CHAPTER VIII 



WHEX BEES MUST BE FED 



Although under normal conditions bees 

 not only gather their own food, but store a sur- 

 plus for their owner, there are times when it 

 becomes necessary to supply them with food. 

 Every year hundreds of colonies die for lack of 

 sufficient stores because their owner is careless 

 or ignorant of their needs. It is very poor 

 policy to permit the bees to starve, and it is 

 easy to supply their needs in this direction. 



Swarms which issue late will often be 

 unable to gather sufficient honey to carry them 

 through the winter. They can either be fed or 

 united with stronger swarms which have a plen- 

 tiful supply, as seems best. A large swarm will 

 winter on less honey than a small one, and be 

 worth much more in spring. The reason of this 

 is very apparent. The source of the heat of the 



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