1908 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



1201 



in the fall, and fed about half a dollar's worth of 

 sugar to the hive. Imagine my surprise when, 

 the following spring, they came out aliead of any 

 thing else in the yard. In an experimental way, 

 sugar for winter stores was tried on a fair part of 

 our apiary the ensuing year; and the results ob- 

 tained were so gratifying that, of late years, it 

 has become a part of our system to feed every 

 colony for winter. 



When using the Langstroth hive, very little 

 feeding was done; and for those wishing to avoid 

 fall feeding I can recommend the Langstroth or 

 a deep hive as being admirably adapted to that 

 end. Situated as we are, in what one might call 

 a rather poor locality for bees, where there is no 

 heavy flow, but a moderate one lasting through- 

 out the summer season, bee-keeping in such hives 

 is unprofitable. Under such circumstances the 

 brood-chamber will become literally jammed with 

 the choicest honey, while supers will be left com- 

 paratively emp- 

 ty. It was for 

 this reason that 

 the necessity for 

 changing from 

 the Langstroth 

 to a shallow 

 frame became 

 imperative. 



A frame b% 

 in. deep, prop- 

 erly handled, 

 will throw most 

 of the honey in- 

 to the sections, 

 when sugar syr- 

 up can be prof- 

 itably substitut- 

 ed for winter 

 stores. At the 

 current prices at 

 whichhoneyand 

 sugar are being 

 offered, there re- 

 mains no ques- 

 tion as to wheth- 

 er trading sugar 

 for honey can be 

 made to pay; at 

 the same time, 

 it is true that 

 the feeding of 

 the sugar syrup 

 can be gone at 

 in such a way as 

 to be decidedly 



unprofitable. In order to put the practice of win- 

 ter feeding upon a paying basis it is, first of all, 

 essential that the feeding be done at such a time 

 and in such a way that the loss in syrup while be- 

 ing stored be reduced to a minimum. The amount 

 of unsealed brood that may be in the hive at the 

 time the feeding is done will usually determine 

 the extent to which this shrinkage will occur. I 

 have seen as much as 50 pounds of sugar fed to 

 a colony, in small amounts, at a time when brood- 

 rearing was at its height, and there would be less 

 stores in the hive at the finish than before feeding 

 was begun, though the combe would be solid 

 with brood in various stages of development. 



While there are other causes for the loss in syr- 



ANOTHER SMILE THAT WON T COME OFF. 



Mr. Chalon Fowls, of Oberlin, Ohio, numbers among his customers an amateur 

 bee keeper who has the faculty of seeing the bright side of life under adverse cir- 

 cumstances. This picture, sent to Mr. Fowls as a postcard, shows that it pays to 

 " grin and bear it." 



up while being fed, such as the condition of the 

 colonies, atmosphere, rapidity! with which it is 

 given, density, etc., the principal factor will gen- 

 erally be found to lie almost wholly in the sea- 

 son. Too much stress can not be laid on this 

 point, for it is the key to the whole situation. If 

 feeding for winter be begun directly after harvest, 

 you need not be a bit surprised if there is a loss 

 of one-half by the time the syrup is stored and 

 sealed. Very little feeding during the warm 

 months will usually start the queen to laying 

 heavily, and wax secretion will begin, even if no 

 new comb is constructed. 



Rapid feeding, I find, lessens the shrinkage in 

 syrup fed to bees. Especially is this noticeable 

 when feeding is done a little early in the season. 

 Later, when the frost has stopped pollen-gather- 

 ing, so egg-laying will not be started, smaller 

 amounts may be safely given. 



One other point deserves consideration; and 



that is, the den- 

 sity of syrup fed 

 forwinterstores. 

 Regarding the 

 shrinkage when 

 a thin syrup is 

 used, I can not 

 agree with some 

 who claim that 

 no difference 

 can be observed 

 between it and 

 that having a 

 greater density. 

 Too thin a syr- 

 up has at least 

 to be worked 

 over to a great- 

 er extent by the 

 bees before cap- 

 ping, and thus 

 becomes a fur- 

 ther drain upon 

 their energies, 

 which should be 

 conserved as 

 much as possi- 

 ble at the ap- 

 proach of cold 

 weather. For 

 winter feeding 

 we generally use 

 a syrup contain- 

 ing three parts 

 of water to four 

 of sugar; but we 

 prefer a two-to-three ratio to one half-and-half. 

 For spring feeding, the latter is about right. 

 Fort Smith, Ark. 



[We believe it is generally considered through- 

 out almost all beedom that sugar syrup as a food 

 is superior to honey for winter. Experiments 

 conducted over many years by our best bee-keep- 

 ers have shown this beyond a question. Where 

 the bees have a fine grade of extracted honey they 

 will come out almost as well — so well, indeed, 

 that it is not generally considered profitable to 

 extract the honey and feed syrup. The cost of 

 the labor and the loss in feeding will make up 

 for the difference in the price secured for the hon- 

 ey over the sugar, 



