190 



MANAGEMENT IN SPRING. 



ing to observe bees accustomed to be fed in this man- 

 ner watching the approach of the feeder. When the 

 ordinary time draws near, they rush down to the box 

 tlie moment it is put upon the board, and, after speed- 

 ily filling themselves, they return to the hive, from 

 which they very soon return for a second supply. By 

 throwing a little fine flour on those leaving the box, it 

 will be seen that they can fill themselves in three 

 minutes, and are absent not above five. One conve- 

 nience that attends feeding with such a box, is the 

 exclusion of stranger bees, as the sole communication 

 with the interior is from the entrance of the hive/' 

 This is a very good contrivance, generally speaking, 

 but there should be no hole for allowing the bees to 

 escape from the trough or box when over-crowded, 

 as, if left open for a minute through neglect, it would 

 give occasion for the very evil intended to be guarded 

 against, namely, the admission of strangers ; for what 

 affords the means of exit to the former wijl admit the 

 entrance of the latter. There is no need of cork to 

 buoy up the float, which, if made, as it should be, of 

 thin light fir, will be sufficiently buoyant of itself. 

 It may be remarked, also, that there is no danger of 

 filling the box so full as to crush the bees against the 

 glass cover ; the describer must have forgot that the 

 entrance-hole intervenes, above which the liquid can- 

 not rise. The usual mode of supplying the bees by 

 this trough is to give the food in the afternoon or 

 evening, when all are within doors, and to remove it 

 early next morning. This mode of feeding, however, 

 ought, as already stated, to be had recourse to only in 



