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FEEDIKO SOROHUH ]MOL,AS. 

 SES IN THE SPRIIVG. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 



Query 519.— Will It do to feed sorghum 

 molasRes in the spring, mixed with sujjar? 

 Or will It do without mixing ?— H„ Iowa. 



Yes, either wa}-. — R. L. Tayior. 



I have had no experience witli 

 " sorghum " as a bee-food. — H. D. 

 Cutting. 



Take the sugar and leave the molas- 

 ses alone. — J. P. H. Brown. 



Anj'thing that the bees will take, 

 will do at that time of the year. — G. 



M. DOOLITTLE. 



I would prefer to feed the best white 

 sugar, and let the molasses alone. — P. 



L. VlALLON. 



If it is a good article it will do with- 

 out mixing, if the weather is warm 

 enough for the bees to fij'. — A. B. 

 Mason. 



Sorghum is not fit to feed to bees at 

 an J' time, mixed or unmixed. — M. 

 Mahin. 



In the spring, when bees are flying 

 freelj', it will do to feed almost any- 

 thing. — Mrs. L. Harrison. 



We would not use sorghum, although 

 it matters less in the spring. But the 

 best sugar, we think, is just as cheap, 

 for it contains more food. — Dadant & 

 Son. 



I would not feed sorghum molasses 

 under any circumstances. Trade j'our 

 molasses for white sugar, and make a 

 syrup. — J. M. Hambaugh. 



If the bees need feed, and will take 

 sorghum molasses, I should give it in 

 the spring. — G. L. Tinker. 



If used up in breeding, it would not 

 be objectionable. It would answer, I 

 think, without mixing. — W. Z. Hutch- 

 inson. 



I tiiink that it will do either way. I 

 have never tried it, but I should be 

 very willing to do so, if any one would 

 furnish the molasses. — A. J. Cook. 



I think that there will be no trouble 

 in feeding it clear, when bees can fly ; 

 but I should not want any of it clear 

 or mixed, in the hive for winter. — C. 

 C. Miller. 



I liave never fed sorghum molasses, 

 but if the bees like it, I think it would 

 do no harm wlien they are flj'ing every 

 day. Whether it would be economi- 

 cal feed or not is another question. — 

 Eugene Secok. 



It will do to feed anything in the 

 spring, when the bees can fly freely, 

 which they will eat. Probably the 



sorghum molasses might do witliout 

 the sugar. Surely the sugar would do 

 without the molasses. Honey is better 

 than either of them for feeding bees 

 when they can fly and brood is desii-- 

 able. — James Heddon. 



It can be used in the spring either 

 mixed or unmixed. It should only be 

 fed in such quantities that it ^\•ill all be 

 used as food, and none stored for sur- 

 plus or for winter stores. ^ — J. E. Pond. 



If you can get the bees to take it, 

 pure or mixed, it answers for breeding 

 purposes as well as anything so far as 

 I have seen ; but some colonies are 

 slow to take sorghum "intheirn." I 

 have tempted them by flavoring it with 

 honey. — G. W. Demaree. 



I do not think that sorghum molas- 

 f?es will do, even if mixed with sugar. 

 Such a compound would cost nearly as 

 much as good sugar syrup, which is 

 certainly much better for the purpose. 

 — C. H. Dibbern. 



I never would feed bees anything 

 inferior to honey. If there should be 

 a charge of adulteration it will be con- 

 venient to be able to sa)' that the 

 alleged adulterant costs more than the 

 article adulterated. Nothing "shuts 

 up " the " smart Alecks " like this. — 

 J. M. Shuck. 



It would be better to feed the bees 

 with honey or sugar syrup. Why try 

 to use sorghum molasses, and fuss with 

 mixing sugar with it, when nothing 

 would be saved, and absolutely nothing 

 gained by its use ? Sell the sorghum 

 and buy sugar if you have no honey 

 for spring feeding. — The Editor. 



mAKIlVO HIVES, HAIVD.HOEES 

 AND CAPS FOR HIVES. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 



Query 520 — I e.xpeot to make some hives 

 with lumber planed on one side. 1. Will it be 

 necessary to have the lumber on the inside of 

 the hives planed V 2. What Is the best way to 

 make hand-holes in the hives ? 3. What kind 

 of a. cap is best to turn rain and withstand 

 wind ?— M., Nebr. 



