92 PLEASUBABLE BEE-KEEPING. 



it has since been proved a boon to many bee-keepers. 

 During the autumn of the same year it was my 

 privilege, representing the British Bee-keepers' Asso- 

 ciation, to visit the bee-keepers in Pembrokeshire and 

 Cumberland. In the former county I learnt that 

 sugar-feeding had been in vogue as long as my in- 

 formants could remember. When spoken to about 

 the system, they told me that having taken the honey 

 av^ay in the supers, it was as little as they could do in 

 return to give the bees a small quantity of food. 

 Their plan was to fiU a basin with brown sugar, press 

 it down, cover it with thick brown paper, push a hole 

 or two through the centre, and then invert the basin, 

 placing it over the feed-hole in the top of the skep. 

 The results, where this practice was properly carried 

 out, were uniformly high, when compared with others 

 kept on the let-alone system. 



How TO Feed. 



The manner in which food is given must depend 

 upon whether it is to be used as a stimulant to brood- 

 rearing, or simply for the bees to store in the cells for 

 future use. 



If it is required for stimulating purposes, there must 

 be a slow but continuous supply. This has been 

 assured, with syrup, by using a graduated feeder (Fig. 

 30). The metal cap, perforated with nine holes, extend- 

 ing half-way round, is, when covering a full bottle, 

 placed on a stage in which is cut a long narrow semi- 

 circular hole. Through this, when the bottle is properly 

 placed, the holes in the metal cap are visible, To the 



