266 THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. [December, 



by the bee-keeper mentioned above, and bees weighed at the start three 



but I should hazard a guess that he pounds ten ounces, and at the close 



had fed the colony at a season when (at which time the box was full of 



they were stimulated into active beautiful comb of sealed syrup) weigh- 



brood-rearing. When bees are stim- ed seven pounds five ounces, a gain 



ulated thus they use up fuel rapidly, of three pounds eleven ounces. Not 



not only to heat their hives, but also a bad gain when one considers that 



in unwonted activity. In my own the little colony had to secrete its 



instance the colonies were in most own wax and keep up the necessary 



cases not stimulated even to egg-lay- temperature for comb-building. The 



ing, though they did reach the point box was carefully protected from cold 



of polishing off a small brood nest wind and frost by means of old car- 



for the occupancy of the queen. There pets. A second box was prepared with 



was a great scarcity of new pollen even greater severity. The first had 



at this time (the latter weeks of Octo- begun to build comb and had been 



ber) and it is well known that bees fed two or three days before the ex- 



cannot be stimulated into brood-rear- periment began. But the second 



ing upon sweets alone. It is possible, nucleus was given a box which was 



too, that the colony which caused such empty except for three small starters 



a shrinkage in the food given was of comb. The bees to supply this 



a colony of bees unprofitably restless, box were themselves empty, and 



I am of the opinion that it is gen- lean ; and numbered about 3,500. 



erally advocated to feed bees at a The box alone weighed one pound 



season which for this locality is too fourteen ounces, and with the bees 



early. Prepare your bees for winter two pounds and eight ounces. Thus 



in September, the sages all say. I there were ten ounces of lean bees, 



never have prepared mine till well in- Lean bees number much more to the 



to October, and often not till Novem- pound than do fat ones, say, from 



ber, and my success in wintering is 6,500 to 7,000, while fat ones number 



such that I make the bold statement probably not much, if any, over 3,000 



that one should winter his bees with to the pound. 



as equal confidence as he winters his This experiment is not yet complete, 



farm stock. but the box is practically filled with 



If there is a fall flow, feeding in Sep- comb, and the combs nearly filled with 



tember is a foolish waste of sugar syrup, the capping-over being largely 



and labor. If there is no flow of honey un,completed. Every indication points 



then the feeding should be for stim- to a result which corresponds closely 



ulation, and not for winter stores, with the other, though with a slightly 



So that in either case the winter-feed- lower percentage of winter stores for 



ing should be postponed till brood- the sugar-fed. 



rearing has ceased, and preferably till Now, as to the amount fed. I fed 

 all brood has emerged. Then the five pounds and thirteen ounces of 

 feed should be given in such way that sugar to the first nucleus. This sugar 

 it will be taken and stored within built the combs of the hive and fur- 

 about forty-eight hours. If feeding nished three pounds and eleven ounces 

 is thus practised, a very large per- of winter stores. 



centage of the feed will be quietly To understand these results — results 



stored in the brood nest where much which are likely to be astonishing to 



of it will be capped over. What is those bee-keepers who argue a great 



not capped over will be largely con- loss in feeding syrup, — one must take 



sumed before the severest winter into consideration the condition under 



weather sets in. This plan brings the which the feeding was done. I have 



bees upon sealed stores after their last outlined those above, and need only 



autumnal flight. call your attention to what you have 



I was not satisfied with the above doubtless already reasoned out. These 



experiment, and so I set two small bees during this feeding are staying 



lots of bees to storing their winter at home and keeping as quiet as a 



stores in combs of their immediate newly hived swarm. They are mak- 



building. About a quart of bees were ing no pretence to rear brood, and 



put into a box about 8 by 5 by 5 bring nothing from the fields what- 



inches, and made to fill this box with soever. All their energy is focused • 



sealed stores. One of these nuclei on taking care of those jars of syrup, 

 has completed this work. The hive Norwich, Conn., Nov., 1907. 



