FEEDING. 169 



bruary, to judge whether they require 

 feeding, ought not to be deferred till after 

 they have for fome time begun to breed; left 

 the additional weight of them be miftaken 

 for that of honey, when perhaps there may 

 not be a fpoonful in the hive, and the con- 

 tinual increafe of mouths produce the 

 fpeedier famine. 



Now and then a trough of food given to 

 the flocks as foon as farina is collected, will 

 forward the queen's breeding, and likewife 

 add much to invigorate the bees to greater 

 activity in their labour. 



I weighed a flock November the 2d ; ifc 

 was then 291b. 3 oz. On February 26th, the 

 weight was 24 lb. 1 oz. — Difference 5 lb. 2 oz. 

 From November 2d to February 26th is 

 115 days (the weather mild), in which were 

 confum.ed 5 lb. 2 oz, or 82 oz. which is but 

 three quarters of an ounce per day. 



On the 8th of December a flock weighed 

 21 lb. 1 1 oz.; the 1 ith, 20 lb. 15 oz. ; the 

 2 1 ft, 20 lb. 8 oz. The difference, from the 

 8th to the Uth, is 12 oz. i. e. almoft an 

 ounce per day. From the 1 ith to the 31ft, 



5 oz f 



