GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



September, 1920 



suits; but I would much prefer tlieir having 

 a good flight after feeding. 



In applying the feed, the pails are invert- 

 ed over holes in a thin cover of %-incli pine, 

 and planer shavings are immediately packed 

 between and over them. The thin cover 

 with holes for feeding we call a "feeder- 

 board." In spring it is converted into a 

 nucleus-board by covering the holes witli 

 wire screen, and later it becomes a bee-es- 

 cape board. So it is not allowed uiucli idle- 

 ness, and in our permanent stot-k list is 

 called a "combination-board." The feeder- 

 board perfoi'ins a \eiy imjiortant fuiu-tioii 

 by keejiiiig tlie bees in place wliilc taking 



Building used for central extracting plant, garage, 



etc., at The Pettit Apiaries. A few (luadruplc cases 



are shown. 



their feed, and by retaining the top packing 

 which is so necessary in late feeding. With- 

 out this ])acking the bees often refuse to 

 take the feed, and we feel that they ripen 

 it better when tiiey are kept warm. 



In making syrup for feeding we mix the 

 sugar with steaming hot water in the pro- 

 ])ortion of two of sugar to one of water 

 and stir until the sugar is dissolved. That 

 is all. "With due respect to scientific advo- 

 cates of an inverting agent such as tartaric 

 acid or honey, we consider the complications 

 introduced by their use greater than their 

 advantage. I believe a mixer such as is 

 used in mixing spray material, or a large 

 barrel churn might profitably be used. We 

 had a 700-pound glucose barrel fixed to re- 

 \olve and found it had some advantages; 

 but it got out of order, and we have since 

 mixed it with a paddle in two large capping 

 cans which have been resting since the 

 Peterson melter was introduced. The process 

 is as follows: Pour a hundred-pound bag of 

 sugar into the first can, then half its bulk 

 of steaming hot water, and stir enough to 

 prevent caking. Put more water over the fire, 

 continue stirring the sugar, and when the 

 water steams again pour another bag of 

 sugar and its complement of water into the 

 mixer, and continue stirring. Repeat until 

 the first can is full, then fill the second, com- 

 ing back to the first occasiojinllv .for more 



stirring. The time recjuired depends largely 

 on the facilities for heating water. With a 

 cook stove one man melts 1400 pounds of 

 sugar, which is the capacity of the two cans, 

 in from seven to eight hours, and chops his 

 wood from rubbish during tliat time. The 

 feeder pails are filled by dipping so as not 

 to stir uj) the small (juantity of sugar which 

 settles. 



The pails, whet her full or cnijity, are 

 stored and handled in the same type of 

 crates used for sliipping honey, six pails in 

 each. This makes a convenient unit for 

 carrying, loading on trucks, etc. Witli 

 proper care they will last for years. We 

 have some that have been in use for eight 

 years and are still doing duty. Their worst 

 enemies are rust and the boy who removes 

 lids carelessly, jamming them on the edges 

 of the pails, causing leaks. Rust is caused 

 mostly by leaving them on the hives too 

 long after they are empty, until they con- 

 dense moisture inside from the brood-cham- 

 ber. It soon destroys the bottoms, and we 

 are now treating all our pails inside with a 

 thin coating of wax slightly softened witli 

 grease. 



The rule in putting on the feed is to give 

 each hive four pails. This may be varied 

 by giving fewer to weaker colonies well 

 stocked, or more to* stronger lighter ones. 

 This year after a particularly dry summer 

 two pails were given to each colony not hav- 

 ing a food-chamber, at time of putting into 

 cases in September, then all were given four 

 in October whether they had a food-cham- 

 ber or not. Last year we were so fortunate 

 as to foresee a sugar shortage and bought 

 our supply in May. One week after putting 

 on, the pails are removed, together witli 

 whatever syrup has not been taken, and it 

 is amusing to see how colonies which cannot 

 take all their feed sometimes seal up the per- 

 forations in the pails as if to save the re- 

 mainder for future reference. 



As mentioned above, the feeder-boards 

 are left in place all winter excej)t where 

 food-chambers are used. They are covered 



Thr I". ■lilt ■■f.MMlcv 

 board.' 



first with the regular lii\e-clotli, tiien with 

 several thicknesses of newspapers, and final 

 ly with planer shavings well pressed down. 

 AVe consider that this gives some upwanl 

 ventilation, in fact, quite enough where bot- 

 tom packing is used. In some older eases 



