Year: 1859




1t is stated in the London Gardeners Chronicle,
that correspondent of that paper has long been in
the habit of supplying the London shops with fresh
honey in the comb, all the year round In the
hardest Winter his supply equal to the finest
Summer How he succeeded in this was mystery
1t finally came to light that he fed his bees, in the
absence of flowers, on a solution of the oil cake
made from the seeds of the Bene Plant Sesa,aUDt
Orienale) Indeed he would boast that he wanted
| no flowers for his bees


| The Sesamum Orientale, or Bene, is cultivated in
various parts Of the world both as food and for oil
The oil remains sweet for a long time and is some
times used a substitute for sweet oil. In China
and Cochin China it is used substitute for but
ter in preparing the various dishes. 1t is culti-
waited to a considerable extent in several of the
Southern States. 1t is sown in drills about four
feet apart in the month of April, and the seeds are
gathered in September; it yields large proper
tion of oil, which is expressed in the same way as
linseed oil. 1t grows much like cotton, from three
to six feet high, and bears numerous square seed
pods, about an inch and half long. The leaves of
the plant have long been used as remedy for the
dysentery, and cholera infantum, or summer COM
plant of children. For this purpose, the freshly
gathered leaves are placed in tumbler Of cold
water, which Immediately becomes ruby, without
losing its transparency, acquiring any unplea-
SAINT taste and readily, and gratefully taken
by the little sufferers, and in such cases is used as
substitute for other drinks.


The Sesamurr is indeed, a valuable plant if cul-
tivated alone for its medicinal and domestic uses if
not for its oil, which last, however, under proper
management, would prove a profitable product,
where the climate favors its perfect maturity,
which, perhaps would not be north of the 3Sth or
39th degree of latitude. The Sesamum cake is ex-
tensively used in France for manure, and is most
valuable for all growing crops


Should the Sesamum prove as valuable for bees as
the statements seem to claim for it. it would war
rant the importation of the oil cake from England
and France for that purpose. But we would ad-
wise experiments for this purpose before much
expense was incurred in that way.


ba ETorO HaoN alotac fhaH yOf 4ho
value of the cake for feeding bees, from the follow
ing circumstance Two bee-masters in a village in
the department of the Var, in the South of France,
were in the habit of wintering their hives in the
forests of Mandelieu. When uncovering the hives,
the aparians perceived, about noon; the 4th of
May, 1856, that their bees were out, and yet the
hives were full, and Of extraordinary weight for
the time of the year. Surprised at the circum-
stance and wondering what the bees could be at,
they remained on the watch till evening. About
six O'Clock the bees began to return loaded with an
incredible quantity of the richest plunder so heavy
indeed, their burthens, that the least expert
enced observer could not fail to notice it. AS
tonshed at such event, the beemasters proceeded
to examine the fields and mountains in the neigh
borhood, but in vain; they discovered nothing in
the country around them at all different from pre-
ceding years. At last they crossed field in which
the oicake, resulting from the pressure of Sesa-
mum seed, was being prepared for putting into the
ground with potato sets, as is the custom in that
country, where Sesamum cake is much valued as
manure.


The cakes had been stepped in pit of water till
they reduced to a state of liquid PASTE for it
is thus that cakes used with most success at
Mandeleu. "Oho!' said the farmer who was plant
ing the potatoes on seeing the aparians, 'you are
come to see how we make make bee-soup. Look
there, every day for some time past, we have been
overrun with your swarms and they feast famous
ly; they take their fill, assure you" On return
ing to the same place next morning the m 1untain-
GERS were convinced of the truth of what the farmer
had said, for there the bees in prodigious
numbers, buzZing about the tub, and feasting on
the Sesamum cake which it contained.


The bee-masters from Mandelieu, took the hint
They Immediately placed near their hives some
large tubs, filled with Sesamum cake, dissolved in
water to the consistence of pap. The bees no lon
ger wandered from home; the tubs were kept regu-
larly filled with 'soup, the farmer called it, and
the bees staid at home. The food has since been
given in Winter with perfect success, only, if the
weather is frosty it is necessary to warm water
in order to keep the Sesamum cake soluble The
results have been astonishing not only in a LARGE
increase of honeycomb, but in enabling the bees TO
increase beyond all belief nearly ten times the
quantity being bred in consequence of the facility
afforded of obtaining abundant, and as it would
seem, excellent nourishment, from this unexpected
source.


1t is an easy matter for some of our Southern bee
fanciers, where the plant is grown to make an ex-
pertinent, and see whether there is any exaggera
ton in this French statement We know that the
French are visionary people, always making some
grand discovery in naturebut as this statement is
given with so much cearness it seems to bear upon
its face the sembance of truth, and as we can see
no room for them to be deceived, nor any motive in
them to deceive Others we think the facts should be
proven by experiment.