280 FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 



just what will be, but it is best to err on the safe side ; and 

 it is no harm to have more stores on hand than are 

 actually needed. It is also better to have the feeding 

 done early. If the feed is given so early that it can be 

 given thin enough, the bees make chemical changes in 

 it that make it better for winter. 



FEEDING SYRUP. 



Formerly I did not take this into account, and syrup 

 was prepared that approached the consistency of honey. 

 Water was put in a vessel on the stove, and when at or 

 near the boiling-point granulated sugar was slowly 

 stirred in at the rate of five pounds of sugar to a quart 

 of water. When the sugar was about dissolved, an even 

 teaspoonful of tartaric acid for every twenty pounds of 

 sugar previously dissolved in water, was stirred into the 

 syrup, for without the acid the syrup is likely to turn 

 into sugar in the combs when fed so thick. If I were to 

 feed late in September, or in October, I think I should 

 prefer the same syrup now. 



FEEDING EARLY FOR WINTER. 



But by feeding in August or early in September the 

 work can be made much easier, and at the same time the 

 food will be better for the bees. For they will so manip- 

 ulate the thin feed given them that no acid will be 

 needed, making their winter stores much more like the 

 stores they obtain from the flowers. There is nothing 

 complicated about the feeding, and there is not the same 

 trouble with robbers as when syrup is made. First, the 

 feeders are all put on, and left standing uncovered. Then 

 the amount of sugar needed in each feeder is put in dry, 

 whether that be two pounds or fifteen pounds. Then I 

 go around to each feeder, and, making a depression in 

 the center of the sugar, put in half a pint or more of 



