1 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 695. 
If honey in combs is not available, the bees may be fed extracted 
honey, but the usual practice is to feed a thick sugar sirup made 
of 2 or 24 parts of sugar to 1 part of water by volume. To this 
sirup 1 ounce of tartaric acid should be added for each 40 to 60 
pounds of sugar while the sirup is being heated to the boiling point 
to dissolve the sugar crystals. The sirup should be boiled 15 minutes. 
The acid helps to invert the cane sugar, thus retarding its granula- 
tion in the combs. If there is any question as to the quality of the 
stores, it is a good practice to feed about 10 pounds of sirup at the 
time of packing, in addition to the stores provided earlier, this 
being stored immediately above the cluster. It is thus used first, 
and an accumulation of feces does not occur so long as the bees 
use only the sugar sirup. There is, however, no better food in winter 
than a good quality of honey. As was stated earlier, honey-dew 
honey causes a rapid accumulation of feces, resulting in dysentery. 
If this is present in the fall, it should be removed and better stores 
given. Some fall honeys are similarly injurious, but their injurious 
effects may be reduced by feeding sirup at the time of packing. 
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. 
Bees need protection from cold and wind in winter in prac- 
tically all parts of the United States. The beekeeper should give 
abundant insulation, since it is impossible to give too much and 
since most beekeepers give too little. Great care should be exer- 
cised to protect colonies from wind. Every colony should be strong 
in the fall, so that heat may be generated and conserved economically. 
To reach the proper population a good queen is necessary. 
Many colonies die of starvation in winter. This can easily be 
avoided. 
The beekeeper can make no better investment than to give his 
colonies proper care for winter. 
If the excessive winter losses are prevented, commercial bee- 
keeping will be greatly benefited. Such a condition is entirely pos- 
sible when beekeepers come to understand the fundamental prin- 
ciple of wintering. 
WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICH : 1915 
