143 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Dicembeb 4, 1860. 
shown a strong vigorous stock which has either thrown off a 
swarm or is about to do so, and which they said was left on the 
stand to die, having been so light the preceding autumn as to be 
not worth the trouble of killing. For many years I hardly gave 
a pound of food in autumn, although careful to see that no hive 
really required it. When necessary, it generally proved to be 
certain stocks from which supers had been taken, the bees having 
stored all the accumulations of the summer’s labours in the 
upper boxes. But my readers will not need the information 
that this past season has been a most exceptional one as regards 
the necessity for feeding, and that most liberally. I have given 
my hives about 140 lbs. of food, of which amount nearly one- 
half consisted of honey. Probably the aggregate of the increase 
in the weight of the eleven hives I was obliged to feed, at tl:e 
c inclusion of the task was under one-half. In some hives con¬ 
siderable breeding was induced, and in the case of swarms of 
the current season much new comb and elongation of the cells 
were carried on—in either instance drawing largely on the sup¬ 
plies afforded. I was enabled to watch one colony narrowly, 
owing to its being suspended from a Salter’s balance or scales, 
and will give the results, as they are interesting and instructive. 
No account was kept of the exact quantity of food supplied to 
this stock ; but I am certain it must have been over 50 lbs. 
altogether in the two periods at which feeding was carried on. 
On May 30th the swarm was hived in the box, the whole 
weight showing exactly 20 lbs. on being first suspended from the 
scales. They were fed nearly every day up to June 10th with¬ 
out any increase in weight, a considerable quantity of comb 
being made. On this date a second swarm was added, which 
increased the weight to 22) lbs. Food being still supplied, the 
register stood as under :— 
June 10th, weight 22 lbs. 4ozs. (gross weights). 
June 
11 . 
....) 
Weight 
lbs. 
/24 
OZ. 
8 
July 19 .... 
. \ Weight 
lbs. oz. 
1 32 0 
July 
14 . 
25 
0 
„ 25 .... 
. ) Not fed 
1 31 
8 
3 . 
27 
0 
„ 27 .... 
■) „ 
( 32 
8 
7 . 
y v, ^ 
30 
0 
,, 30 .... 
Aug. 3 .... 
Fed 
( 32 
0 
10 . 
Fed 
31 
8 
( 33 
8 
13 . 
32 
8 
22 
Sep. 30 .... 
Fed 
31 
0 
)) 
14 . 
>> 
(33 
12 
( 40 
0 
But little food was given from tlie middle of July until 
the 22nd of August, when I again resumed feeding, and that 
much more liberally than before, supplying them with many 
pounds at a time. The result of which was, that on lifting out 
the bars of comb late in September, I found most of them 
crammed with sealed brood and larva? in all stages. The feeding 
was continued until (on the 30th of September), the hive 
turned the scale at 40 lbs., at which I was well content to leave 
it. Fifteen days after it exhibited a loss of 5 lbs. 8 ozs., the 
index standing at 34 lbs. 8 ozs. I could only account for this, 
by presuming that fully-developed bees weigh much less than in 
the larva state, and that all the young were now hatched out. 
There were a few drones also at tlic previous date, which might 
have bean all turned adrift. The above observations proved the 
immense quantity of food which is necessary for the construction 
of combs, and for the Use of the brood. At the present time 
the weight, stands at 331 lbs., showing a decrease of only a pound 
in more than five weeks from the time all supplies were stopped ; 
but a total increase of 13)- lbs. only since the box was first 
tenanted. About 20 lbs. may have been given up to the 17th 
July, when on inspeetion I found the box to bo full of combs. 
The second grand feeding of about 30 lbs. in amount, was em¬ 
ployed in rearing a great quantity of brood, in elongating, 
filling, and sealing the cells. Yet, nevertheless, the weight 
stands the same now as it did on the 3rd of August. 
The result of my experience with respect to feeding is this, 
that I prefer dispensing with autumnal feeding in every case 
where there seems to be a fair probability of the natural supply 
lasting until the end of February. Then, on no account to 
neglect giving small quantities judiciously from time to time. 
My success in honey-getting has been much greater since the 
adoption of this plan to what it was when I used to feed more 
profusoly. My usual course has been to weigh all my hives in 
October, feed those that really require it, or join the bees to 
better-supplied stocks ; make them all snug and secure in their 
winter casings, and not touch or hardly look at them until 
February, when I eagerly watch for the first signs of polleu- 
gatliering in each hive, which in this district I generally find to 
be about the 14th of that month. All moisture-condensers have 
been long ago discarded from my apiary, believing them to 
be worse than useless—absolutely injurious. No sufficiently 
strong colony will suffer from internal moisture, either in boxes 
or in straw hives, provided they are perfectly protected from 
external dampness. When I first established an apiary, and paid 
great attention to feeding, and duly supplied my best stocks with 
condensers, year after year I had to lament the unaccountable 
frustration of my dearest apiarian hopes. From this remark I 
do not wish to be supposed an enemy to feeding. I am opposed 
to feeding hives in autumn, unless they really require it, or bid 
fair to do so before the spring. The food formerly used was, as 
I stated before, the mixture of beer and sugar, which frequently 
proved very injurious to the hives from its liability to fern 
mentation. 
