170 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



should be stirred until the sugar is thoroughly dis- 

 solved, when it is ready to feed in the pans or boxes, 

 as has been directed on another page. Some colonies 

 are slow to find their way to it ; by dropping a little 

 on or among the bees, and extending a train to the 

 pan, will give them a clew to it, which they are not 

 slow to follow. When feeding in a box some dis- 

 tance from the apiary, it is some times necessary to 

 expose a little honey, which will attract them, it 

 having a greater scent than the syrup ; when they 

 have once found the way there is no further trouble. 

 Feed them their allowance regularly every day, until 

 there is a good supply of honey abroad, when the 

 quantity should be reduced daily and finally discon- 

 tinued, to be resumed again when the honey season 

 fails. Feeding should cease entirely by the fifteenth 

 of October. If bees have been properly cared for thus 

 far, all stocks will be strong and vigorous, with plenty 

 of honey for the coming winter. 



The great importance of feeding bees has been 

 noticed by several authors, but it seems the advan- 

 tages to be derived from feeding largely in the 

 manner and for the purposes for which we recom- 

 mend it, have been entirely overlooked. We find 

 most writers on this subject suggest the feeding 

 of weak swarms in the fall, the general result of 

 which is only to prolong their existence a little time, 

 as they are very apt to die before spring. If the 

 embryo queens have been removed soon after the 

 first swarm issued, as has been directed, thereby pre- 

 venting any after-swarms, the stocks having been 



