184 



THE rr,-\CTic.\L bee guide. 



323. Candy for Winter Food (316) 



I part hot water, by weight, to 5 parts sugar, by weight, 

 thus : — 



Boil the water, withdraw it from the fire, add the requisite 

 quantities of sugar and acid, as above, stirring until dissolved. 

 Return it to the tire and stir it unccastiigty until it boils, for if 

 you allow the sugar to burn, through lack of stirring, it will be 

 as poison to the bees (312), and your ingredients, time, and 

 perhaps patience, will be lost. Continue boiling and stirring 

 until the mixture begins to thicken; then test it by dropping 

 a little on a cold plate. It must set soft, but not sticky; if it 

 sticks to your fingers, boil it a little longer. When it proves 

 right to the touch, cease boiling it, and if foul brood be feared, 

 add Naphthol Beta Solution in quantity as directed below. 

 Without delay, stand the vessel in another containing cold 

 water, and stir vigorously until the mixture begins to set, 

 when you must immediatehj pour it into receptacles previously 

 prepared for the purpose ; for the mixture will set quickly, and 

 must be dealt with promptly. The receptacles may be saucers, 

 or soup plates, on each of which a sheet of strong paper must 

 be laid to receive the candy; or shallow boxes may be used 

 (316). If paper be adopted, it will be well to lay upon each 

 cake two pieces of f stick, i" apart, and parallel, pressing 

 them into the candy before it cools, and flush with its upper 

 surface, so that when the candy shall have been consumed, the 

 " vx'inter passage " (377) may be preserved by the sticks 

 lying across the frames. If preferred, frames may be prepared 

 with four or five lengths of stout string, after the manner of 

 wires in frames (262), but running vertically, and into these 

 frames, lying on waxed or slightly greased paper, the mixture 

 may be poured. When the candy is cool, a cake may be given 

 under the sheet and quilts, or a frame of candy — the paper 

 having been removed — may be inserted next the brood nest, in 

 any hive reciuiring it. To medicate with Naphthol ]?eta (325), 

 stir in the solution, while the mixture is still at boiling point, 

 allowing to slbs. sugar, ij teaspoonfuls N. B. Solution; to 

 61bs. sugar, 2-^- teaspoonfuls; to i2lbs. sugar, 5 teaspoonfuls; 

 and to other weights of sugar in like proportions. 



