PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING 55 
or honey, and the other where the bees suck the food indirectly. 
There are, further, two ways of feeding bees,—at the entrance and 
from above. Where one has but a hive or two to feed, it is not 
necessary to invest in any elaborate apparatus. A salmon can 
with a bit of comb or a chip in the syrup to serve as a float may be 
placed in an empty story or super above the brood chamber, turning 
one corner of the quilt back so that the bees may reach the syrup. 
Feeding should always be done at night so that there will be no 
chance of robbing among the bees. If the nights are chilly a piece 
of sacking or quilting may be placed over the feeder in order to 
retain the heat of the colony, first placing a block across the can 
to prevent the covering from closing the can. The syrup should 
be slightly warmed when fed to the bees, as they will carry it 
down more readily. It is prepared by melting one pound of cane 
sugar to a quart of water. A little vinegar may be added to prevent 
granulation. It is found that on the whole bees winter better if 
their stores are not granulated. 
If the colony needs considerable feeding, it is better to feed 
it in larger quantities, since feeding in small quantities stimulates. 
by a sense of continuing supply of food, to the rearing of brood 
which is undesirable in the late fall. Early in the fall it is well to 
feed slowly as it is highly desirable to have plenty of young vigor- 
ous bees for the winter. This is the plan of feeding adopoted during 
the spring months where feeding for stimulation is followed. In this 
climate each colony should have not less than thirty to forty pounds 
cf honey or syrup. Bees may winter on less but the honey-filled 
combs are an added protection to the clusters, as the heat is thereby 
retained more readily. Thus it is advisable to feed by the quart or 
even two quarts at a time. 
A convenient feeder can be made by removing the porcelain 
from the top of a mason jar and punching the latter full of holes 
with an awl or a wire nail. Then, screwing the cap thus perfor- 
ated tightly upon the jar of tepid syrup and inverting the latter 
quickly upon a stand or simply a couple of blocks above the frames, 
the bees can take the syrup without coming in contact with the 
large volume of syrup and thereby running the risk of being 
drowned. The bees will take the syrup from the holes as fast as it 
flows if the holes are not too large and they will manage it even 
if it drips, if the jar be placed near enough level to prevent its 
