THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



in 



the feed will not go out any faster than 

 the bees (iraw it. 



The hole in the boanl should be nearly 

 in the center of the board, so as to come 

 directly over the center of the cluster 

 where the bees can take the feed to the 

 best advantage. The cap to the hive 

 should always be used to keeu out the 

 rain, and, also, to keep robbers from get- 

 ting a taste. If your paps are not high 

 enough, make a narrow rim to raise it to 

 the proper height to cover the jar, and 

 make all secure. 



The advantages gained by feeding in 

 this way are many. First, the feed is 

 where the bees can best get at it, and there 

 is no loss of time on account of the 

 weather. There is no occasion for the 

 bees to go out for water, as the feed fur- 

 nishes that. There is no leaving the hive 

 or cluster to get the feed at any time, 

 and no loss of heat, as the jar closes the top 

 of the hive as close as it would be closed 

 if the jar were not there. Then, again, 

 our early pollen producing trees, such as 

 alder, popple, and elm, produce large 

 quantities of pollen, but no honey to 

 gather it with, so the bees are obliged to 

 carrv honey from the hives to stick the 

 little pellets of pollen together, and this 

 feed answers the purpose of honey, which 

 is always used in gathering pollen, no 

 matter from what source if comes from; 

 even artificial feed, such as corn meal, 

 oats, rye, or any other provender that we 

 may give them, to take the place of pol- 

 lon, is always made into a sweet-cake be- 

 fore it is carried home by the bees. 



I begin to feed all colonies about the 

 first of May, and continue to feed until 

 clover blossoms, except about ten days 

 or so, when dandelions are at their best. 

 Each colony requires about three jars 

 of feed in two weeks, where there is plenty 

 of honey in the hives, and but little com- 

 ing in, and it takes a little over a ton of 

 sugar for every 150 colonies. The cost is 

 quite an item, but I have have always 

 found that I have been well paid for the 

 expense and labor required; for, if the 

 season turned out a failure, my bees were 



in better shape to stand it, and my losses 

 in stock were nothing when compared 

 with those that occurred when not help- 

 ed in the spring. 



When fed in this way, quite a number 

 of colonies will swarm before the honey 

 season sets in. All such are hived and 

 given a jar of feed the first evening; so 

 that a large brood-nest will be started 

 before the sections are given. 



Those who think that all this sugar is 

 going into the sections when they are put 

 on, will be surprised upon opening a hive 

 to find the sugar syrup gone, and in its 

 place but little else except bees and brood. 

 When dandelions yield honey well, all 

 the surplus room in the hive will be well 

 filled with that kind of honey; which is 

 all right for the next winter. 



When feeding has to be done in the 

 fall, I use the same jars, but enough jars 

 on at one time so that all can be done as 

 quickl}- as possible after all brood rearing 

 is over; then we know what they have 

 got. The feed for winter use should not 

 be as thick as honey when given. Let 

 the bees cook it to the right thickness, 

 and it will never candy in the combs. 

 No acids are required in the feed for win- 

 ter. 



De K.A.I.B JUNC, N. Y., Dec. 18, 1899. 



Department of 



riticism 



CONDUCTED BY R. L. TAYI^OR. 



The best critics are they 

 Who, with what they gainsay, 

 Offer another and better way. 



CLOSED END FR.\MES BEST I-OR A "GI,U- 

 EV" LOCALITY. 

 In Gleanings, 5, Dr. Miller quotes Ram- 

 bler's advice to one contemplating much 

 moving of bees to adopt some sort of 

 closed-end frame, and replies; "Fixed 



