CHAPTER XX. 



FEEDING. 



FEEDING bees becomes necessary when they are 

 in danger of dying, or swarming out for want of food. 

 Feeding may also be made to pay a fair profit for the 

 outlay, provided it is done in season ; the object to bo 

 gained in this case is to have the bees strong at the 

 commencement of a harvest season, either from flow- 

 ers or other sources. But if feeding is resorted to 

 for the purpose of having dissolved sugar or inferior 

 honey stored as an article for market, it will prove a 

 loss, directly or indirectly, to the person feeding and 

 a swindle on the purchaser, as the material fed to 

 them undergoes no material change except to receive 

 a portion of musk imparted by the bees, and to be- 

 come condensed by evaporation. 



WHEN TO FEED. 



Feeding may be commenced as early as February, 

 if the weather is warm and the bees are flying fre- 

 quently. But if cool, defer^ it, as feeding at such 

 times frequently causes dysentery ; consequently, it is 

 better to supply hives that are short of provisions by 



