care for the bees, must supply the deficiency. It is believed that 
there is no place in New Jersey where there is a shortage of pollen 
sufficient to make it advisable to feed the bees a substitute if there 
were such a thing. Various substances have been suggested as pollen 
substitutes, but those who have investigated the subject believe noth- 
ing is an advantage and many so-called pollen substitutes may be 
harmful to the bees. 
When the bees are short of stores the best way to feed is to 
give them combs of disease-free honey. Very often, however, this 
is impractical for one reason or another. It is possible to use sugar 
syrup as a substitute, and there is no tangible evidence to show that 
harm has ever come through this practice. Granulated sugar only 
should be used for feeding. 
For feeding in the active season a syrup made of two parts 
water to one part sugar by measure may be used, or the syrup may 
be even heavier—equal parts of sugar and water. For feeding 
late in the season when it is desired to supplement the amount the 
bees have been able to store for winter the proportions should be 
two of sugar and one of water, or even 2 1/2 parts sugar. It will 
be necessary to use hot water to dissolve this proportion of sugar. 
Feeder 
Seldom if ever is it desirable to practice what is called open 
air feeding when the material to be fed is placed where all the 
bees in the apiary may help themselves. 
Individual feeding is best and calls for individual feeders. A 
variety of styles of these are listed by the dealers in beekeepers’ 
supplies. It is the opinion of the writer that what is known as the 
friction top tin can will serve the purpose of a bee feeder for all 
conditions better than any other type. This can is such as that in 
which some paints and cooking fats are sold and has a depressed 
lid. To adapt the can to bee feeding the lid should be perforated 
with holes 1/16 inch or less in diameter and about 3/8 inch apart. 
To use this feeder fill it with the syrup, press the lid firmly 
in place and invert it directly on top the frames over the bees to 
be fed. To provide room for the can an empty hive body is used 
as a second story, and if the weather is cool a cloth may be spread 
over the can and top of the frames to help retain the heat within 
the cluster. Care must be used that the can is nearly level or the 
feed may leak out. 
This places the feed close to the bees and they can take it with- 
out breaking cluster and only the needy colony can get the feed. 
If a considerable amount of feed is needed by a colony a number 
of cans may be used. Fall feeding should be done as rapidly as 
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