1406 Department of Agriculture 



FEEDING 



Ordinarily, the less fcedini;' the apiarist has to resort to the 

 better, and in good locations, with an average season and proper 

 manipulation, it may usually be avoided. When comb honey 

 production is followed and the hives nsed are of good size — say 

 the ten-frame Langstroth — there will usually be sutficient honey 

 stored to carry the bees through the following winter and spring. 

 The amount will be aug-mented if the bees are of the Italian 

 race, and also if the apiary is located in a good buckwheat raising 

 section or where other honey yielding fall flowers are plentiful. 

 Some colonies frequently contain more honey than is needed; 

 however such can be used to excellent advantage in equalizing 

 with the light-weight hives, either in fall or spring as may be 

 needed. 



Where the main crop of surplus is extracted, the case is differ- 

 ent, since the brood chamber is not over-crowded with either bees 

 or honey, and the bees often store the bulk of their gatherings in 

 the supers, while the brood chambers are well filled with brood. 

 The close of the honey flow frequently finds the colonies in this 

 condition, and unless the beekeeper wisely reserves full combs of 

 honey for winter stores, it is often necessary to feed largely for 

 this purpose. Some apiarists remove the surplus supers several 

 days before the close of the flow, and thus get considerable of 

 the honey stored in the hives. 



When enough honey is not given to make up the deficiency in 

 stores, syrup made from the best granulated cane sugar should be 

 used. This should be composed of two parts sugar to one part 

 w^ater. Have the water hot, and gradually stir in the sugar until 

 dissolved. 



This should be fed as rapidly as possible during September 

 or early October so that the bees will not commence brood-rearing. 

 The " Miller " feeder is good for the purpose as it is large enough 

 to contain the full amount to be fed. All colonies should be 

 l)rought up to thirty pounds in weight of stores. 



Some beekeepers use a five or ten pound pail as a feeder, by 

 inverting it in a pie tiji after filling and placing it in the super of 

 the hive to be fed. 