It may be laid down as a fixed rule, that for autumnal feeding 
the requisite quantity should be afforded as quickly a3 possible. 
If large feeding-pans are used, it is better to fill them only at 
night. If the bottle system is adopted, day or night is im¬ 
material, as there is no excitement. If, when fed, bees become 
excited, numbers leave the hive gorged with food, which they 
eject iu “ a clear stream of fluid.” Many years sineo, Mr. G. 
Fox, of Kingsbridge, instituted certain experiments in feeding a 
hive which was attached to a spring scale. He supplied honey 
and sugar syrup—first, to the amount of 16 ozs., in very small 
quantities, in a small, shallow feeder. When all was given the 
weight had increased 1 oz. only. Again, he gave to the same 
bees 16 ozs. in a large feeder at once, and the gain in weight 
was 15 ozs. In the first case there was considerable excitement; 
in the last there was none. His experiments were carried 
further than this, but the above is sufficient for our purpose. 
The spring of 1851 was a very trying one for bees in this part 
of England. Some of the hives of the above-named gentleman 
absolutely refused to take down the food from the ordinary 
feeders. He placed in a small box, having a two-inch aperture 
in the bottom, a good-sized piece of the crumb of a brown loaf, 
which lie saturated with honey and sugar syrup. With this he 
succeeded in keeping his bees alive, occasionally adding a little to 
the already saturated cake. Did it supply the place of pollen in 
the same manner as flour was supposed to do, by some who 
advocated its use in the pages of this journal early this last 
season ? The plan of placing a “ soaked cake ” under the hives, 
is common in some parts of the country, and the bees are said to 
consume it; certain it is that a great deal of it disappears. 
The subject of feeding is one of great interest, and is by no 
means exhausted, but enough has been written for the contents 
of one paper. I liope we shall have the experience of others as 
well as that of—S. B. Fox, Exeter. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Rearing Chickens (A Young Amateur). —Whether for exhibition or for 
table use they require the same treatment. If you enclose seven postage 
stamps with your direction, ordering “The Poultry Book l'or the Many” 
to be sent you, you will find in that ample and excellent directions that will 
exactly supply what you require. 
Pullets Laying ( A Constant Subscriber).—The time when White Game 
and Dorking pullets may be expected to lay depends upon the season of 
the year at which they become six months old. If this happens in the 
spring or summer they ought to lay then, but if they attain that age late 
in the year they will probably not lay until the spring following. 
Colour of Game Fowls’ Legs (T . FI).— Mr. Whitwell is perfectly 
right. There is no fixed colour for the legs of Game fowls ; and it is a 
matter of taste or of opinion, which differs constantly. In most cases the 
yellow legs are preferred before white legs. 
Teaching Tunes to Birds—Hearing Young Ones {A Young Amateur). 
—I am not aware that Goldfinches have been taught to whistle. Linnets" 
have but rarely. Jays sometimes whistle part of an air. Young Starlings 
may be brought up on sopped bread and egg, or any fresh meat cooked or 
raw, and on ground oats mixed with milk. Bullfinches on sopped bread, 
egg, and maw seed. Hen birds rarely whistle well. Young birds should 
be taken from the nest when about half fledged, they cannot be too forward 
as long as they will open their mouths. The larger' the breeding-cage the 
better. Prices vary from 2s. upwards ; neat ones can be bought in London 
for 3 s. Gel. Pair the birds in spring at their natural times. Cowhair well 
cleaned with moss is good for nest-building.—B. P. Brent. 
Pigeons and Fowls for Table Use ' (An Old Subscriber).— If it is 
wished to keep Pigeons for the table only, and without reference to fancy, 
the common Blue Roc is the best. It is prolific, very hardy, and inexpensive. 
It can be had at Baily’s, 113, Mount Street, London. The Dorking is 
unquestionably the best fowl for the table ; and there is no better layer 
than the Spanish in the proper season. We think Brahmas and Cochins 
are the best winter layers. The Grey Dorkings are much hardier than the 
White ; they also fatten better for table purposes. It must be recollected 
no hens lay in the winter, and there is no breed possessing that qualitv. 
It is a thing of age and not race. 
Mixing Pigeons ( Once a School-bog).—It is not advisable to keep 
Pigeons of a great disparity of size together. Trumpeters are a stay-at- 
home, prolific variety. For a country amateur, who wishes his birds to 
procure a part of their own living, I advise some of the clean-footed Toys. 
So much depends on taste, that it is almost impossible to advise which is 
the best variety to keep. “Once a Sciiool-boy ” had better read “The 
Pigeon-Book for the Many,” and make his own choice.—B. P. Brent. 
