June 16, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



445 



bad for bees, owing to cold and wet setting in just at the critical 

 period, it has been necessary to feed both in the autumn and in 

 spring ; and it may not, therefore, be amiss at this time to say 

 something on the subject. 



It is well known that food may be given to bees with a two- 

 fold object : either to keep them alive until such time as nature 

 again provides food and they are able to help themselves, or to 

 stir tham up to greater activity and promote breeding, which is 

 frequently done in spring, until about swarming time. The 

 former we call feeding of necessity ; and the latter speculative 

 feeding ; and the question is how, when, and wherewith we must 

 feed in order to attain both these ends in the surest, simplest, 

 and cheapest way. 



Feeding of Secessity must commence in autumn if the 

 stocks have not such provisions that they may reasonably be 

 expected to survive even a long and severe winter. Properly 

 speaking, such feeding is disadvantageous to, and rather to be 

 avoided by, a bee-keeper who has already a numerous apiary, 

 and does not, therefore, stick at a few stocks. Such light 

 colonies generally consume more than they are worth in spring, 

 so that even in the most fortunate case no profit can be derived 

 from them ; but if they perish in an unfavourable season, food 

 and trouble are alike "lost, and even the combs are no longer 

 useful — at least they are not of so much value as they would have 

 been if the bees had been expelled by driving and added to 

 other stocks. 



It is easily understood why a beginner who wishes to multiply 

 his hives tries to winter light stocks ; and if they have only a 

 warm dwelling, a good queen, and sufficient bees, they well 

 deserve it, since if the next year be favourable they will repay 

 tenfold the food bestowed upon them. 



The best and most natural mode of provisioning light stocks 

 is by inserting sealed combs immediately beside or directly 

 above the seat "of the bees, so that they may be able even in the 

 coldest weather to reach the store without meeting with any 

 empty combs, wliich at such a time they would not traverse. 

 This operation may also be performed late, even in mild days in 

 December, if one knows how to do it cautiously without dis- 

 turbing the bees. Either place one or more combs just above 

 the nest of the bees (the position i3 quite immaterial), by 

 removing a part of the hive-cover, and filling any empty space 

 with dry moss before replacing it, or take empty combs from 

 the side until either the honey-store or the bees' nest is reached, 

 and insert one or two sealed combs in their place. Possibly 

 everything may be set right, and the hives closed before the 

 cluster of bees begins to disperse. If the honeycombs at our 

 disposal are not sufficient for all the stocks, the weakest may at 

 least be furnished with them, and pieces of sugarcandy be laid 

 on the bars of the stronger ones. When feeding with sugar- 

 candy it must be remembered that it is only available for the 

 bees if the apiarian or their hive provides them with the moisture 

 required to dissolve it. Bees winter best on this kind of food 

 when it is placed immediately under the well-cemented and 

 somewhat cool top of the hive, so that the condensed moisture 

 may not be absorbed by the wood. The twin-stock in particular, 

 with its low honey -room, is arranged conveniently for it. In 

 standerstocks it is well to remove the combs and the seat of the 

 bees in the autumn from the middle to the upper compartment. 

 If then a space of 1 to 2 inches high remains between the combs 

 and the crown-board a good quantity of sugarcandy may be 

 placed there, and when this is consumed a new store may be 

 given. The opening at the top must be shut as close as possible, 

 lest a current of air should abstract both warmth and moisture. 

 Moss, which is a particularly warm substance, is especially 

 adapted for filling every cavity. It need not be quite dry, and 

 when feeding with sugarcandy it may sometimes be purposely 

 wetted in order that it may produce moisture in the hives, or 

 that the beea may be able to suck directly from it as from a 

 sponge, or we may pour water into an empty comb and place 

 tViia beside the sugarcandy. If many unfortunate attempts and 

 experiments have been made in feeding with sugarcandy, the 

 cause has been that this food has been given to stocks which 

 were too weak to produce the requisite warmth, or perhaps it 

 was not put in the right position and in the right place, or more 

 probably that the bees were allowed to die from thirst. Although 

 a superfluity of moisture within the hire is not desirable, since 

 couldiness and decay arise from it, yet it3 absence is certain 

 destruction when the bees have nothing but dry sugar or 

 crystallised honey. It is easier for them to dispose of a super- 

 fluity of moisture even in cold weather, than to search for water, 



to auck it up and bring it home. Bees in want of moisture fly 

 out even at a low temperature, and as they search for it also 

 within the hive, many die both inside and outside their dwelling, 

 whilst in consequence of the frequent disturbance, the whole 

 stock is early seized by dysentery and perishes. 



