lo July, 1911-] Farm Blacksmiihhig. 479 



cut slightly smaller than the inside of the box will float on the syrup and 

 prevent drowning of bees. 



Both of these feeders may be used for frame-hives also ; in which case 

 they are placed on top of the frames with an empty half super or section 

 super betw'een the hive and the cner. When feeding is finished, feeders 

 and half supers should be removed and the hive roof again put directly 

 over the frames to conserve the warmth rising from the cluster of bees. 



The most convenient feeder for frame-hives is that shown in Fig. 3. 

 It is simply a frame boarded up to near the top bar, with a hole in the 

 latter through which the feed is poured. It should be waxed inside to 

 prevent leaking and have a strip of wood for a float. This feeder takes 

 the place of an ordinary brood-frame in the hive to be fed. All that is 

 necessary is to raise the hive cover and pour the syrup through the hole 

 in the top bar. It is sold, waxed ready for use, at is. 6d. 



Colonies fed during winter cannot be given suflftcient food for breed- 

 ing up in spring, but only enough to carry them along till warmer weather. 

 They should therefore be examined periodically whenever a fine day per- 

 mits, and another dose of syrup given when needed. When pollen is 

 being carried into the hives, a sign that brood-rearing has commenced, the 

 stores of syrup will be consumed much faster, and care should be taken 

 that after bringing the bees through the winter they do not succumb to 

 starvation in early spring. 



In Victoria, the necessity for winter feeding rarely occurs, unless hives 

 have been robbed or extracted without regard to the winter requirements 

 of the bees. The present instance of bees, from which no honey was 

 taken, having to be fed, is the first in the writer's experience extending 

 over 25 years. 



FARM BLACKSMITHING. 



George Baxter, Instructor in BlacksjnitJujig, Working Men' s College, 



Melbourne. 



Introduction. 



One of the main drawbacks of farm work is the difl^culty experienced 

 in being able to get blacksmithing work done. In hundreds of ca.ses the 

 nearest blacksmith's shop is many miles away. Frequently, the breaking 

 of a bolt will throw a machine out of action and necessitates a stoppnge 

 of, perhaps, days. Under present conditions it must be carted to a black- 

 smith's .shop or a smith brought to see the extent of the damage. The latter 

 will then take the broken part away, repair it, and return to put it in 

 position again. Often, these vexatious delays, which generally happen 

 in the busy season, could be avoided by the farmer if he or his sons 

 were to learn a few simple exercises in forge work. 



On every farm there will lie fountl a numl)er of carpenter's tools, such 

 as hammers, chi.sels, and saws. Whilst these are u.sed by the farmer for 

 the building of barns, stables, additions to dwelling, &c., without the 

 slightest hesitation, and very often with considerable skill, he will hesitate 

 to do anything with iron. 'J'his is no doubt due to the fact that carpenter's 

 tools are in almost every house and are accepted as domestic articles, so 

 that everyI)ody lays claim to Ix-iug able to do wood-work to a greater or 

 lesser degree. With iron-work it is different, principally on account of the 

 use of iron-working tools being (onfincd almost t'xclusi\i]y t(j blacksmiths; 



