58 



FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT^ OF THE 



to feed about 10 pounds of syrup 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 accumula- 

 tion of feces does not occur so long 

 as the bees use only the sugar syrup. 

 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 pres- 

 ent 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 syrup at the time of pack- 

 ing. 



Summary and Conclusions. 



Bees need protection from cold and 

 wind in winter in practically all parts 

 of the United States. The bee-keeper 

 should give abundant insulation, since 

 i* is impossible to -give too much and 

 since most bee-keepers give too little. 

 Great care should be exercised to pro- 

 tect 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 bee-keeper 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 possible when bee-keepers 

 come to understand the fundamental 

 principle of wintering. 



Mr. Hawkins — I would like to make 

 a motion that we extend to Mr. Phil- 

 lips a vote of thanks for reading this 

 paper. 



Motion seconded and carried. 



President Baxter — The paper is now 

 open for discussion. 



Mr. Hawkins — I would like to ask a 

 question. Doctor Phillips spoke of 

 feeding a thick sugar syrup; and to 

 this syrup add one ounce of tartaric 

 acid for each 40 to 60 pounds of sugar 

 while the syrup is being heated to the 

 boiling point to dissolve the sugar cry- 

 stals. Does it make any difference when 

 the tartaric acid is added? 



Doctor Phillips — The sooner, the bet- 

 ter; before we put any sugar in at all; 



after we get the water boiling put in 

 the tartaric acid; then put in the sugar. 



Mr. Dadant — I found in looking up 

 the subject that in 20 years Doolittle 

 had every year recommended exactly 

 the same thing; I think it was five 

 pounds of honey to 35 of sugar and 

 20 pounds of w;ater, for 50 pounds of 

 material. 



Doctor Phillips — If he dissolved the 

 sugar and added honey as it was cool- 

 ing and gave it time to act; Heddin 

 recommended the same thing years ago. 



President Baxter — I fed something 

 like 5,000 pounds of sugar last fall; I 

 don't boil any of it and don't have any 

 of it granulate. 



Doctor Phillips^How much water? 

 President Baxter — Half and half. 



Doctor Phillips — The bees had an 

 opportunity to do it for you. 



President Baxter — Last year, in. 

 August, I made a trip out west; went 

 by auto; we went to Kansas City and 

 visited a bee-keeper at Independence 

 who makes a practice of making honey 

 out of sugar; he showed us the whole 

 process from beginning to end; I have 

 some of his honey at home now; sorhe 

 of the nicest comb honey you ever saw. 

 He calls it sugar honey; I have some 

 of that honey that passed the winter 

 last year outside to see what it would 

 do; you cannot see any signs of granu- 

 lation at all; it is very fine. 



Doctor Baxter — How about the flavor 

 of that honey? 



President Baxter — It is good; I w'ould 

 not know it was sugar honey by the 

 flavor. 



Mr. Dadant — I want to call the at- 

 tention of* the bee-keepers to some- 

 thing that Doctor Phillips said about 

 giving abundant insulation. 



I think we do not put enough stress 

 on ■ the fact that very strong colonies 

 winter best. I remember having a col- 

 ony once which I tried to pack in De- 

 cember, and they would not let me be- 

 cause as soon as we started to disturb 

 them they came out and started to 

 sting us; every time I went to that col- 

 ony, no matter how cold it was, it was 

 ready to jump on us. 



It was exceedingly strong; evidently 

 the bees themselves were insulating the 

 colony; and, if we can get our colony 

 strong enough so that they will keep 

 the hive warm, there is not so much 

 need of protection. 



