THOUSAND ANSWERS 
225 
Sugar Syrup. — Q. How thin a sugar syrup may be fed to bees 
without danger of spoiling after taking into the hive? 
A. Early in the season, when the bees are flying daily, it will 
do no harm to feed them syrup just as thin as they will take it, 
say one part sugar to ten of water. And the same is true until 
fairly late in the season. As the weather begins to be cool toward 
fall, the syrup must be given thicker and thicker, lest the bees do 
not have time to evaporate it sufficiently, and as late as November 
it will not be well to feed a thinner syrup than two parts sugar 
to one of water, and two and one-half of sugar to one of water is 
still better. 
Q. In making syrup two to one in boiling water, after it is 
thoroughly mixed, is it necessary to put it on the stove to let it 
come to a boil? 
A. All that’s needed is to dissolve the sugar, even if in cold 
water. 
Q. How would you prepare sugar syrup to feed in cellar, 
when it is absolutely necessary to feed in mid-winter to preserve 
from starvation ? 
A. Just a plain syrup, two pints or pounds of water to five 
pints or pounds of sugar. Stir the sugar slowly into the hot water, 
and be very careful not to scorch it. But you might do better to 
make a plain candy and lay over the frames. 
Q. I have half a barrel of common syrup that is of no use to 
me. Would you let the bees have it in the spring? If so, how, 
and what time? 
A. Yes, there is generally a time in the spring when bees can 
fly every day but get little or no nectar. At such a time it will be 
well to feed such syrup. Either feed in the hive with a Miller or 
other feeder, or if you are situated where neighbor bees will not 
get the lion’s share, you can feed in the open air in shallow dishes 
with cork chips on top, or some other arrangement to keep the 
bees from drowning. Open-air feeding may be a little the best for 
the bees — more like working in the field. 
Q. Will you please inform me what kind of acid is used in 
syrup to keep it from granulating? And how much of the acid is 
used to a gallon' of syrup? 
A. An even teaspoonful of tartaric acid for every 20 pounds 
of sugar is stirred into the syrup about the time the sugar is dis- 
solved. The acid is first dissolved in a little water. 
Sumac.— Q. Does sumac yield honey? I removed some honey 
this seas«?n that had a greenish tinge. The comb fairly melted 
