t-ALt tfiEDWa. 319 



After the first heavy frosts, when forage is over, all feed- 

 ing required for wintering bees should be carefully attended 

 to. If delayed to a later period, the bres may not have 

 suificient time to seal over their honey, which, by attracting 

 moisture and souring, may expose them to dysentery. 



609. Feeders of all descriptions are made and sold.* 



In our opinion, the best feeder for liquid food is a simple 

 fruit can or a jar. Mr. Root uses a can with perforated 

 cover — we prefer the ordinary fruit can, 

 because they are found in every house. 

 After filling the can, we tie a cloth over 

 the mouth of it, and invert it over a 

 dish. The honey or syrup will leak 

 through at first, but the atmospheric 

 pressure soon stops its running, when 

 the can may be carried to the hive in Fig- 102. 



this position, and set immediately over ^^^ feeder, 

 the cluster — without the dish — in the upper story or cap, a 

 part of the enamel cloth being raised for this purpose. 



The bees can then get their food, without being chilled 

 even in cold weather, and they promptly store it away in 

 the combs, for later use. 



It is desirable to get through with Fall feeding as rapidly 

 as possible,! as the bees are so excited by it that they con- 

 sume more food than they otherwise would. In feeding a 

 large amount for Winter supply, we have given as many 

 as five quart-cans to one colony at one time. "Wooden 

 feeders in the shape of troughs, as made by Root, Shuck, 

 and Heddon, have the advantage over the cans of not need- 

 ing removal to be refilled, but they are not so well in reach 

 of the cluster. 



• Colnmella reoommeuded woAl, soaked In honey, for feeding bees. When 

 the weather is not too cold, a sauoer, bowl, trongh, or vessel of any kind, filled 

 with straw, makes a couvenieut feeder. 



t Feeding colonics put late in the Fall into empty hives, unless combs can 

 be given to them, will seldom pay expenses. 