It is much more difficult to furnish the necessary food to light 

 stocks when their combs are immoveable. Straw hives with 

 wide central apertures at the top may be provisioned by setting 

 on them small supers with full combs ; but if the feeding be 

 somewhat late, one or two pieces of honeycomb or sugarcandy 

 must be inserted through the opening, in order to bring the 

 combs into direct communication with one another, otherwise 

 the bees will not move upwards during cold weather, but die 

 from hunger after consuming the provisions within the hive. 

 Also, a small box containing a quantity of sugarcandy may be put 

 over the aperture in the top of a straw hive ; or large sealed 

 honeycombs might be inserted in the hives themselves, by 

 cutting away empty side-combs and fitting full ones in their 

 place supported by small sticks, leaving the hive inverted during 

 the night, and not replacing it until the combs have been pro- 

 perly fastened by the bees. As, however, many sealed cells are 

 generally opened and the honey carried off 1 , they perhaps, derive 

 no more benefit than if fed with fluid honey. 



If, however, one cannot furnish the bees with other food, such 

 fluid honey ought to be given in time whilst they can fly a little, 

 secrete wax, and are able to seal at least the greater part of the 

 honey presented to them ; since stocks with too many unsealed 

 honey-cells generally suffer much in winter. 



Combs with a great deal of unsealed honey are much colder 

 to bees, whilst the exposed honey deteriorates in quality, attracts 

 according to circumstances too much moisture, and becomes 

 sour, or evaporates and becomes thick. At all events, it loses 

 its aroma, and becomes disagreeable to bees, but especially so ta 

 man. Ii after bad years one should be obliged in the autumn to 

 have recourse to other substances, such as dissolved sugar, malt, 

 or potato syrup, treacle, or other sweets, feeding must^ be 

 hastened and finished whilst the bees are still gathering, and by 

 taking pollen have the power to purify these sweets and to 

 change them into honey, although of an inferior quality. If the 

 winter be favourable, and the bees are allowed to take flight from 

 time to time for the purpose of cleaning themselves, one may 

 bring the stocks through the winter; whereas in a long and 

 severe winter they suffer as much, or may even perish, as if they 

 had nothim* but the honey gathered late in the autumn from the 

 pine, fir tree, or from other so-called honeydew. 



If bees should have consumed an unusual quantity during a 

 severe winter, or if they have been fed too sparingly in autumn, 

 much may be done during mild days in winter. Or with hives, 

 such as the twin-stock, which can easily be moved, one may push 

 honeycombs close to the bees' nest, and add new pieces of sugar- 

 candy or honeycomb, ke. A disturbance if it take place but 

 once," is of no consequence ; under some circumstances it may 

 even be an advantage, as the bees may then take the opportunity 

 of bringing provisions into their nests, or of moving after their 

 stores. But continued and repeated disturbances must be 

 avoided, because they cause the bees to consume more food, 3nd 

 to suck up the moisture whim condenses on the combs and the 

 walls of the hive, and which may produce dysentery, and be- 

 cause when again congregating many bees remain behind and 

 die from cold. 



Speculative Feeding. — In this we have a different, almost an 

 opposite intention, and a contrary mode of proceeding is, there- 

 fore, practised. Whilst the food given from necessity is ad- 

 ministered in as large quantities as possible, in order to avoid fre- 

 quent excitement and the commencement of breeding, and to 

 insure this end one may even confine the queen, in speculative 

 feeding an increased activity and more rapid breeding are the 

 very points aimed at. The litter is most favoured by an unin- 

 terrupted and moderate pasturage, for whilst too rich a pasturage 

 fills the brood-cells with too much honey, the entire want of it 

 discourages the bees, and reduces them to inaction, and to cease 

 breeding altogether. In imitation of a moderate pasturage, the 

 food is either given repeatedly in small quantities, or so that they 

 can dissolve and store but small portions. It is offered to them 

 in a condition that renders it somewhat difficult to dissolve — 

 such as candied honey, sugarcandy, or moist sugar, and the best 

 place for it is below" the'combs (on the floor-board in lager- 

 stocks), in order to cause the bees to come down and cover a 

 larger number of brood-cells. Of course, a supply of moisture 

 I toliquefv the feod,and which is indispensable in the preparation 



