Feeding and Feeders. 163 



CHAPTER VIII. 



FEEDING AND FEEDERS. 



As already stated, it is only when the worker-bees are stor- 

 ing that the queen deposits to the full extent of her capability, 

 and that brood-rearing is at its height. In fact, when storing 

 ceases, general indolence characterizes the hive. This is pecu- 

 liarly true of the Germiyi and Italian races of bees. Hence, 

 if we would achieve the best success, we must keep the workers 

 active, even before gathering commerces, as also in the in- 

 terims of honey secretion by the flowers; and to do this we 

 must feed sparingly before the advent of bloom in the spring, 

 and whenever the workers are forced to idleness during any 

 part of the season, by the absence of honey-producing flowers. 

 For a number of years, I have tried experiments in this direc- 

 tion by feeding a portion of my colonies early in the season, 

 and in the intervals of honey-gathering, and always with 

 marked results in favor of the practice. 



Mr. D. A. Jones has truly said, that if feeding in the 

 autumn be deferred too long, till the queen ceases laying, it 

 often takes much time to get her to resume, and not infre- 

 quently we fail entirely. 



Every apiarist, whether novice or veteran, will receive ample 

 reward by practicing stimulative feeding early in the season ; 

 then his hive at the dawn of the white clover era will be re- 

 dundant with bees, well filled with brood, and in just the trim 

 to receive a bountiful harvest of this most delicious nectar. 



Feeding, too, is often necessary to secure sufficient stores for 

 winter — for no apiarist, worthy of the name, will suffer his 

 faithful, willing subjects to starve, ivhen so little care and 

 expense will prevent it. 



HOW MUCH TO FEED. 



If we only wish to stimulate, the amount fed need not be 

 great. A half pound a day, or even less, will be all that is 

 necessary to encourage the bees to active preparation for the 

 good time coming. For information in regard to supplying 

 stores for winter, see Chapter XVIH. 



