210 THE HONEY-BEE. 



try to atone for their remissness by giving a supply 

 of flour-cake a baked mixture of sugar and pea- 

 meal on the top of the frames. This practice is 

 not advisable, as the nitrogenous food is almost 

 certain to stimulate breeding ; and if this happens 

 when the temperature is too low for the development 

 f e gg s an d larvae, great mischief may be done. 

 The danger from this source will be very much in 

 proportion to the weakness of the stock. 



If proper attention has been given to the bees in 

 autumn, they should be left quite undisturbed during 

 the winter ; for each time of excitement causes a 

 considerable consumption of honey, to make up for 

 the exertion to which the insects have been aroused. 

 There is, also, the risk of chilling the hive, and 

 lowering the temperature to a point fatal to many 

 of its inhabitants. If, however, it becomes known 

 to the bee-keeper that any stock is in a starving 

 condition, no liquid food must be given, but barley- 

 sugar, or sugar-cake, may be laid on the frames. 

 One evil of the former of these is, that it is apt to 

 deliquesce faster than the bees can consume it, and 

 running down the combs, makes a mess ; while, if 

 supplied too sparingly, it will not afford enough 

 nourishment to the whole population to avert their 

 starving. To obviate these dangers, it has been 

 recommended to let it liquefy to a condition of 

 toughness, and then, having put it into a bottle 

 tied over the mouth with close canvas, to supply 

 it in the same way as syrup. 



Mr. Hunter gives the following directions for 

 making sugar-cake, of a kind superior to barley- 

 sugar of the shops for bee-feeding purposes : 



