FEEDING BEES 



141 



that syrup made from sugar or honey will quickly ferment 

 if allowed to remain; therefore do not make up too much 

 at a time. 



With the syrup made, the novice will want to know how 

 to feed it. Of course it could be placed out in the open 

 some distance awaj', and the bees allowed to carry it 

 home, but this plan incites robbing and the weaker hives 

 gain very little; neighbouring bees would also get a share. 



BEE-FEEDERS. 



Fig. 60. D()()little Bee-feeder. 



There are numerous bee-feeders on the market, some 

 very complicated, and a short description may not be out 

 of place. The Alexander (Fig. 62) feeder is simply a 

 block of pine hollowed out to form a wooden trough. The 

 Doolittle (Fig. 60) is made of the same dimensions as 

 a frame : in fact it is really a frame witli a thin 1)oard 

 nailed on each side. To feed a colony, hang a Doolittle 

 feeder in the hive, and fill it with syrup from a watering 

 can. The Boardman is an "entrance feeder." It is a 

 wooden box — with "ears" to project into the hive — and 

 has a hole cut to receive a Mason's jar, inverted. A 

 special cap is provided, which allows the syrup to flow 

 as it is used by the bees. The Thale (Fig. (il) Vacuum 

 Bee-Feeder is more complicated. The amount of food 



