FEEDING. 209 



stores is the weighing-machine. If this indicates a 

 less total than from twenty-five to thirty pounds, it 

 will be advisable to supply syrup till the requisite 

 weight is attained. With bar-frame hives an ex- 

 amination of the state of affairs is perfectly easy, 

 and there is no difficulty in removing combs which 

 are quite empty, and are not needed for the clustering 

 of the bees. Those which are left should each contain 

 six or seven inches square of sealed honey, some 

 two square feet, as a total, being considered about 

 the proper quantity for a fairly strong stock to 

 winter on. 



For ascertaining the state of the hives in autumn, 

 there should be an inspection of them about the 

 middle of September ; and, if necessary, the feeding 

 should then be begun. It may be continued through 

 October, but not later; otherwise there are dangers to 

 be incurred. The first is, lest the evaporation of a 

 certain amount of water from the stored syrup should 

 not take place, and consequently, being left unsealed 

 in the cells, it should ferment, and produce dysentery 

 among the bees. The second is, lest there should not 

 be sufficient warmth in the hive for the elaboration 

 of the wax needed for sealing the filled cells; in 

 which case, also, dysentery is likely to occur, when 

 the immatured syrup is consumed. 



Syrup given in autumn must be thicker than 

 that supplied in spring, and should be made of five 

 pounds of sugar to one quart of water, a table- 

 spoonful of vinegar being added, and the mixture 

 well, but carefully, boiled. 



Sometimes, when bee-keepers have neglected the 

 feeding of their stocks till late in autumn, they 



P 



