226 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Mar. 15. 



The correct spacing of frames is a subject of 

 much interest to the bee-keeper, and also a sub- 

 ject on which there is a very wide latitude of 

 opinion. "Major Shallard " tells us to space 

 our frames l>g inches from center to center, to 

 prevent bridging and bracing. Several years 

 ago J. E. Pond, in Gi-eanings (I think), told 

 us to space frames Iji from center to center for 

 the purpose of causing the bees to enter more 

 readily the surplus-apartment. At that time 

 but little attention was given to bridge and 

 brace combs, but we soon found out that close 

 spacing did cause the bees to enter more readily 

 the boxts; and we found that we were not 

 troubled with bridge or brace combs to any 

 great extent. We also found that close spacing 

 caused combs to be built clear down to the bot- 

 tom-bar of the frame, and we are inclined to the 

 opinion that close spacing has a tendency to re- 

 strict the raising of drones; yet as to this last 

 we do not feel confident of the truth of the idea. 



Don't drop those footnotes. 



Rochester, Ohio, Feb. 10. 



[This question is discussed further under 

 Trade Notes.— Ed.] 



SYRUP FOR SPRING FEEDING. 



FULL PARTICULARS ON HOW TO MAKE IT 



WITH A percolator; how to 



MAKE A PERCOLATOR. 



By Dr. J. T. BeaJl. 



How and when to feed are questions which I 

 shall leave to those of larger and riper experi- 

 ence to answer, while I shall attempt to offer 

 some suggestions upon that other but not less 

 important phase of the question, What shall we 

 feed ? 



Sugar syrup seems to be the most available 

 material for the purpose; but there are various 

 objections to its use as ordinarily prepared. I 

 am satisfied that the mode of preparation 

 which I shall now attempt to describe (but for 

 which I do not claim originality) will overcome 

 many if not all of these objections. 



THE APPARATUS. 



Procure a five-gallon tin can having a honey- 

 gale at the bottom. Punch three or fourvery 

 small holes, about equal distances apart, one 

 and a half inches from the top of the can. For 

 convenience we will call this can the receiver. 

 Now have another five-gallon can made so that 

 it will fit into the top of the receiver about one 

 inch. The bottom of this can (which wo will 

 call the "percolator") should be made in the 

 shape of a funnel, with a slightly tapering noz- 

 zle one inch long and ^.i inch in diameter at the 

 outlet. Into the nozzle of the funnel fit a cork 

 having several vertical grooves ^g inch deep 

 cut in its circumference. Now pack the funnel 

 end of the percolator with a good quality of 

 cotton previously saturated with water, and 



well squeezed out. A loose-fitting cover com- 

 pletes the percolator. 



THE PROCESS. 



Fill the percolator about two-thirds full of 

 granulated sugar, and then pour in cold water 

 until the can is about full. Soft water is pref- 

 erable. The first half-gallon of syrup which 

 passes into the receiver should be returned to 

 the percolator, as it will be too light. All that 

 is necessary now is to keep pouring in sugar 

 and cold water occasionally, and to draw off 

 the syrup as it accumulates in the receiver. 

 Always keep enough sugar in the percolator to 

 cover the cotton to a depth of about two inches. 

 It is not necessary to weigh the sugar nor mea- 

 sure the water. Just keep up the supply of ma- 

 terial, and the apparatus, like the Kodak, " does 

 the rest." 



THE PRODUCT. 



Technically this is a saturated solution of 

 pure sugar. It is a clear, clean, transparent 

 liquid, having a specific gravity of 1.356. It is 

 perfectly stable in any climate, will never sour 

 nor granulate. It is heavier than any stable syr- 

 up that can be made by heat, and it is never 

 overdone nor underdone. The heaviest syrup 

 that can be made by heat (the officinal simple 

 syrup of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia) has a specific 

 gravity of 1.317, and is liable to ferment as well 

 as to deposit crystals. 



The slight yellow tinge is due to the fact that, 

 as the syrup passes through the percolator, the 

 ultramarine (which is used by sugar-refiners 

 for substantially the same reason that the 

 laundress uses indigo) is left behind, and will 

 be found in the cotton packing. 



Just how inimical this substance is to the bee 

 economy I am not prepared to say; but I feel 

 safe in asserting that, as Jake Smith would 

 say, " it doant do no pertickler good." I am 

 convinced, however, that the most deleterious 

 substances found in sugar syrup, as usually 

 made, are the result of faulty methods of man- 

 ufacture. 



This apparatus can be placed in any out-of- 

 the-way corner, and requires very little atten- 

 tion after once "getting the run of it." Unlike 

 the old method of making syrup on the kitchen 

 stove, there are no fires to keep up, no dauby, 

 sticky utensils for the wife to clean, no burned 

 fingers, and no " swear words." 



The cotton, which should be of the best qual- 

 ity, must be renewed occasionally: but one 

 packing will be sufficient for at least half a bar- 

 rel of syrup. Although this syrup comes drop 

 by drop, the process goes on. with unvarying 

 regularity, 24 hours every day; and a few min- 

 utes' attention twice or three times a day is all 

 that is required. By having the sugar-barrel 

 and water-supply convenient, and arranging a 

 barrel or other suitable receptacle under the 

 honey-gate, the labor is minimized to the last 

 degree. 



To any one who may be inclined to think this 



