^ XX.] BEE-FEEDERS. 203 



Even if no hives be completely destroyed, weakness from 

 loss of numbers will be the portion of most, if not of all, 

 the hives in the garden. The morals of our favourites 

 are here a good deal at fault, for the stronger hives, 

 when their inordinate passion is thus stirred up by the 

 carelessness or want of knowledge of the bee-keeper, 

 attack and prey upon the weaker ones. " To be fore- 

 warned is to be forearmed" — and "prevention is better 

 than cure." 



The " Bottle Feeder," as shown in the annexed figure, 

 consists of a round or flat bottle placed in an inverted 

 position over the feed-hole of the stock ii^^^^a 

 hive, and resting in a circular block, below | 

 v.'hich is a piece of perforated zinc. The fc 

 following directions will show how it is to ^:~J^Z^^^ 

 be employed : Fill the bottle with liquid ^'^ ^~~^ ^ 

 food ; apply the net, affixed by an india-rubber band, 

 over the mouth ; place the block over the hole of the 

 stock hive, and invert the bottle, the neck resting within 

 the hole in the block : the bees will put their tongues 

 through the perforations, and imbibe the food, thus 

 causing the bottle to act on the principle of a fountain. 

 The bottle being glass, it is easy to see when the food 

 is consumed. The piece of perforated zinc is for the 

 purpose of preventing the bees from clinging to the net, 

 or escaping from the hive when the bottle is taken away 

 for the purpose of refilling. 



Specially prepared pieces of vulcanite plate, pierced 



