FEEDING. 167 



one of them is enough for any ftock for a 

 day and night. This I call private feed- 

 ing. By this method they are prevented 

 from feeding to excefs, which they are but 

 too apt to do, when they have an abundant 

 fupply at once; and thereby bring on a 

 loofenefs, and prove both deftructive and 

 wafteful. Daily feeding, indeed, is more 

 troublefome than giving a quantity at once; 

 but the laft is more expenfive, and not fo 

 fafe. I fed, one winter, two very light 

 ftocks, through the dreary feafon of 1777, 

 till the end of the enfuing May. By the 

 means, and at the expence only of fixtecn 

 pounds of fugar, and one quart of ale, I 

 faved my bees to flourifh in profperity. 

 Care fhould be taken to place no feeding 

 article on the oi(tfde t or at the door-ways, 

 as it will attract ftrange bees, who may 

 alfo become robbers, and ruin the flocks. 



In fuch a difaftrous feafon, a public 

 feeding may be fubjlituted, which is by 

 taking an old empty comb (the deeper and 

 harder the bz\X.zr), filing the cells on one fide 

 with honeyed ale, and placing it on a hive- 

 floor, and over that an empty hive, or pan ; 

 Ma and 



