206 FEEDING. 
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. 
PREPARING 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 
honey ; 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 
bluish tint is objectionable, as it often contains a foreign 
substance 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 the 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 syrup 
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 
tothem. Acheap and very 
practical feeder, which I 
use in connection with the 
Quinby hive, is shown in 
fig. 82; it is a simple tin 
cup, 3 in, deep, 5 in. long, and 2 in. wide. These 
Fig, 82.—FEEDER ON PANEL. 
