262 Beekeeping 



in proportion to the population. Frequently, however, 

 there are periods when from a lack of nectar-secretion or 

 inclement weather, no fresh supply of food is obtained. It 

 is asserted by some that the feeding of a thin sugar syrup at 

 this time in small quantities acts just as a natural honey- 

 flow, stimulating the bees to greater activity in brood-rear- 

 ing and resulting in the maximum strength of colony at the 

 time of the honey-flow. Since feeding requires some manip- 

 ulation of the colony which is not beneficial in inclement 

 weather, many beekeepers believe that by providing an 

 abundance of food in the fall or by giving stores rapidly in 

 the spring the colony receives all the stimulus to brood- 

 rearing that it should have and that stimulative feeding is 

 not desirable. This is obviously a question especially for 

 the northern beekeeper. If a colony is short of stores, combs 

 of honey may be given it. If a colony has wintered well, 

 has a good queen, is in a large hive abundantly supplied 

 with stores and is well protected from changes in tempera- 

 ture, it is doubtful whether it can be stimulated to much 

 greater brood-rearing than these conditions will bring about. 

 Even if stimulative feeding results in increased brood-rear- 

 ing, as it may under some circumstances, the beekeeper 

 may still find it to be an unprofitable practice. If he is 

 managing several apiaries, the work of going to all of them 

 daily, or even less frequently, is considerable, and he may 

 find it more profitable simply to operate more colonies to 

 make up for the difference. If stimulative feeding is prac- 

 ticed, it is usually best to feed warm syrup in the evenings 

 so that the bees will not fly as a result of the feeding and so 

 that robbing will not be started. 



Spreading the brood. 



Spreading the brood is an even more debated question. 

 If the brood-cluster is divided and an empty comb is inserted, 

 the bees will attempt to cover all the brood and, in so doing, 

 that part of the empty comb which intervenes will be kept 

 warm enough so that the queen will lay eggs therein. When 



