THE APIARY. 
387 
wire or hairpin, the burr being afterwards scraped 
off. The dotted circle (//z) indicates the opening in 
the block which stands exactly over the feed-hole in 
the hive. The perforations are so drilled that, when 
the stage is turned as far to the left as the screw .s' 
meeting the stop will permit, the holes are all of 
them out of the reach of the bees ; but when it is 
desired that they taste of our sweets, the stage is 
turned towards the right, when the outlying holes [h) 
begin to pass within the area of the feed-hole, at first 
permitting but a single bee to obtain food ; then follow, 
as the rotation is continued, those in circular arrange- 
ment, until, when the opposite stop is reached, all 
are open, giving a bountiful banquet. These move- 
ments are, of course, made when the food-bottle is 
in position. The vulcanite should be roughened upon 
the under surface, by deeply scratching it with a sharj) 
knife, so that the bees may have foothold. Should 
the plate be curled, place it in hot water, and then 
press between two pieces of flat wood till cool, 
when it will remain as desired. The vulcanite 
is so close to the bees that they have not to dis- 
connect themselves from their companions in order 
to reach it ; and if the syrup be made cold by a chilly 
atmosphere, the non-conductivity of the stage will 
keep the space beneath it from being cooled. Metal 
stages are here greatly at fault, often making feeding 
by the bees in cold weather impossible, the food 
rather tantalising than helping, since contact with the 
almost icy zinc or tin would benumb at once. 
It is clear that the can B, Fig. 94, can be made into 
a regulated feeder by piercing the holes excentrically 
2 C 2 
