946 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Aug. 1 



thicker we can make the syrup, and get the bees 

 to take it, the le^s sugar it will take to make up 

 the shortage. While bees will take a sugar syrup 

 thicker than three parts of sugar to two of water, 

 we have had rather better results with this portion 

 of each. This makes a syrup that weighs in the 

 neighborhood of 11 lbs. to the gallon; and as 

 good honey weighs 12 lbs. to the gallon, there is 

 but one pound of moisture to the gallon for the 

 bees to evaporate. Of course, there are other 

 losses, so if the colony needs 20 lbs. of stores, 

 more than they already have (10 lbs.), they should 

 be fed 25 lbs. of the syrup. This would put it 

 in good shape, and it would not need looking 

 after again, in regard to stores, until the white- 

 honey flow the next June. 



In making syrup of granulated sugar we use a 

 boiler large enough to cover the whole top of the 

 stove. This is made of galvanized iron, and is 

 what we use to melt four 60-lb. cans of honey at 

 a time. A wash-boiler might do, but would not 

 be so fast. We Wfigh in the water; then, as the 

 water comes to a boil, add the sugar, keeping the 

 contents of the boiler well stirred, after the sugar 

 is added, to prexent it from burning to the bot- 

 tom. As soon as all the sugar is melted we emp- 

 ty it into a tank with a gate at the bottom, which 

 isele\ated, in order to run the syrup from the 

 tank, to a 60-lb. honey-can on the scales. We 

 set the scales to weigh 55 lbs. net to the can. 

 This will fill the can about the same as 60 lbs. of 

 honey. 



The syrup is drawn to the out-yards in these 

 60-lb. cans, and is not weighed again. We feed 

 in Miller feeders that hold 20 lbs. Four or five 

 tin pails are provided to use in feeding. We 

 weigh 10 and 15 lbs. of the syrup in these, and 

 mark the levels on the sides of the pail. The 

 combination of these two weights will make any 

 weight we need, and it is much more convenient 

 than weighing the second time, besides being ac- 

 curate enough for the purpose. As we do not 

 feed a colon v less than 10 lbs. , the hives are mark- 

 ed 10 lbs., 15 lbs., 20 lbs., 25 lbs., and 35 lbs. 

 short, the latter weight showing that the colony 

 has nothing but empty combs. The colonies 

 marked to be fed from 10 to 20 lbs. are fed all 

 their allowance at once. The few that are mark- 

 ed to be fed 25 to 35 lbs. are given their additional 

 5 to 15 lbs. as soon as their feeder will hold it. 

 To expedite matters, the colonies that have to be 

 fed most are fed first; so if any have to wait, it will 

 be those that do not need so much, and may be 

 fed when the first-mentioned colonies are getting 

 their second feed. 



We buy and keep, for the purpose, shallow su- 

 pers with strips of tin nailed on the lower inside 

 ends for the feeders to rest on. When not in use 

 they pile up to good advantage, and, with a hive- 

 cover on top, are kept away from the dust and 

 flies. 



Remus, Michigan. 



[We wish to place strong emphasis on the 

 statement of Mr. Townsend, to feed the syrup 

 ihick, and, we may add, give it all at once, or at 

 most in two feeds. If possible, give it all in one 

 feed, sufficient to meet the needs of the colony 

 until the following summer. We fed last year, 

 in small dribs, syrup half and half; but we found 

 at two of our yards that the colonies that were 

 strong in summer dwindled very rapidly in the 



fall. The effect of slow stimulative feeding was 

 to use up the vitality of the bees just at a time 

 when we should have had a large force. In for- 

 mer years we fed thick syrup without any reduc- 

 tion in the strength of the bees. 



Recent discussion in these columns has practi- 

 cally shown the advantage of thick syrup for 

 winter feed, and in one large feed. For this pur- 

 pose, feeders capable, of holding as much as 25 

 lbs. are desirable. As to the feeder, any stand- 

 ard construction v\ill answer very well. Even a 

 large tin pan with wet chee>^e-cloth placed on 

 top will give excellent results. — Ed.] 



COMB HONEY SOLD BY THE SEC- 

 TION INSTE.AD OF BY WEIGHT. 



BY A. r. BONN FY. 



I lecently wrote the following letter to the 

 Board of Food and Drug Inspection of the De- 

 partment of Agriculture: "Inasmuch as liquor- 

 dealers are still allowed to sell 'short' quarts, 

 simply being required to put up a notice that 

 'AH bottled goods are sold by the bottle, not by 

 measure,' would the enclosed label conform to 

 the law -< " 



ABSOLUIHLY 



PURE MONEY 



;ind conforms to all require- 

 ments of the Pure-food Law. 



This package is sold as a 

 Section, not as a poimd. 



Net weight ounces. 



A. F. BONNEY, 

 BUCK GROVE, IOVV.\. 



I based my question on the fact that bee-keepers 

 have used practically the same size of section ever 

 since the section was invented. I also asked par- 

 ticularly how we were to tell that co7nb honey 

 meets the requirements of the law, as to moisture 

 and sugar, when it is sealed, inasmuch as one 

 might test 50 per cent of the stock on hand and 

 find it all right when the rest would run over or 

 fall short. To this I received no reply, but the 

 following letter shows the opinion of the Board 

 in regard to the label. 



Buck Grove, Iowa, May 1, 1908. 



Dr. A. F. Bonney: — Replying to your letter of the 20th instant, 

 I regret to advise you that I am not autho'ized to approve or criti- 

 cise labels submitted in connection with the enforcement of the 

 Food and Dn'gs Act of June .'<0, 1V06, as you will note by reading 

 F. I. D. 41, enclosed. As a personal opinion, however, I would 

 say that the use of the expression, " This package is sold as a sec- 

 tion, not as a pound," in connection with your honey, would not 

 be in violation of the act. Y'our attention is drawn to regulation 

 29 (Circular 21) in which you will note that a statement of the 

 weight of a food product is not required to be given on the package. 

 1 have examined the label which you set forth in your letter; and if 

 the honey on which this is to be used fulfills the requirements of the 

 standard for honey promulgated by the Secretary of Agriculture, 

 and which is found on page 11 of Circular 19, enclosed, there 

 would be no objection to its use, with the exception that you 

 would be going too far to designate the article as abiolutely pure. 



F. L. DUNLAP, 



Washington, D. C, April 24. Acting Chairman. 



1 



