76 BEE-FARMING. 



pletely stopping up the entrance to my hive, saved the 

 stock from actual extermination, but it never did me any- 

 good. A word to the intelligent cottager. Never feed 

 your bees in the daytime, and never expose any food to 

 attract robbers, vs'ho are only too plentiful w^hen the 

 honey harvest is over, or in the autumn. 



Feeding should only be attempted at night ; then there 

 are no thieves abroad, and the bees if excited do not in 

 the darkness attempt to leave the hive. In the daytime 

 wfhen food is given to the stock they become so excited 

 that they virander about, or fly abroad in a state of confu- 

 sion. Woe be to the housekeeper if she should be boiling 

 her preserves just at this time. She will be astonished to 

 find her kitchen full of bees. The door may be closed, 

 barred, and bolted, too ; every window and conceivable 

 crevice closed as well. It is of no use, they will flock down 

 the chimney — anywhere, to obtain the desired or coveted 

 food— such is the effect of feeding in the daytime. Watch 

 the robber as, daubed with honey, he alights at the 

 entrance of his home : several of his companions speedily 

 set to work cleaning his body and wings before he 

 enters. No sooner does he enter, than quite an army 

 hastily, as if time was too precious to be wasted, speed 

 on their wings to follow the steps of their companion. In 

 less than an hour from the time the first bee discovered 

 the sweets hundreds will be on the spot. How they find 

 out the exact spot I am unable to state ; whether the 

 discoverer after unloading his burden leads the way, or 

 whether he can give them due information, it is impossible 

 to say. 



Let the bee-master make it a rule, if he wishes not to 

 suffer loss by wars, never to feed his stocks except at 

 night, nor to leave the food exposed. Dr. Gumming, the 

 " Times Bee-Master," recommends a large plate filled 

 with food to be placed somewhere near the apiary, open 



