SPRING MANAGEMENT OF BEES 
case is to see that the bees are well supplied with 
food. Nature does the rest. 
When, however, the bees seem to be suffering too 
much from spring dwindling, pains ought to be taken 
to have the hives reduced in size to the smallest 
proportions necessary to maintain the colonies. A 
small colony in a big hive seems to get discouraged ; 
or, perhaps, it is because it can not keep the warmth ; 
but in any case it will readily respond to the attention 
of the bee-keeper if he will contract the size of the 
hive (by dummies), supply feed, and cover the hive 
with old carpeting to keep off the chilly winds. 
To raise brood successfully, the bees must be snug 
and warm. Some have thought that by supplying 
artificial heat, the bees would be helped, and they 
would do better ; but all such efforts are failures 
because, on some days, the field bees venture out 
when they ought to remain inside. 
In Europe, more particularly in Germany and 
Austria, special feeds composed of sugar, pea flour, 
and white of egg are used to stimulate breeding in 
spring, and also to ease the work of bees in caring 
for the brood. We in this country have never tried 
these foods to any extent, though the idea underlying 
their use is a good one. 
In some parts of this country, where fruit-growing 
is popular, it would be possible some seasons to get 
a crop of honey from fruit-blossoms if the bees could 
be got ready in time for the work. Stimulative food 
of this kind ought to induce brood-rearing to the 
utmost limit ; and with double-walled hives to conserve 
the natural heat of the colony it ought to prove suc- 
cussful and profitable. We require more experiments 
with these foods to enable us to say just what can be 
accomplished by their use. Theoretically they seem 
correct, but practice is the best criterion. 
k Careful feeding with syrup made from sugar has 
keen found excellent, and some provide a substitute 
Tor pollen. Probably the bees could find all the pollen 
they require by going afar for it. but we do not wish 
them tn go very far from their hive during the chilly 
