FEEDING. 1,1 i 



nience in filling. Lay over this a strip of board to keep 

 out the bees. If the weatlier is warm when feeding, the 

 bees will soon get cross, unless smoke is instantly blown 

 among them on raising the cover. Bess will take honey 

 more readily when directly under them, than when over- 

 head, or on the side. Yet for most purposes the latter 

 places will answer. To feed at the back side, make a 

 shelf for the dish described, and a frame an inch deep, just 

 the size of the dish. Make two or three holes in one side, 

 and corresponding ones in the side of the hive. Lay this 

 frame on the dish, with the holes next the hive, and put 

 over it a pane of glass. The bees can enter from the hive, 

 and no outsiders can interfere. 



Whatever plan of feeding is adopted, all openings large 

 enough to admit a bee, except the regular entrance, should 

 be closed. The board and feeder can be taken away, 

 when feeding is over, and put aside until needed again. If 

 left under the hive through the summer, it affords rather 

 too convenient a place for the worms to spin their cocoons. 



OBJECT IN FEEDING. 



If the object in feeding is to induce early swarming, of 

 course the best stocks are to be chosen for this purpose ; 

 but care is necessary not to give them too much, and thus 

 have the combs filled with honey, that should be occupied 

 with brood, thereby defeating your object. One pound 

 per day is enough, perhaps too much. The quanti- 

 ty obtained from flowers is a partial guide ; when plenty, 

 feed less, when scarce, more. Begin as soon as they will 

 take it up in spring, and continue in accordance with the 

 weather, until white clover blossoms, or swarms issue. 

 Another object in feeding bees at this period, is to have 

 the store combs all filled with inferior honey, so that when 

 clover appears, there is no room for it, except in the boxes, 

 which being now put on, are rapidly filled. Inferior 



