194 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEV^ 



"How and when to feed are questions 

 which I shall leave to those of larger and 

 riper experience to answer, while I shall at- 

 tempt 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 avail- 

 able 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 de- 

 scribe (but for which I do not claim origin- 

 ality) will overcome many if not all of these 

 objections. 



Procure a five-gallon tin can having a hon- 

 ey gate at the bottom. Punch three or four 

 very small holes, about equal distance 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 we will call the "percolator") 

 should be made in the shape of a funnel, 

 with a slightly tapering nozzle one inch long 

 and % inch in diameter at the outlet. Into 

 the nozzle of the funnel fit a cork having 

 several vertical grooves 1-lG inch deep cutin 

 its circumference. Now pack the funnel end 

 of the percolator with a good quality of cot- 

 ton [)reviously saturated with water, and 

 well squeezed out. A loose-fitting cover 

 completes the percolator. 



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 preferable. The first half-.gallou of syrup 

 which passes into the receiver should be re- 

 turned 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 neces- 

 sary to weigh the sugar nor measure the 

 water. Just keep up the supply of material, 

 and the apparatus, like the Kodak, ' does the 

 rest.' 



Technically this is a saturated solution of 

 pure sugar. It is a clear, clean, transparent 

 liquid, having a specific gravity of 1.55f). It 

 is perfectly staple in any climate, will never 

 sour nor granulate. It is heavier than any 

 stable syrup that can be made by heat, and 

 it is never overdone nor underdone. The 

 heaviest syrup that can be made by heat (the 

 ofiicinal simple syrup of the U. S. Pharma- 

 copoeia) 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 perco- 

 lator, 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 don't do no pertickler good.' 

 I am convinced, however, that the most del- 



eterious substances found in sugar syrup, as 

 usually made, are the result of faulty meth- 

 ods of manufacture. 



This apparatus can be placed in any out- 

 of-the-way corner, and requires very little 

 attention 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 

 quality, must be renewed occasionally ; but 

 one packing will be sufficient for at least 

 half a barrel of syrup. Although this syrup 

 comes drop by drop, the process goes on, 

 with unvarying regularity, 24 hours every 

 day ; and a few minutes' attention twice or 

 three times a day is all that is required. By 

 having the sugar-barrei 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 process too slow I have only to say, try 

 it and prepare for a pleasant surprise. Last- 

 ly, this syrup is of such a consistency that it 

 is immediately available for use by the bees, 

 requiring no evaporation after being placed 

 in the cells. 



Ontario, Ohio, Feb 8. 



[We have never made syrup with a perco- 

 lator ; but as the doctor seems to be perfect- 

 ly familiar with the subject we have decided 

 to give it a test. The trouble of using heat, 

 boiling over, soiling stoves, etc., is enough 

 to warrant every one giving the plan a trial. 

 — Ed.I" 



How to Make Swarms Cluster on a Bash. 



Swarms often cluster in very inaccessible 

 places and it would be convenient to know 

 how to induce them to " uncluster " and then 

 ''re-cluster" in a more desirable location. 

 In Farm, Stock and Home, Mr. B. Taylor 

 tells how this may be accomplished. He 

 says : — 



" A bee-keeper writes that the swarms 

 cluster on his young fruit trees, tliat he is 

 greatly annoyed thereby, having to mutilate 

 the young trees by cutting the branches to 

 save the swarms, and asks for a remedy. 



Our own apiary has always been surround- 

 ed with fruit and ornamental trees, and we 

 have in years past been greatly distressed by 

 having to cut and mutilate the trees and 

 knock off fruit in saving the swarms. We 

 now use swarm catchers and catch the bees 

 as they issue from the hive. This not only 

 saves the trees and fruit but saves a great 

 deal of hard work in carrying heavy ladders 

 and climbing trees. But without swarm 

 catchers there is a better way than to let the 

 swarm settle on the trees. We have men- 

 tioned this better way in previous years, but 

 will carefully describe it again, as it is with- 

 in the reach of every owner of a colony, and 

 if followed will save much loss and trouble. 



Cut a quantity of bushes two or three feet 

 long (those with fine leaves and sprays are 



