WHITE HONEY THE BEST WINTER FEED 235 



of wintering as though proper protection from cold were all of 

 the problem. In fact at least two other things are of more 

 importance: first, of course, a supply of suitable food large 

 enough to last until the flowers bloom again ; next a vigorous 

 young queen. After these, suitable protection should be con- 

 sidered. 



When the bees are unable to fly for long periods of time, 

 as in winter, proper food is of great importance. Normally the 

 bee voids its excrement only while on the wing. The wastes 

 that accumulate in its body during the long weeks of inactivity 

 are a severe tax at best and with low-grade food stores, the 

 quantity becomes so great as to swell the abdomen to the point 

 of causing death. In mild winters when there is frequent oppor- 

 tunity for cleansing flight, bees wintered out of doors will go 

 through safely on almost any kind of stores if the quantity is 

 sufficient. There will be, however, a much greater mortality 

 among the bees on poor stores than on those of good quality. 

 Bees wintered in cellars, or outside in severe winters, cannot be 

 expected to come through in good condition on poor stores, even 

 though they survive at all. 



White Honey the Best Winter Feed.— The whiter the honey, 

 as a rule, the less waste it contains and there is no better winter 

 feed than white clover honey. The color is not always a safe 

 guide, however, for some aster honey is said to be light in color 

 and aster honey seldom gives good results as a winter feed. 



The dark fall honey, especially when mixed with pollen, is 

 much less desirable, and honey-dew is disastrous. It is a com- 

 mon plan among practical apiarists to extract all late honey, 

 which has not had time to be thoroughly ripened, from the combs 

 at the close of the honey flow and to replace with sealed white 

 clover honey, or to feed sugar syrup. The best grade of granu- 

 lated sugar should always be used for this purpose as it makes 

 a very good substitute for honey for wintering. Equal parts 

 of sugar and water are frequently used, although best authorities 

 recommend less water ; three parts sugar to two parts water, or 



