BEES AND SEE CULTURE. 1151 



there is a dearth of nectar-secreting bloom in midsummer. At 

 such times the bees are idle, and the queen, as if possessed of 

 wise foresight, ceases to lay. Again, it frequently happens that 

 some colonies will have too limited stores in autumn or spring, 

 and unless fed will starve. As stated in the article on trans- 

 ferring it is sometimes required to feed in that operation. 



It will pay then to feed at any time during the season when 

 the bees are unable for a week or more to gather. Such stim- 

 ulative feeding, as it is termed, often pays remarkably well. At 

 such times a half pound per day is quite sufficient. 



In autumn, as soon as the bees cease to gather, unless they 

 have thirty pounds of good capped honey in their hives, they 

 must be fed enough to make this amount. 



It is never wise to feed any thing but good extracted honey 

 or syrup made of the best granulated sugar. This last is as 

 good as honey, and should be made rather thin a quart of 

 water to two of sugar that it may not re-crystallize. 



The requisites of a good feeder are, that it rest immediately 

 above the bees, so that they may reach it, even if the weather 

 is quite cold. It must not permit the escape of heat from the 

 hive, must permit feeding without the escape or disturbance of 

 the bees. 



The best feeder I have ever used, and one that fills all the 

 above requirements, was sent me by John Smith, of Massachu- 

 setts, and which I have styled 

 the Smith feeder. It is a 

 modified simplicity feeder, 

 and resembles the Shuck 

 feeder, but is much superior 

 to either. 



The Smith Feeder (Fig. 25) 

 consists of a two-inch plank Fl - * -*" FEEDK - 



about six by nine inches. In one face of this saw-cuts one- 

 half inch wide are made to within one-half an inch of the bot- 

 tom, which are separated by thin, narrow partitions. Two or 

 three of the middle cuts do not reach to the enc], so that room 

 is left (Fig. 25, b) for an inch and a half augur hole (Fig. 25, c) 



