6o THE BOOK OF BEE-KEEPING. 



three-fourths of a full comb, as the upper — just where the honey 

 is stored — holds more than the lower portion. Where autumn 

 feeding has been neglected, candy can be placed upon the tops 

 of the frames, or Porto Rico sugar, as recommended in "Early 

 Spring Feeding" (pars. loi and 102). On no account must 

 syrup be fed to bees during the winter. All feeding is preferably 

 conducted on the top of the hive, and the feeders well covered 

 to prevent any bees gaining access to them. The feeder de- 

 scribed on p. 37, a sectional view of which is there given, is a 

 very good one for feeding up quickly in autumn; and where 

 such quick feeding is imperative, as in driven bees or neglected 

 stocks, a feeder upon this principle must be used. A large stock 

 can be very easily fed up in a little over a week with this 

 feeder. Many apiarists cause one or two colonies to store a 

 sufficiency of combs for a larger number of stocks, removing 

 such combs as fast as filled, and giving them to the other 

 colonies in want. In the case of colonies being over full of 

 stores, frames may be taken from them and given to needy 

 stocks, thus saving the trouble of feeding, which at the best 

 is a source of much trouble and labour. 



106. Feeding ITnclei. — Nucleus hives should always contain 

 a fair proportion of stores, which should be given them in frames — 

 that is, at least one frame in the hive should be well filled with 

 honey, some of which must be uncapped. 



107. Winter Feeding. — The necessity for this only occurs 

 when a bee-keeper has neglected his stocks. Warm cakes of 

 candy should be quickly and quietly slipped under the quilts on a 

 warm day, taking the greatest care that the least amount of cold 

 air enters the hive while doing so. 



108. moving Bees. — The difficulty of moving hives of 

 bees a short distance without its entailing a considerable loss 

 to the population is very great. When a bee first flies from 

 the hive it takes note of all the surroundings, continually flying 

 from the hive in gradually increasing circles and returning 

 again, until it has become quite familiar with the exact position 

 of its home. If that home is moved the bees, not being aware 

 of such removal, when they again fly forth will return after to 

 the only position known to them. There being no hive there, 

 they will, after searching around the spot for a considerable 

 time, perish, unless they are allowed to enter a neighbouring 

 hive, which they will be permitted to do if filled with honey, 

 and thereafter form part of that colony ; but the major portion 

 of such lost bees settle upon some adjacent object and die. The 

 surrounding country is so well known to the inhabitants of a 

 hive that, if it is moved two miles away, quite a number 

 will find their way back to the original position and die, but 



