206 



PEEDINQ. 



food for wintering bees, and stimulating breeding, but 

 my experience coincides with that of many of our best 

 bee-keepers who condemn their use entirely. For winter- 

 ing, it has proved an entire failure with me. 



PEEPARING FOOD. 



As bees require water when rearing brood, the food fur- 

 nished them at such times should contain more water than 

 when it is to be sealed in combs for winter stores. Honey 

 should be diluted by adding 1 pint of water, to 4 pounds of 

 lioney ; the mixture should then be scalded and skimmed. 



To prepare sugar, add 1 quart of water to 3 pounds of 

 "A" sugar, bring to a boil, and skim. In selecting 

 sugar, avoid such as contains impurities. That with a 

 bluisL tint is objectionable, as it often contains a foreign 

 jubstance that will be found in the form of a sediment 

 at the bottom of the vessel after dissolving it. We used 

 large quantities of sugar thus adulterated, in the spring of 

 1876, and the great loss of bees which followed, was evi- 

 dently tlie result of some deleterious substance in the sugar. 

 For fall feeding, when it is to be stored in the combs for 

 winter use, honey need not be diluted, and the sugar syi-up 

 may be made with one quart of water to 4 pounds of sugar. 



FEEDERS. 



It is very necessary that feeders be so arranged that the 



bees have easy access to 

 them, from the hive, and 

 also, that bees from other 

 hives shall not be attracted 

 to them. A cheap and very 

 practical feeder, which I 

 use in connection with the 

 Quinby hive, is shown in 

 fig. 83 ; it is a simple tin 



Fig. 83. — FEBDEB ON PAHBL. 



cup, 3 in. deep, 5 in. long, and 2 in. wide. These 



