262 
Beekeeping 
in proportion to the population. Frequently, however, 
there are periods when from a lack of nectar-secretion or 
inclement weather, no fresh supply of food is obtained. It 
is asserted by some that the feeding of a thin sugar syrup at 
this time in small quantities acts just as a natural honey- 
flow, stimulating the bees to greater activity in brood-rear¬ 
ing and resulting in the maximum strength of colony at the 
time of the honey-flow. Since feeding requires some manip¬ 
ulation of the colony which is not beneficial in inclement 
weather, many beekeepers believe that by providing an 
abundance of food in the fall or by giving stores rapidly in 
the spring the colony receives all the stimulus to brood¬ 
rearing that it should have and that stimulative feeding is 
not desirable. This is obviously a question especially for 
the northern beekeeper. If a colony is short of stores, combs 
of honey may be given it. If a colony has wintered well, 
has a good queen, is in a large hive abundantly supplied 
with stores and is well protected from changes in tempera¬ 
ture, it is doubtful whether it can be stimulated to much 
greater brood-rearing than these conditions will bring about. 
Even if stimulative feeding results in increased brood-rear¬ 
ing, as it may under some circumstances, the beekeeper 
may still find it to be an unprofitable practice. If he is 
managing several apiaries, the work of going to all of them 
daily, or even less frequently, is considerable, and he may 
find it more profitable simply to operate more colonies to 
make up for the difference. If stimulative feeding is prac¬ 
ticed, it is usually best to feed warm syrup in the evenings 
so that the bees will not fly as a result of the feeding and so 
that robbing will not be started. 
Spreading the brood. 
Spreading the brood is an even more debated question. 
If the brood-cluster is divided and an empty comb is inserted, 
the bees will attempt to cover all the brood and, in so doing, 
that part of the empty comb which intervenes will be kept 
warm enough so that the queen will lay eggs therein. When 
