FEEDING. 359 



if the hive is still upside down, and properly sheltered, the 

 bees will have ready access to the candy, even in the coldest 

 weather. 



In my hives, the spare honey-board may be elevated on 

 strips, about an inch and a half above the frames, and sticks 

 of candy laid on the tops of the central frames, will then 

 be always accessible to the bees, even in the coldest weather, 

 if the outside of the honey-board is covered with cotton, or 

 any warm packing. By sliding into the hive, under the 

 frames, a few sticks of candy, I can in a moment feed a 

 small colony, in Summer, without incurring the risk of 

 tempting robbers, by the smell of liquid honey. If a small 

 quantity of liquid food is needed in warm weather, loaf- 

 sugar dissolved in water, as it has scarcely any smell, is the 

 best. 



" The use of sugar-candy for feeding bees," says the 

 Rev. Mr. Kleine, " gives to bee-keeping a security which it 

 did not possess before. Still, we must not base over-san- 

 guine calculations on it, or attempt to winter very weak 

 stocks, which a prudent Apiarian would at once unite with a 

 stronger colony. I havensed sugar-candy for feeding, for the 

 last five years, and made many experiments with it, which 

 satisfy me that it cannot be too strongly recommended, es- 

 pecially after unfavorable summers. Colonies well fur- 

 nished with comb, and having plenty of pollen, though de- 

 ficient in honey, may be very profitably fed with candy, and 

 will richly repay the service thus rendered them." 



" Sugar-candy dissolved in a small quantity of water, may 

 be safely fed to bees late in the Fall, and even in Winter, if 

 absolutely necessary. It is prepared by dissolving two 

 pounds of candy in a quart of water, and evaporating, by 

 boiling, about two gills of the solution ; then skimming and 

 straining through a hair sieve. Three quarts of this solution, 



