The Feeding of Bees 85 



beheld; but I have never found it profitable, except by placing a few- 

 cases on top, near the dose of finishing up a lot of unfinished sections, 

 to give the bees room, and thus induce them to seal up nearly finished 

 combs, as has been already explained. 



I know of only two objections to the feeding-back of extracted 

 honey. One is that fed honey has a slightly different taste from that 

 stored directly in the combs from the flowers. There seems to be a 

 sort of "off" taste, or lack of flavor. This lack of fine flavor is not 

 very pronounced, but it can be noticed by those who are experienced 

 in the matter. It is possible that this taste comes from the thinning 

 of the honey and the handling of it about in different vessels, as well 

 as the continued use of a wooden feeder. The other objection to fed 

 honey is that it will candy much quicker than other honey. When the 

 sections are nearljr completed, and feeding is done simply to have them 

 completed and sealed over, the proportion of fed honey is so small that 

 these objections are not very serious. Fed honey ought to be sold early, 

 and in a market where it will be consumed before it candies. 



Taking one year with another, I have secured about two pounds of 

 comb honey from the feeding of three pounds of extracted. With the 

 right kind of weather and colonies, I have done much better — secured 

 four pounds from the feeding of five. 



The advantages of feeding back honey can be stated in a few words : 

 Comb honey is more salable, and at a higher price, than extracted ; and 

 if the latter can be changed into the former at no great expense, there 

 are quicker sales and greater profits. The greatest advantage, how- 

 ever, is in securing the completion of nearly finished sections. 



I think that the feeding-back of extracted honey is on the wane, 

 as bee-keepers are learning how to lessen greatly the number of unfin- 

 ished sections at the end of the season; and my object in describing the 

 practice is not to recommend it for general use, but to furnish the neces- 

 sary instructions should circumstances arise making it desirable to follow 

 them. 



When bees require feeding in the fall, almost any kind of feeder 

 will answer the purpose. If nothing better is at hand, a tin pan or any 

 open dish may be set in an upper story, and a piece of burlap laid in 

 the feed as a float for the bees to stand upon. A good-sized feeder, one 

 that will hold from fifteen to twenty pounds, like the Heddon, for in- 

 stance, greatly facilitates the work, however. Bees can be fed with the 

 Heddon feeder when it is so late and cool that no other feeder would 

 answer. Fill the feeder with syrup as hot as it can be and not burn the 

 bees ; then set the hive over the feeder, when the heat from the syrup 

 will warm and rouse up the clustered bees, and they will come down and 

 carry up the feed in short order. 



