238 METHOD OF FEEDING IN THE COTTAGE HIVE. 



state will seldom descend to the platform to partake of the 

 food, and in this dilemma, it must be allowed that the 

 cottage hives present a difficulty not easily to be overcome. 

 Top feeding ought always to be adopted in the winter, in 

 preference to feeding on the platform, and with the cottage 

 hive we recommend the adoption of the following plan. Cut 

 a small hole in the top of the hive, and having filled a phial 

 or other necked vessel with the food, cut a small nick in the 

 cork of the bottle, over which put a piece of linen or other 

 substance, through which the liquid can gradually distil, 

 then insert the bottle with the neck downwards into the 

 opening of the hive, and the food, then slowly and gradually 

 falling upon the combs, will be greedily taken up by the bees 

 and deposited in their cells. 



It is the opinion of some apiarians, but it is grounded on 

 fallacy, that feeding bees is apt to render them lazy, and they 

 found their opinion upon the principle, that if animals have 

 food provided for them, they will not go in search of it. 

 This may indeed hold good with human animals, but the 

 sense of labour is so inherent in the bee, that no artificial 

 means whatever can destroy it. We consider feeding even 

 to those hives, which do not require it, highly beneficial, and 

 we hesitate not to affirm that a hive to which some food has 

 been given in the spring, will swarm earlier than one to 

 which it has been denied. It imparts vigour and animation 

 to the common bees; it accelerates the deposition of the 

 eggs of the queen, and excites them to the more early pro- 

 secution of their labours. We can with truth affirm that no 

 proprietor of hives will find a pound or two of sugar, and a 

 quart or two of ale thrown away upon his bees. 



It is an erroneous practice to abstain from the feeding of 

 bees until they be actually in want of food. The simple 

 knowledge that any particular hive is poor in provisions, 

 ought to instruct the bee master to administer such food to 

 it in due season, that the bees may be able to retain their 

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