162 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



CHAPTER XII. 



FEEDING. 

 HOW TO FEED BEES. 



In thickly settled localities, where bee-keepers 

 reside near each other, it is necessary to feed in the 

 chamber or upper part of the hive, in small pans or 

 feed boxes. Get tin pans made, about 6 in. wide 

 by 10 in length, sides 1J in. high, perpendicular; 

 if you have pieces of refuse comb, put enough in 

 to cover the bottom of the pan, to serve as a float, 

 keeping on the top of the syrup ; this will prevent 

 the bees from getting mired or drowned in the 

 tempting liquid. 



When dry comb cannot be obtained for this pur- 

 pose, take a piece of any soft wood, about f in. thick, 

 cut it to fit into the pan, leaving a space around the 

 edges of about J in.; tack a strip across the centre 

 of this board \ in. wide and f in. thick, this will 

 keep it from capping or warping ; slit it from each 

 end with a rip saw, leaving spaces between the saw 

 carps of \ in. extending to the strip nailed across 

 the centre. This answers a good purpose as a float, 

 and is cheap and easily made. 



When your pans are thus prepared with floats, set 

 them in the chamber, either directly on top of the 

 frames, or what perhaps is better, place the honey- 

 board in its proper place, leaving free access to the 

 chamber through the openings ; set the pan near one 



