FEEDING BEES. 
Ill 
lies, dampens the air within the hive, and thus renders the bees 
mhealthy, often causing dysentery, whereby the combs are 
befouled with excrement. Honey is the most natural, and of 
;ourse the best food for bees. West India honey can often be 
mrchased quite low in our eastern cities, and if cleansed by 
leating, answers a good purpose. "When the light stocks are in 
movable-comb hives, it is an excellent plan to remove two or 
three empty combs from each, and pour the honey directly into 
the cells, or if frames of empty comb are at hand, it is still 
nore convenient to fill these and exchange with the needy 
itocks. When filling a comb, lay it upon a boavd or table, and 
irizzle warm honey over it in a fine stream, until the cells are 
ibout two-thirds full, leave it a short time to cool, then turn the 
tomb and fill the other side. Only the upper half of the combs 
should be filled, and after placing them in the hive, feed in the 
thamber a few days till the cells are sealed over. 
The tin feed-pan (fig. 16) 
may be five inches in width by 
eight in length, and one and 
one-fourth in depth, with per- 
pendicular sides. To keep the 
is. Food ran. bees from drowning, place in 
'he pan pieces of empty comb, and pour the sweet upon them, 
n make a float, by fitting into the pan a light board, one-fourth 
Pf an inch thick, with one-fourth inch play all around. Nail 
* piece across the centre of this to prevent splitting, and with 
* coarsely set saw, slit the board many times from each end to 
the 
cross-piece. When the feed is first placed in the chamber, 
