ON FEEDING BEES. 77 



to all the bees. This may do for the wealthy bee-master, 

 who keeps bees solely for his amusement, but it will 

 never answer for the cottager to feed all the bees within 

 two or three miles around his apiary. Undoubtedly the 

 best way to feed up the stocks in September is from the 

 top of the hive. If my readers keep only the round- 

 topped straw hives, a small hole or opening must be made 

 in the crown ; it is done without difficulty. Choose the 

 middle of a fine warm day, when the bees are working 

 hard ; and with either a razor or a strong pocket-knife, 

 the point of the blade very sharp, cut a circular hole in 

 the centre, about three inches in diameter ; very few bees 

 will be disturbed, and unless the comb has been made 

 within the past month it wiU not be injured. I have 

 sometimes had great difficulty to persuade my bee-keeping 

 friends to adopt this method, because they thought the 

 combs would fall, and thus ruin the whole hive. The 

 bees take good care to secure their combs, not only at the 

 top where they commence to build, but all down the sides 

 as well. Not the slightest fear need be entertained on 

 this point. When you have cut the straw out, trim the 

 sides from the bits of straw that hang loosely round the 

 opening, thus saving your bees the trouble of completing 

 your work. Preserve with care the round piece of straw 

 that you have cut out : it will be useful to put in the 

 place again when you have finished feeding. 



You are sure in removing plates, &c. from beneath the 

 hive to kill many of your bees, besides enticing vagrants 

 and robbers. Never nourish your bees from beneath ; all 

 wickedness and evil come from below, so in bee-hives ; 

 every good comes down from above, so in bee-hives, and 

 your little singing happy inmates know it too, without 

 tapping on the skep and speaking to them ; therefore 

 encourage them to look for all good to come down from 

 above, they will not forget it as long as they live. There 



