GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



A CHEAP AND EFFECTIVE GROOVED FEEDER 



BV K. F. ATWATER 



A year or two ago Mr. Jay Smith de- 

 scribed his " Perfect feeder," built along 

 the lines of the old Cai'y feeder. We usu- 

 ally have some colonies that use a dispro- 

 portionate amount of stores, and we usual- 

 ly have quite a supply of feed, consisting 

 of boiled honey from diseased colonies or 

 other cull honey; and so to connect the two 

 to the advantage of the needy colonies, and 

 lo our profit, we designed and built several 

 liundred feeder-bottoms. 



As we could not spend the time to build 

 up feedei"s from countless little sticks, as 



Tlie sinsle clear 2 x fi piece, carefully 

 constitutes the feeder. 



jrooved, 



was done by Mr. Smith, and as no feeder 

 holding less than a quart appeals to us as 

 being very useful or practical, we had clear 

 2x6 lumber cut in suitable lengtiis for the 

 ten-frame bottom-boards, and grooved as 

 shown. The connecting holes between 

 grooves are cut with a special tool. 



We prefer to shove the hive forward on 

 the bottom 1% inches, to expose the feeder, 

 then lay a strip % x 1% x 16 across at the 

 rear, for upon removing this strip the feed 

 can be instantly poured in and the stiip 

 replaced. This can be done so quickly that 

 no smoke is needed. 



In early spring, if we find soma colonies 

 very short of stores we simply shove the 

 hive forward, contract the entrance so only 

 one or two bees can pass, till the feeder with 

 feed, and replace the strij). 



Sometimes by the time we get over the 

 yard the fii-st colonies fed have licked up 

 the quart of feed. Then we fill the feeders 

 again (using a little smoke), often three 

 times in an hour. That yard is safe for 

 some time, and heavy colonies have not had 

 their prospects injured by giving some of 

 their honey to the light ones. 



For regular stimulative feeding this feed- 

 er-bottom is the best. A thinner feed, and 

 enough of it to do some good, can be given 

 daily, or as often as desired. 



In this connection we have found no 

 considerable advantage in daily feeding 

 except in queen-rearing, and believe that, 

 even where regular feeding is found prof- 

 itable, feeding a little more, every second or 

 third day, will give about the same results 

 as daily feeding. 



But in any event it will pay to own a lot 

 of these feedei'-bottoms of ample capacity, 

 as they are substantial and practical, and 

 have stood the test of extensive use. 



Meridian, Idaho. 



100 POUNDS PER COLONY AND NO SWARMS 



BY S. II. CAMPBELL 



Our bees are in fine condition, and we 

 are putting on supers. We had a swarm 

 to-day, March 19. So far we have had 20 

 inches of rain, and expect to get at least 75 

 pounds of honey to the colony, even if 

 thei'e is no more rain this season. The 

 sages are in fine condition, and should yield 

 a large surplus. 



When I was in Texas I kept 145 colonies 

 from swarming in the year 1910, and ob- 



tained 100 pounds of extracted honey to the 

 colony at the same time. I did not have a 

 single swarm, and only six colonies built 

 cells. My plan of procedure was as fol- 

 lows: As soon as the bees filled the outside 

 combs in the brood-chamber I made the 

 rounds of the apiary with a super of drawn 

 combs. From each colony I took out the 

 full combs of sealed honey from the outside, 

 spread the brood-nest, and put these empty 



