FEEDING. 331 



found it out to his sorrow, that his bees will be nothing but 

 a bill of cost and vexation. 



The question how much honey a colony of bees needs, 

 in order to carry them safely through the perils of Winter, 

 is one to which it is impossible to give an answer which will 

 be definite, under all circumstances. Very much will de- 

 pend upon the hive in which they are kept, and the forward- 

 ness of the ensuing Spring ; (see Chapter on Protection.) 

 It is often absolutely impossible in the common hives, to 

 form any reliable estimate, as to the quantity of honey 

 which they contain, for the combs are often so heavy with 

 bee-bread, as entirely to deceive even the most experienced 

 bee-keeper. 



I should always wish to leave at least 20 lbs, of honey 

 in a hive ; and as I can examine each comb, I am never 

 at a loss to know how much a colony has. If I have the 

 least apprehension that their supplies may fail, I prefer to 

 put a few pounds of sugar candy where they can easily 

 get access to it, in case of need. In my hive, the careful 

 bee-keeper may not only know the exact extent of the re- 

 sources of each hive, in the Fall, but he may, very early in 

 the Spring, ascertain precisely how much honey is still on 

 hand, and whether his bees need feeding, in order to pre- 

 serve their lives. It is a shameful fact that a large ijumber 

 of colonies perish after they have begun to fly out, and when, 

 they might easily have been saved, in any kind of hive. 



Feeding, to make a profit by selling the Honey stored 

 UP BY THE Bees. 



For many years, Apiarians have attempted to make 

 the feeding of bees on a large scale, profitable to their own- 

 ers. All such attempts however, must, from the very na- 



