156 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER, 



October 



brood afford a fitting place for the 

 bees to clustar on or in, for it must be 

 remeinberd that it is much more diffi- 

 cult for a colony of bees to retain the 

 necessary warmth in full frames of 

 stores. We can readily uuderstand 

 this if we remember that the bees go 

 in head first into the cells, the case of 

 which is only between them and 

 those on the opposite side. Now as 

 to the feed. I will not say anything 

 in this article for or against making 

 it by percolation, as I have had no 

 experience except in a small way in 

 connection with the wing business. 

 The way I have made it for years, 

 and have had no trouble from candy- 

 ing, souring, or anything else, is as 

 follows : I take the best granulated 

 sugar (I prefer Redpath's. Some 

 makes contain blueing) and for every 

 two pounds of sugar, I use one pound 

 of water. I proceed as follows : I 

 have a large can with a tap to it, — an 

 extractor will do. I take a boiler 

 (size used for washing purposes) and 

 fill it about one-third with spring 

 water. It is then weighed, deducting 

 the weight of the boiler, and when it 

 is nearly to the boiling point, I drop 

 in double the weight of sugar and 

 stir occasionally till it comes to a 

 boil, when it is taken off and poured 

 into the large can , and 1 proceed 

 again, always keeping plenty ahead 

 which is a decided advantage as I 

 have some always to mix with the hot 

 so as to render both the right temper- 

 ature for feeding. I think " blood 

 heat " is about right unless the weath- 

 er is cold and the feeders will cool it 

 much. Of all the feeders, I prefer a 

 box about one and one-half inches 

 high, the size of the top of the hive. 

 By making it with a double side, and 



a space between for the bees to come 

 up you have a feeder that, when 

 covered, not only retains the warmth 

 in the hive, but which facilitates rapid 

 feeding. 1 then cut the desired 

 length I prefer to any other as a float, 

 to enable the bees to have ready ac- 

 cess to the feed. Have a smaller can 

 with a top to it, with which to take 

 the feed when ready to the apiary. 

 When placed on a wheelbarrow or 

 other vehicle, you are in a position 

 to do quick work. The allowance for 

 each colony is 30 lbs, less the amount 

 they have. Since making up to 30 lbs 

 for winter stores I have not lost a 

 colony from starvation, and have my 

 mind at ease even though the winter 

 should linger " in the lap of spring " 

 and I should be unable to remove 

 " my pets " from their winter quarters. 

 Care should be used in having colonies 

 snug and warm during and after feed- 

 ing. If weighed again during the lat- 

 ter part of October I would consider 

 twenty pounds of stores sufficent to 

 carry them over till spring and of 

 course in many cases it would be twice 

 too much, but I would not feel safe 

 with less, — G. A. Deadman, in C. B. J. 

 Brussels, Out. 



NON-SW ARMING-MIGRATORY BEE-KEEPING. 



In persuing the columns of our sev- 

 eral bee-papers as they come to hand, 

 it occurs to mo the question of non- 

 swarming has taken posession of the 

 minds of many bee-keepers in the 

 northern part of this continent. Many 

 are the devices and plans recommend- 

 ed. No doubt some of the plans will 

 be of great service to many. The 

 devices — what I have seen of them — 

 referring to the Langdon device — is 

 good for smothering bees, and prevent- 

 ing large surplus yields ; possibly it 

 may be improved, and be a success. 



Considering the depressed condition 

 of our honey markets, and condition 

 of the industry in general, I think the 

 present a very inopportune time to in- 

 vest in nostrums and unless appendag- 

 es which may be seen rotting and wast- 

 ing in every bee-yard you visit. The 



