42 



CHAPTER X. 

 Feeding. 



"We have seen that in the spi'ing m.niths the liees liuilil np a huge army of pro.lueers 

 to seeure the henetit ..f the heaxy Ihiw "f hnney in June. AH during ihe breeding 

 season every drop of neelar is eonx'erled into nioi-e bees aliout as fast as it is l)rought 

 in ; tljen in .hnie and July every eell in the comb is plugged full of honey, on which 

 tliey will have to subsist until dandelions bloom in spring. But the bee-keeper finds a 

 readv uiarkel for the liidtlisiime honey, and therefore robs the hives of the stores, not 

 infrequently leaving toil little for the bees to winter on, with the natural result that, 

 unless other provision is made, the enlony will star\-e to dcatli. Again, fur some reason 

 the bees may have consumed stoics in tlie winter mueli more rapidly than was 

 anticipated, s,, that they must get liel]i in tlie spring. We have also seen that at the 

 end (.)f fruit-blossom there is often a <learth for a fexv weeks which would put an end to 

 broial-raising unless the bee-keeper lent his aid. In each instance the necessary 

 assistance is given in the form of sugar syruji, made from the fiest granulated sugar; 

 any nther kind is risky. 



The feeding in the fall for winter and s]-iring cimsuniption is the most important. 

 Aliout the licgiiuiing of Septendier an estimate slmuld lie made of the amount of stores 

 in each hive, tins being done by examining each frame and sizing up how many sections 

 of honej' it is eipial to. Roughl3r speaking, an ordinary frame will hold eight sections 

 of honey, each weighing about 14 ounces, let us say a pound. To be in safe condition, 

 each hive should contain about 25 pounds of stores. For cverv' pound short of that 

 amount, feed 1 pound of sugar dissolved in water. 



Fall feeding is usually done ijuickh' — that is, large (juantities of syrup, often as 

 much as 2.3 pounds, are gi\'en at one time. Some men give the full amount needed 

 about the middle of September ; others give half then, the other half about the end of 

 October. 



The syrup fed in the fall is made rather thick. The thinnest e\-er used is got by 

 taking ec^ual quantities, bj' meas\U'e, of sugar and hot water, boiling, if possible. It is 

 important to (bssolve the sugar thoroughly, so stir well. Some bee-keepers, for fall 

 feeding, use as much as two parts of sugar trj one of water, but this strength should not 

 be exceeded. 



In the spring months a very much thinner syrup is better, one composed of two 

 parts of hot water and one of sugar. This is given slowly, say from half a pint to a 

 pint a day, according to the needs of the colonx-. 



Feeueks. 



There are four methods of feeding— namely, open-air, above the brood-chamber, 

 in the hivt, and below the lirood-chamlier. Open-air feeding has several limitations. 

 One is apt to feed other bees if there be any vi-ithin a couple of miles ; then there is a 

 temperature limit, for the writer finds bees will not take up syrup from below unless 

 the thermometer is above 50°, so that the same conditions will probably apply to the 

 open air. Feeding below the hive has much to recommend it with suitable dishes, but 

 on the coast regions it is unfortunately impracticable in the spring months, as there are 

 often weeks of cool weather. For fall feeding this system is all right. For giving 

 syrup in spring, preference should lie gixcn to a feeder that fits into the brood-chamber, 

 where the syrup will retain the heat and be readily got at hy the bees. In the fall it is 

 usually most convenient to feed from aliove. 



There are many devices by which syrup can be given from above the brood-chamber. 

 Perhaps the simplest is the ordinary friction-top can, such as is used as a container for 

 syrup, jam, etc. Prepare it by punching the lid fairly full of small holes with the point 



