I40 THE APIARY. 



THE NEW BOTTLE-FEEDER. 



It has long- been acknowledged that the best mode of 

 feeding- bees is through an opening at the top of the 

 stock-hive. The ne-w bottle-feeder is a 

 simple and good means of administering 

 food when a stock requires help in that 

 way, as bees can take the food from it 

 without leaving the hive. Any kind of 

 hive that has an opening at the top may 

 thus be fed. Another important feature is the cleanli- 

 ness with which liberal feeding can be accomplished; 

 and few operations require more care than does feeding. 

 If liquid sweet is left hanging about the hive, it tempts 

 robber-bees ; and when once the bees of an apiary have 

 had a taste, there is no knowing where their depreda- 

 tions will stop : they resolutely attack and endeavour to 

 rob other hives, fighting and killing one another to a 

 considerable extent. Even if no hives be completely 

 destroyed, weakness from loss of numbers will be the 

 portion of most, if not of all, the hives in the garden. 



The morals of our favourites are here a good deal at 

 fault, for the stronger hives, when their inordinate passion 

 is thus stirred up by the carelessness or want of know- 

 ledge of the bee-keeper, attack and prey upon the weaker 

 ones. To be "forewarned is to be forearmed" — and 

 ' ' prevention is better than cure. ' ' We strongly recommend 

 closely covering up the feeder ; one of the middle-size 



