BEES. 93 
It is an easy matter to unite two or more weak swarms to make one 
strong one, for during swarming the bees have lost their memory of 
the old location, are full of honey, and are easily placed wherever the 
bee keeper wishes. They may simply be thrown together in front of 
a hive. Swarms may also be given to a newly established colony 
with little difficulty. 
PREVENTING ROBBING IN THE APIARY. 
When there is no honey flow bees are inclined to rob other colonies, 
and every precaution must be taken to prevent this. Feeding often 
attracts other bees, and, if there are indications of robbing, the sirup 
or honey should be given late in the day. As soon as robbing begins, 
manipulation of colonies should be discontinued, the hives closed, and, 
if necessary, the entrances contracted as far as the weather will per- 
mit. If brush is thrown in front of the entrance, robbers are less 
likely to attempt entering. At all times honey which has been 
removed from the hives should be kept where no bees can get at it, so 
as not to incite robbing. 
FEEDING. 
During spring manipulations, in preparing bees for winter, and at 
other times it may be necessary to feed bees for stimulation or to 
provide stores. Honey froman unknown source should never be used, for 
fear of introducing disease, and sirup made of granulated sugar is 
cheapest and best for this purpose. The cheaper grades of sugar or 
molasses should never be used for winter stores. The proportion of 
sugar to water depends on the season and the purpose of the feeding. 
For stimulation a proportion of one-fourth to one-third sugar by 
volume is enough, and for fall feeding, especially if rather late, a solu- 
tion containing as much sugar as it will hold when cold is best. There 
seems to be little advantage in boiling the sirup. Tartarie acid in 
small quantity may be added for the purpose of changing part of the 
cane sugar to invert sugar, thus retarding granulation. The medi- 
cation of sirup as a preventive or cure of brood disease is often prac- 
ticed, but it has not been shown that such a procedure is of any value. 
If honey is fed, it should be diluted somewhat, the amount of dilution 
depending on the season. If robbing is likely to occur, feeding should 
be done in the evening. 
Numerous feeders are on the market, adapted for different purposes 
and methods of manipulation (figs. 14, 15, 16). A simple feeder can 
be made of a tin pan filled with excelsior or shavings (fig. 17). This 
is filled with sirup and placed on top of the frames in a super or hive 
body. It is advisable to lean pieces of wood on the pan as runways 
for the bees, and to attract them first to the sirup, either by mixing 
in a little honey or by spilling a little sirup over the frames and sticks. 
397 
