228 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Fig. 



A more distant view of the Pompano apiary, showing the water frontage and the 

 beehouse in the left background. 



ings. We are experimenting in this location 

 with the view of seeing what can be done 

 in the way of breeding bees there every 

 month in the year, and then shipping them 

 north. The question of freights will prob- 

 ably be considerable of an item; but we 

 hope we can deliver them by boat to New 

 York or Philadelphia, and then distribute 

 the bees from those points. In case a pre- 



liminary test proves to be satisfaetorj' we 

 probably shall keep a man there a good part 

 of the year to rear bees and queens. But 

 nothing will be done during April on ac- 

 count of the dragon-flies. We are waiting to 

 see how destructive the^^ are to bees, and 

 hence we have onlj' fifteen or twenty colo- 

 nies there. If the increase is satisfactory 

 we shall have more. 



WINTER STORES; SUGAR SYRUP PREFERRED FOR COLD WEATHER; 

 SEALED HONEY FOR BUILDING UP IN THE SPRING 



BY GEORGE SHIBER 



Much has been written during the past 

 year or so about the difference between 

 sugar syrup and natural stores for winter. 



My experience in wintering many colonies 

 during a number of yeai'S indicates that, 

 for a strictly winter food, and by that I 

 mean the eold-weather food, notliing equals 

 sugar syrup. I am also prepared to believe 

 that ten pounds of sugar will not make 

 much more than that number of pounds of 

 stores after the bees have been fed. I also 

 feel from observation that ten pounds of 

 sealed honey will go further (during the 

 cold weather) than ten pounds of sealed 

 syrup. The reason why syrup is better for 

 the confinement period is because it is 

 easier on the bees. They can stand a long- 



er confinement and come out healthier than 

 on natural stores. I have noticed this many 

 times. To-day. Feb. 10, the bees that had 

 sugar are small, lively, and healthy, while 

 those colonies that had only natural stores 

 have touches of dysentery — not bad, how- 

 ever. 



If my bees can have a fly some time the 

 last of January I feel perfectly safe with 

 fall honey; but if they cannot have this 

 chance it is more or less risky. But with 

 sugar sjTup I would not wony if they did 

 not ^y before March. 



I have had colonies winter on sugar that, 

 after their confinement, showed absolutely 

 no spotting of the liivrs wlien I hey had 

 their flight. The spotting is always evident 



