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flowers one season may shorten their stores so much 
that during the winter and spring they would starve if 
they were not fed. Sometimes the covetous owner, 
against his own interest, takes too much of their sur- 
plus stores from them in the fall. There are many 
ways that colonies get short of stores and need to be 
supplied until they can gather honey from the fields. 
Whatever is fed should be placed in the chamber of 
the hive. A piece of empty comb to hold the honey 
or syrup is best of anything, as bees will not get 
besmeared with or drowned by getting into it. This 
may be placed in a low tin or earthen dish, — a common 
dining plate or tin pie plate will answer every purpose, 
— then pour the honey or syrup over the top side of 
the comb, and the bees will immediately carry it below. 
If it is in the fall, enough should be given to last them 
until the spring blossoms make their appearance, as it 
is a bad policy to be feeding them a little at a time 
during the winter. By placing it in the chamber of 
the hive there will be no danger of exciting other bees 
to robbery. If you have to feed in the spring and 
cannot get good honey, the syrup of the sugar maple is 
very good ; and that made first is best, as it is least 
likely to sour or produce dysentery. Pure sugar candy , 
without scenting or coloring, is also first-rate. It should 
be put down between the combs, a few sticks at a time. 
If Southern honey is fed, it should always be brought 
to a boiling heat and skimmed before using, as it fre- 
quently contains deleterious qualities, and boiling puri- 
fies it. Candied honey may also be used by mixing a 
small quantity of water with it, and bringing it to a boil- 
ing point. Bees cannot eat candied or grained honey, as 
they cannot swa ,l vw the granulated particles. It does 
