252 DR. miller's 



boilci- off the slovf and stirred in the sugar. I used two i>ciunds 

 of sugar to one of water. 



A. I must say there is something I don't understand about this 

 sugar-acid business. There arc those who, as ycni say, insist that 

 no acid is needed, and they are very enipliatie about it. A very 

 few say that the sugar liardens in spite of the acid, and you arc 

 one of the unfortunate few. Tlie time and manner of feeding 

 may" have something to do witli it. If you feed as early as August 

 or tlie first of Septeml)er, and use mcire water tlian sugar, I don't 

 believe acid is needed. Even if you feed lieavier syrup, if you 

 feed it slowly, there should l)e no troulile. But with late feeding 

 of thick syrup, I should feel safer witli the acid. 1 liardly sec 

 why you sliould fail; you used more acid than I ever used, and 

 I never had any trouble, altliough I have had much e.xiierience. 

 Still it is possible that the mode of proceeding may have sonie- 

 thing to do with it, and I'll tell you how 1 proceeded, wlien I fed 

 late with heavy syrup: Water was put intt) a vessel on the stove, 

 and when at or near the boiling point, sugar was slowly stirred in 

 at the rate of 5 pounds of sugar to a ([uart of water. The stirring 

 was continued until the sugar was dissolved, so that ihe sugar 

 might not settle to the bott(mi and be burned. When the sugar 

 was dissolved, an even tcaspoonful of tartaric acid for every 20 

 pounds of sugar, previously dissolved in water, was stirred into 

 the syrup, and it was taken from the fire. 1 would liardly sup- 

 pose that your reversing the order would make any dilTerence, 

 still it might. 



Toads.— (J. I have seen a frog or toad on the alighting-ijoard 

 of the hive, close to the entrance, late in the evening, just when 

 the bees have clustered on the outside tliese warm, dry days and 

 nights. I did not see the toad eat any bees at this time, but I 

 wonder if he doesn't. 



A. Yes, there has l)een a good deal of testimony that frogs 

 and toads cat bees. Toads are such useful creatures in the gar- 

 den that they may pay for eating ,i few liees by the number of 

 injurious insects they destroy. 



Q. How do you keep toads from eating bees? 

 A. Perhaps no better way than to raise hives so high that 

 toads cannot reach the entrance. 



Tongue of Bee». — Q. Are there long-tongued bees? 1 can 

 hardly swallow that, I think that is only a selling point for tliose 

 who have queens for sale. I have a few colonics, and I intend t(j 



