26 
A YEAR AMONG THE BEES. 
colonies were set by themselves or otherwise noted, so that 
stores might he given them immediately, and generally these 
were overhauled at the same time. When the general 
feeding is done in the hives, perhaps I can come nearest the 
truth to say that feeding and overhauling are simultaneous. 
I fancy I can hear my good friends, Mr. A. I. Root and 
Prof. Cook, saying, “ Why don’t you keep a smaller number 
of colonies, so that you can have system enough to he able 
to tell a straight story, and derive more pleasure and profit ¥” 
I know it would he more pleasure ; as to the profit, I doubt. 
If I had so few that I could at all times do' every thing by a 
perfect system. I am afraid I should have part of the time a 
good deal of idle time on my hands. Neither is it fair for 
me to charge my lack of system entirely to the number of 
colonies. Some of it comes from ignorance in not knowing 
how to do any better, some of it from changing plans con- 
stantly, and perhaps some of it from lack of energy in doing 
every thing just at the right time. 
Whatever may be true about spring feeding, I am pretty 
fully settled in the belief that it is of first importance that 
the bees should have an abundant supply of stores, whether 
such supply he furnished from day to day by the bee-keeper, 
or stored up by the bees themselves six months or a year 
previously. Moreover, I believe they build up more rapidly 
if they have not only enough to use from day to day, but a 
reserve or visible supply for future use. If a colony comes 
out of the cellar strong, and with combs full of stores, I 
have some doubts if I can hasten its building up by any 
tinkering I can do. So my feeding in spring is to make sure 
they have abundant stores, rather than for the stimulation 
of frequent giving. There is a theoretical advantage— how 
much it may amount to in practice I cannot say— in having 
the combs filled ; that is, that there is less air-space for tfie 
bees to keep warm. 
One advantage in feeding in the combs is that your feeders 
are always ready at no extra expense, for at any time when 
feeding is needed there are plenty of empty combs, and if 
