CHAPTER XV. 



DIRECTIONS FOR FEEDING BEES. 



Few things in the practical department of the Apiary, 

 are more important and yet more shamefully neglected, or 

 grossly mismanaged, than the feeding of bees. In order to 

 make this subject as clear as possible, I shall begin with the 

 Spring examination of the hives, and furnish suitable direc- 

 tions for feeding during the whole season in which it ought 

 to be attempted. In the movable comb hives, the exact 

 condition of the bees with regard to stores, may be easily 

 ascertained as soon as the weather is warm enough to lift 

 out the frames. In the common hives, this can sometimes 

 be ascertained from the glass sides ; but often no reliable 

 information can be obtained. Even if the weight of the 

 hive is known, this will' be no sure criterion of ihe quantity 

 of honey it contains. The comb in old hives, is often very 

 thick, and of course, unusually heavy ; while vast stores of 

 useless bee-bread have frequently been accumulated, which 

 entirely deceive the Apiarian, who attempts to judge of the 

 resources of a hive from its weight alone. On my system 

 of bee-culture, such an injurious surplus of bee-bread, is 

 easily prevented ; (See p. 102.) 



If the bee-keeper ascertains or even suspects, in the 

 Spring, that his bees have not sufficient food, he must at 

 once supply them with what they need. Bees, at this sea- 

 son of the year, consume a very large quantity of honey : 



