390 
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 
named, or even for use after dusk at the hive door, 
in the warmer weather, a tumbler filled with syrup, 
covered by a piece of board, and inverted, being 
all that is actuallv needed, since the bees will con- 
trive to secure the contents by applying their tongues 
at the edge of the glass. The board, too, may be 
omitted, sliding the tumbler off the shovel, on to the 
hive floor, or a flat spot at the entrance, as the case 
may be. And, indeed, it is barely required to make 
a syrup, filling with sugar, adding water, and invert- 
ing immediately, answering sufficiently; and since all 
the food is gone by the morning, robbing is not 
induced. Such a supply, given nightly to a strong 
stock, during a failure in nectar, will keep breeding 
going rapidly. Four flat-headed nails, added as feet 
to the wooden stage, if such be used, will increase 
its convenience, as it can then be set down with less 
risk of crushing bees. In starting feeding at the hive 
mouth, a syrupy trail should be led from the bottle 
to the entrance, so that the bees may promptly begin 
operations, as, if the food remain until other stocks 
commence flying next morning, fighting and robbing- 
are all but certain. The second evening the bees will 
require no invitation — they will be anxiously looking 
out for their attentive master. 
It is the occasional practice with some, in weather 
permitting bees to fly without risk, and yet yielding 
no nectar, to feed in the open, for which the appa- 
ratus B, Fig. 100, is exceedingly suitable. This 
al fresco feeding would be a costly business to those 
having many bee-keeping neighbours, as all their 
stocks would understand the invitation to the banquet 
