been adopted and among these are sugar syrupsof various dilutions and compositions; “hard candy,” whichis virtually a taffy; and recently, the so-called “Fullercandy,” which is a soft fondant, not dissimilar to the fondantof chocolate creams.
For several years Mr. Fuller of Blackstone, Mass., as wellas others, has been experimenting with this modified Englishcandy, which should not harden beyond usefulness. Beekeepersof Massachusetts and elsewhere about the countryhave found it advantageous to use this as a substitute forhoney or syrup. So numerous are the inquiries and satisfactorythe results, that it seems desirable to prepare informationin printed form.
The soft candy has numerous advantages and possibilities.It is found to be a most satisfactory stimulative feed; a foodfor bees in transit, either full colonies on combs, in comblesspackages, or for queens in mailing cages. It is also foundsatisfactory and advantageous as winter stores. Colonies havebeen observed to leave natural stores for the candy. Thishas occurred in colonies out of doors or in the cellar duringwinter, as well as with colonies which are flying. Some of[4]the advantages of the candy are the ease with which it ishandled or supplied; the fact that it may be made up inquantities and stored until needed for use; its failure toexcite robbing; the ability to provision colonies with knownamounts or weights; and its freedom from bee disease infection.It is furthermore found to be economical, there beingno waste by evaporation or spilling, as is the case with liquidfeeds. It is proving exceedingly practical in all feeding purposesand methods.
The candy may be made in any degree of hardness or softness,according to the preference of the individual or theneeds of the season. As is inferred above, it may be madeand stored for months and even years if properly handled.It may be molded in pulp, or wooden pie-plates, shallow tinsor specially constructed