FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 95 



to me that by this method of feeding, the strong colonies get the 

 lion's share, and the weak colonies. very little. Moreover, I have 

 seen indications that part of the colonies get none, both of the 

 weak and strong. You are also dependent on the weather, as 

 wet and chilly days may come, when bees cannot fly. 



As already mentioned, when bees are brought out of the 

 cellar, colonies are marked that are suspiciously light, and their 

 immediate wants supplied as soon as possible. But with eight- 

 frame hives there will be a good many colonies that will run 

 short of stores before there is any chance for them to supply 

 themselves from outside. 



STIMULATIVE FEEDING. 



Some would say that I ought to practice stimulative feedirg 

 for the sake of hastening the work of building up the colony. 

 But it takes a good deal of wisdom to know at all times just 

 how to manage stimulative feeding so as not to do harm instead 

 of good ; and I am not certain that I have the wisdom. 



Whatever else may be true about spring feeding, I am 

 pretty fully settled in the belief that it is of first importance 

 ■ that the bees should have an abundant supply of stores, whether 

 such supply be furnished from day to day by the beekeeper, 

 or stored up by the bees themselves six months or a year pre- 

 viously. Moreover, I believe they build up more rapidly if they 

 have not only enough to use from day to day, but a reserve or 

 visible supply for future use. If a colony comes out of the 

 cellar strong, and with combs full of stores, I have some doubts 

 if I can hasten its building up by any tinkering I can do. So 

 my feeding in spring is to make sure they have abundant stores, 

 rather than for the stimulation of frequent giving. 



RAPID CONSUMPTION OP STORES. 



After so many years of experience in that line, I am never- 

 theless still surprised sometimes to find how rapidly the stores 

 have diminished under the constantly increasing demands made 

 by brood-rearing. So there is little danger of getting too much 

 honey in the the hive. It is not enough to have sufficient to last 

 till the white-clover harvest begins. To be sure, that might be 



