PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING 55 



or honey, and the other where the bees suck the food indirectly. 

 There are, further, two ways of feeding bees, at the entrance and 

 from above. Where one has but a hive or two to feed, it is not 

 necessary to invest in any elaborate apparatus. A salmon can 

 with a bit of comb or a chip in the syrup to serve as a float may be 

 --placed in an empty story or super above the brood chamber, turning 

 one corner of the quilt back so that the bees may reach the syrup. 

 Feeding should always be done at night so that there will be no 

 chance of robbing among the bees. If the nights are chilly a piece 

 of sacking or quilting may be placed over the feeder in order to 

 retain the heat of the colony, first placing a block across the can 

 to prevent the covering from closing the can. The syrup should 

 be slightly warmed when fed to ' the bees, as they will carry it 

 down more readily. It is prepared by melting one pound of cane 

 sugar to a quart of water. A little vinegar may be added to prevent 

 granulation. It is found that on the whole bees winter better if 

 their stores are not granulated. 



If the colony needs considerable feeding, it is better to feed 

 it in larger quantities, since feeding in small quantities stimulates 

 by a sense of continuing supply of food, to the rearing of brood 

 which is undesirable in the late fall. Early in the fall it is well to 

 feed slowly as it is highly desirable to have plenty of young vigor- 

 ous bees for the winter. This is the plan of feeding adopoted during 

 the spring months where feeding for stimulation is followed. In this 

 climate each colony should have not less than thirty to forty pounds 

 of honey or syrup. Bees may winter on less but the honey-filled 

 combs are an added protection to the clusters, as the heat is thereby 

 retained more readily. Thus it is advisable to feed by the quart or 

 even two quarts at a time. 



A convenient feeder can be made by removing the porcelain 

 from the top of a mason jar and punching the latter full of holes 

 with an awl or a wire nail. Then, screwing the cap thus perfor- 

 ated tightly upon the jar of tepid syrup and inverting the latter 

 quickly upon a stand or simply a couple of blocks above the frames, 

 the bees can take the syrup without coming in contact with the 

 large volume of syrup and thereby running the risk of being 

 drowned. The bees will take the syrup from the holes as fast as it 

 flows if the holes are not too large and they will manage it even 

 if it drips, if the jar be placed near enough level to prevent its 