1. No. 2. With a wabbling buzz- 

 saw. 3. A board with cleats. — A. B. 

 BIason. 



1. No. 2. With a wabbling saw. 3. 

 A sound, flat, cleated board. — W. Z. 

 Hutchinson. 



1. Hives with lumber planed on th? 

 inside can be more easily kept clean. 

 2. Use a wabbling saw. 3. Have the 

 cap covered with tin.- — J.P. H. Brown. 



1. It is not absolutely necessary, but 

 it is better. 2. I do not need any. 3. 

 A Langstroth cap, with matched cover, 

 all things considered, is the best. — 

 Mrs. L. Harrison. 



1. It is not necessary, but it is bet> 

 ter. 2. We do not make any. 3. We 



always use a roof over the cap. — 

 Dadant & Son. 



1. No ; but I prefer to have it planed 

 on both sides. 2. Hand-holes are best 

 made with a gang of saws. 3. I pre- 

 fer a plain board with cleated ends for 

 a cover. — G. L. Tinker. 



1. I would not make hives with lum- 

 ber planed only on one side for my 

 use. 2. With a wabbling saw. 3. A 

 flat cap. — P. L. ViALLON. 



I. It is not necessary. 2. A wab- 

 bled buzz-saw does it excellently. 3. 

 If a hive-cover is meant, a sound board 

 well painted and cleated at the ends is 

 good enough. — R. L. Taylor. 



1. No, but it looks better. 2. If you 

 can get a saw to cut them, that is best; 

 if not, nail on a cleat. That serves 

 about as well. — A. J. Cook. 



1. It is not necessary, but I think it 

 wotdd be better. 2. A wabbling saw 

 makes good work, but I think that a 

 cutter-head makes a little smoother. — • 

 C. C. Miller. 



1. Have the inside planed, by all 

 means. 2. Saw them with a wabbling 

 saw. 3. Any that can be made water- 

 tight. I have used all kinds, and have 

 found no trouble. — J. E. Pond. 



Why not plane on each side and 

 make a good, neat job of it ? 2. A 

 " dado head " is a good way ; some use 

 a wabble saw. 3. I do not know what 

 is the best. What .some think is the 

 best, othei's would not use. — H. D. 

 Cutting. 



1. I would use the rough side of the 

 boards for the inside, then the hives 

 can be painted, and it makes no dift'er- 

 ence to the bees. 2. I do not know. 

 A strip can usually be nailed on, to 

 answer the purpose. 3. Any kind that 

 is water-tight, and will not blow off. — 

 C. H. Dibbern. 



1. Lumber dressed on both sides al- 

 ways, and the lumber for hives should 

 be " " thicknessed " also, so that hives 

 and parts of hives may be interchange- 

 able. 2. Cut "hand-holes" with a 

 wabbling saw. 3. A plain top-board 

 made so that either side may be used 

 next to the bees, is best. It soon be- 

 comes thoroughly propolized on both 

 sides, and will not leak, and is not 

 likely to blow olf. — J. M. Shuck. 



I. No, it is not actually necessary, 

 but enough better to pay for all trouble, 

 in my opinion. 2. Witli a saw set 

 wabbling, if you have a power saw. If 

 not, holes bored for the fingers do 

 very well. 3. I use one covered with 

 tin, and I consider tliat it pays. — G. 

 M. Doolittle. 



1. Yes, by all means. A rough sur- 

 face will be a receptacle for large 

 quantities of propolis. Little or none 

 will be put on a porfectlj- smooth sur- 

 face. 2. I see no need of hand-holes. 



