276 THE BEE-KEEPER’S MANUAL. 
known evil arise where the cells have been filled by 
the bees with sugared mixtures, at the time when 
the queen requires them for the accommodation of 
her eggs. We have already alluded to the advantages 
of a supply of water within, in the very early year, 
before the bees can go abroad. 
Where honey of a quality not good enough for sale 
is at hand, it is of course preferable to anything 
else; and it is no worse for being made slightly liquid 
with water. In other cases various kinds of sub- 
stitutes have been resorted to. Mr. Taylor advised 
good sound ale, sweetened with sugar and honey, 
and boiled for a minute or two (a pint of ale to a 
pound of sugar, and a quarter-pound of honey). But 
except in the above event, bee-keepers do not think 
of using honey at all now-a-days, the syrup described 
on page 205 being all that can be desired. As the 
season advances, it will, however, require to be made 
thinner, and Mr. Cowan supplies the following recipe 
as modified for spring and swmmer feeding (boiling 
for a few minutes as before) :— 
White lump sugar... .» 10 1b. 
Water ... 6 = .. 7 pints. 
Vinegar ee Ne os “Log. 
Salicylic acid solutio “en 102. 
Salt... ae ae we Loz. 
The kind of food we have been describing is that 
which is most commonly used for bees at this season. 
I have, however (says Mr. Taylor), turned my atten- 
tion occasionally to the saving of trouble that arises 
where food can be given them in a concrete form, to 
