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it as pollen, and whereas they had been neglecting their brood previously, the 

 brood afterwards assumed a well-fed appearance, and they even resumed comb- 

 building, which they had stopped for lack of pollen in their feed. 



It is quite, likely, however, that opening hives for such experiments so early 

 in the spring, will do more harm than good. It is better to see that there is some 

 pollen in each brood-chamber in the fall, and depend on the colony collecting from 

 natural sources early enough in the spring. The practice of placing meal out 

 for bees to gather on early warm days is also of doubtful value. It Causes con- 

 siderable excitement, and must use up colony vitality rapidly. 



It is probably true that where the spring pasturage is poor and the main flow 

 comes early, spring feeding is unavoidable. It was an old rule in some parts of 

 Europe that every l^eekeeper must have three years' store of bee feed in advance, and 

 this used to be stipulated ■ in the marriage settlement. 



When once begun stimulative feeding must be kept up until the honey flow 

 starts. One objection that has been raised to early feeding is that it excites the 

 bees to rush out, and if the weather is too cool for them to fly normally, they 

 become chilled and do not get back to the hive. This can be obviated by always 

 giving the feed in the evening, when it is getting dark and bees are settling down 

 for the night. It is a safe rule in Ontario not to start this until a check comes 

 in the flow from fruit bloom. Then, where practicable, it might be taken up and 

 continued until the clover flow starts. 



The simplest plan, where there is a plentiful supply of sealed honey in the 

 hive, is to visit each hive once in three or four days and scrape the cappings of 

 one comb of honey, placing it next to the brood. The bees will immediately move 

 this leaking honey, storing it around the brood, and the process will stimulate the 

 production of milk food and result in a better feeding of both brood and queen. 

 Jf combs of capped honey are not available, empty combs may be filled with syrup, 

 made of sugar and water in equal proportions. The filling of these combs presents 

 a difficulty which Doolittle has overcome in a very simple way. He takes a common 

 milk pan, punches the bottom full of holes, places this in a board having a hole 

 cut out of it, so that the pan will stand in the hole. ITail the board to the work- 

 bench, having the ends projecting out; set a wash-tub underneath, to catch the 

 drip. An assistant now pours the syrup into the pan, while the comb is held 

 horizontally underneath to catch the numerous small streams of syrup. 



Another simple method of stimulative feeding is to tip each hive back a little, 

 so the rim of the bottom board forms a shallow container. Half a pint of syrup 

 is poured in the entrace by means of a funnel. This must, of course, be done in 

 the evening to avoid robbing. 



Numerous feeders of considerable merit are sold by supply dealers, such as 

 the Division Board Feeder, Atmospheric Feeder, Boardman Feeder, Alexander 

 Feeder, etc. 



There is no doubt that colonies may be stimulated to more rapid growth by 

 skilful feeding, but the beginner will do well to experiment carefully, and the 

 extensive beekeeper usually considers that it is too much work and travel to give 

 "feed to hundreds of colonies in different apiaries every evening for a few weeks. 

 The labor required in preparing bees fbr successful wintering will simultaneously 

 prepare them to reach the next harvest in prime condition. Fall conservation of 

 vitality and stores is productive of better results than spring stimulation, and 

 without the latter's cost in time, labor and risk. Much depends on colonies 'being 

 in prime condition in the fall. This includes not only plenty of stores, but a 



