320 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



bees and stimulate them, but from experience I have had I will 

 never do it again. 



James Taylor: Two years ago, before the great honey crop, 

 I took my honey and I fed it to the bees and by the time that 

 white honey crop began I had my bottom full of bees and it was 

 a grand success. It paid, and I took advantage of it that fall 

 and saved over three thousand pounds of that same .honey, and 

 when the next spring came I pursued the same tactics, and I 

 used to lie down at night and rejoice at the great success I was 

 going to have, but the bees consumed all the honey they 

 wanted, the honey did not come, and I wept. (Laughter.) So 

 it just depends, it just depends, if, if, if, if, if — 



J. P. West: I do not believe where one .has a large number 

 of colonies in the spring and they are in good condition it will 

 pay to feed them, but where they are weak it may do, provided 

 they are kept warm and are so fixed up and protected, that it 

 will be impossible for the brood to get chilled; otherwise it will 

 be a failure. 



Mr. Doudna: Give me plenty of honey in the hive to keep 

 them over the season until warm weather comes and the queen 

 will supply the eggs as fast as they need them. 



C. Thielmann : About this feeding question, there is certainly 

 a great difference in localities. I have never had any occasion 

 to feed my bees, as they always have enough and more than 

 enough, and get much more than I would like to have them. 



Mr. Mendenhall : Last spring I fed a swarm on bread and 

 milk and they liked it pretty well. 



Pres. Wilcox: Perhaps I should say I believe heartily in 

 spring feeding, and I practice it. 



Question. "Is it best to prevent increase or control it?" 



B. Taylor: Control it, 



Pres. Wilcox: I take it the meaning of the question is 

 whether it is best to prevent increase or allow them to increase 

 promiscuously. 



C. Thielmann: The increase can never really be prevented. 

 Wm. Danforth: This question of controlling the swarming 



is a very important one to my mind, and I have made up my 

 mind to this, that I will keep back the swarming in the spring 

 of the year as much as I can, that is, make them swarm as late 

 as- possible, by drawing from the stronger ones and building 

 up the weaker ones, which I think works well, and if we can 

 succeed in keeping them from swarming until pretty well to- 

 wards the 4th of July, I consider myself pretty well off. 



