57 
sides, the stock should be united to another weak stock (183), 
or strengthened by adding driven bees to it, or by giving it a 
frame of capped brood from a strong stock: if these methods 
cannot be adopted, give stimulative feeding and keep the brood 
nest very warm to assist hatching. By carrying out the fore- 
going instructions, the stocks should be brought up to proper 
strength for wintering before the 1st October in late districts, 
and earlier in early districts. If the frames in the hive are not 
well filled, the number may be made up by selecting well-filled 
frames that can be spared from other hives, or by using some 
that have been removed during the summer ; if such frames are 
slightly mildewed, they may be used without fear of harm en- 
suing, but any cells of capped dead brood which they contain 
should be uncapped. The stock should have 20, but preferably 
30, pounds of honey for wintering, and if the store of honey is 
less than 20 lbs., rapid feeding (104), with autumn syrup (179) 
should be given. 
The honey stored by the bees for winter food should be ripe 
; enough for capping by the middle of October 
126. Pa to Feed in late sistricts atl earlier in early dis- 
or Winter. ; 
tricts; uncapped honey would not keep 
sound, and is unwholesome as food for bees, and if feed- 
ing is given too late the bees will be unable to cap it; the 
period for rapid feeding (104) must therefore be regulated accord- 
ingly, bearing in mind that in unfavourable, damp, or cold 
weather, honey may take quite a fortnight to ripen in the cells. 
If the proper supply of honey (125) has not been stored and 
capped in sufficient time (126), the de- 
127. Feeding with ficiency in weight should be made up by 
Candy. supplying a corresponding weight of soft 
candy ; this candy may be given in a cake 
of the requisite size, laid across the top bars of the frames; on 
this lay the quilt, first slightly damping it, then cover as usual. 
Soft candy may be made at home (174), or it may be purchased 
in sections, glazed on one side, so that when such a section is laid 
over the feed hole in the quilt (102), glass side up, the bee- 
keeper can at any time see how much has been consumed. 
The chief objections to retaining more framesina hive than are re- 
oe quisite for carrying the stock safely through 
siesta at the winter are, that the outside frames are 
likely to become mildewed, and the honey 
Number of F : 
a in their combs would probably granulate. 
The frames on which the bees are to winter (125) should be 
pushed to the front with the dummy. 
129. Winter Three pieces of wood about six inches long 
Coverings. and % inch square, should be laid across the 
centre of the top bars of the frames about 
one inch apart, to form a passage by which the bees can pass 
from frame to frame without going under or round the frames, 
where the temperature would be lower than at the top of the 
