The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1907-04-11
| BEESzxz>>;
DEE KEEPTNG
PROVIDE WATER FOR BEES.
II Natural Supply Not Convenient
Place Pans Near the Hive.

II Natural Supply Not Convenient
Place Pans Near the Hive.
Every well-informed beekeeper
knows that bees need water Has he
not seen them at the watering-trough
or at the brookside, thickly dotting
the waters edge as they sip the re-
freshing liquid? Every wise bee
keeper will see to it that water is in
close proximity to his apiary, and
will SO arrange that the bees may
Quaff to their fill, with no danger of
loss Of life. In case there is no nat
ural supply, pans of water with chios
placed in them or other provision for
their safety, should be near the
hives, says q writer in the America
Bee Journal.
We have all noticed that we may
eat very full meal, and then drink
full glass OF water with no essen
tial disturbance A very little mora
solid food or a glass of milk woali
bring no little uncasiness. This fact
Is easily explained. The water Is al
most at once absorbed from the
stomach into the blood while the
solid food or milk must first b. di-
gested, and then will be absorbed
OsmoSiS-the technical term for alb
sorptfon-is always more rapid IN
der pressure. We can see tLen. that
with full stomach we have just the
conditions for very rapid absorption.
We might reason from this fact OF
the rapid absorption of water, that ii
would take place in the case of tae
bee.
We have another proof OF t.:
rapidity OF absorption In Or O
case when we drink at a time OF
great thirst. OF course the thirst ii
not be quenched until tie wafer
quickly after We drink the refre l.
ing beverage has the thirst entirely
disappeared. We see the sa ne thing
in watering Our horses. When t.2f
are thirsty, If We let them drink ID
their fill, they viii oyerdrink, o,tcl
greatly to their hurt If, Oh ta9
other hand, we give them a p2il OF
water and wait only a very few mir
utes, We find they drink no more;
and their thirst was satisfied
In case OF the bees, we have ar
other reason for believing that tbs
water is used at once. We never E..l
1t stored in the hive. True, it may
be that the bees carry this TO tie
hive and at once give IL to the otter
bees, bat in this case / suppo:e it IS
used at once by the nurse-becs ami IS
never stored. Is it not probable.
then, that the water is taken st rs
we take it when we are sure that We
can get it whenever needed, only IS
the bees need it, and that as in or
own case, it is at once absorbed AMI
used?
1t is we'll known that 6 F2c'
proportion of the body, even tle
most solid portion, is water, wh.le a
the blood and secretions, the water
forms much greater part. Circu a.
ton, of course, depends largely III on
a good supply of water, but circula-
ton is all important, If the body IS
to be kept in normal condition. We
can understand, then, how water Is
SO necessary a part of our food, and
how health, no less than comfort.
demand a sufficiency at all times.
We can also understand why thirst is
SO terribly disturbing, and how the
one, famished for want of water. suf-
fers so terribly from the want. This
should make us all the more areful
that OR bees and all our large do
mcstic animals should have an ever
waiting supply of this life-giving ali
ment.