GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. FEEDING: WHEN, WHAT, HOW.

Otago Witness, Issue 1688, 29 March 1884, Page 6

GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. FEEDING: WHEN, WHAT, HOW.

Having recently made some reference to the necessity for feeding bees in certain circumstances I think it will not be out of place if I mention here the time when such a work should be performed, the kind of food which should be given, and the best way in which it should be supplied. I have seen the question asked, "Is it possible to overstock a district with bees as ib is possible to overstock a farm with cattle, sheep, horses, anU pigs ?" To this question there is but one answer. It is possible. But it does not seem that we are likely to do this for many years to come. The reader knows, while this is the case, the season may be most unsuitable for producing honey, and our ew bees may be more, than the year's gathering will keep alive and healthy till the honey plants again gjve forth their sweetness. Some seasons thesamefarui,TFith equallygood treatment from the owner, will not carry so many cattle and sheep as it will at other seasons without supplementary food. So far as my memory serves me I think the best seasons for producing food for general farm stock are not the best for producing honey, especially when those seasons are followed up by an uncertain, changeable harvest-time. The warmer and drier days, so long as they are not too warm, produce more and better flowers, moderately well filled with honey ; whilst on the days which are colder, more moist, with occasional bursts of sunshine, somewhat similar to the season that is passing, the grass may be more abundant, the roots more numerous, and oaten hay very much above the average; but 'the honey ip -carce because the flowers that secrete ' it have been po much damaged. This' being the case, the reader w^l easily understand how it is that our few bees may ba short of food this' season. Several .times during the summer it has been expected as the bees were working briskly, that there wojjld Boon be honey to extract, when the

expectation has been disappointed by the return of cold wet days. What the bees gathered in one week, they had to live upon the next. The beekeeper has been anxiouß to extract, but hag foregone hia desire out of a kindly thought for his little family. What is the result? Even now he finds some of his small workers have barely enough food to carry them through the winter with health and safety. This is the case with those who have been careful. I don't know how it 'may bo with those who have at all cost taken some of the precious store. Let it be clearly understood that it is not a wise plan to take all the honey from bees with the idea that some other and less expensive food may be given in its place, and do quite as well. There are some farmers who will at threshing time sell every Lit of their corn, and if possible the straw also ; j though they know that they have animals to keep all the winter for which corn and straw or an equivalent must be provided. _ This is a very unwise plan. If a two-storey hive is being used the combs in the lower storey should not be touched for the purpose of extracting the honey. Mr Koot says, "If this is done you will very seldom have occasion to feed. . - Now if we were only sure of having the wellfilled surplus combs we might skip "feeding " entirely, but alas, there will come seasons and circumstances when we must feed. . . . Again where one raises bees and queens for sale, they may divide and sub-divide to such an extent as to have many colonies with bees enough but too little food. The only remedy in these cases is to feed." Judging from local experiences and the weather reports published in this journal, from all parts of the country, I apprehend that the passing season has been most unfavourable to the bees ; and as a consequence honey is scarce, and feeding therefore becomes an absolute necessity ; that is, if the bees are to be saved. I know, too, that the spring brought with it signs of weakness, and in many cases death. Whole colonies died before food could be procured ; and when food was to be had the wet days were so frequent, and the increase of the young ones so rapid and early, that others died from the excessive labour which they were called upon to perform. This led to diligence on the pare of the beekeeper to replenish hi 3 stock, as often as opportunity served effecting a sale. These new colonies, in most instances, have had little seasonable weather to gather in a store for winter use, and as a consequence will require close watching and an occasional supply of tood. _ Therefore, taking a general survey of the bee industry, this appears to me one of the srasons when feeding should be practised, especially where "just a little" honey has been taken late in the season from the lower storey, or some sections from the single storey hive. Mr Hopkins says : " Food intended tor winter stores is best given before the cold weather sets in, as it better not to disturb the bees at this time more than can be helped." Of course if it has been neglected it should be attempted as soon as possible on the best days of winter. And as we have so many fine days late in the season, when the hees are to be seen outside of their own winter world, thero need be no reason attempted for neglecting the work altogether. When the bees are short of food and the regular source of supply somewhat scarce, then is the time to feed. Let us bear in mind that bees never permit themselves to lie under obligations longer than is absolutely necessary. "If they are spared and things generally are favourable they will soon refund the outlay, with splendid interest. "It will be found profitable to practice slow stimulative feeding in early spring, that the hives may' be filled with bees and brood at the opening of the clover season," Admitting that it is necessary to feed, the next question to ask is, What •shall we feed them with ? According to what we have said, honey must be rather scarce. Mr Root says, "If I had sealed honey in the combs I should use it for giving the requisite stores in preference to sugar, unless I could sell it for more pound for pound than the sugar could be purchased for." If we have not got the honey in combs what then ? Before answering this question there is another matter to look at. From a very extensive experience it seems that when the spring and early summer honey is extracted, and the bees .are permitted to work through the autumn to obtain a winter supply, that supply is not always so good as it is desirable it ahould be for feeding purposes. It is often a bad keeping honey, and by reason of its decomposing power, disease is geneiated, and the bees die, not from the want of food, but from a sickness caused by bad food. Now, where the two-storey hive is used, and the bees are allowed to fill it with their spring gathering, and to remain in undisturbed possession of it, this danger is not likely to arise. If the food be scarce what j there is of it will be good. The apiarist will j be able to judge about his single-storey hive by knowing what honey he has taken and the state of the home when he has looked in from | time to time. Let it be understood when bees are confined to the use of autumn gathered honey there is a danger of them being badly diseased in the winter, and that means death to many if not to all. Supposing that we have not got honey in the frames but in the syrup, which will be the best — to give the bees this honey syrup or syrup made from good white sugar ? It is not wise to use inferior sugar for feeding at any time. The good, high-priced ar icle will often prove the cheapest. Mr Root says, " After having fed many barrels of sugar, and after carefully noting the results of feeding both sugar and honey, I would unhesitatingly take syrup made from A sugar in place of the best clover or any other kind of honey if offered at the same price." Mr Hopkins says, ",The best kind of ' food, except sealed honey, is Byrnp and candy made from good white sugar. The former is best to give in warm weather, the latter in cold." Recipe for Byrup :— " To every pound of sugar add a half-pint of water, put into a saucepan and boil for a few minutes ; keep stirring. This when cool is ready for use." Mr Root says, i "A gallon of water to 201b of sugar will make 281b of nice thick syrup." HQW TO FEED. Some advise feeding inside the hive; others, from the outside. The advocates of the former method say it prevents robber bees carrying off the food, while the advocates of the latter plan say it is more natural to the bees, v " I would feed outside the hive, because I think the bees behave more naturally when the food comes in this way, and because by so doing the labour of opening and closing the hives and disturbing things inside for the accommodation of a feeder is avoided j also, if we feed during the daytime, the bees all stay at home, and the honey that might have been gathered is lost." Concidering 'climate, &c., I think generally it is best to' feed ifrom without, and at night, giving them each' night just as much as tfciey can < carry away by early morning. "If you fill a i cheap pepper-box with water, and invert it in a saucer of water, you will h'-ve the principle of a feeder explained to you at once. Where the colonies are few, such an article may be used as a feeder. Fill the box with syrup, at night place it in front of the hive, and in a general way it will have been taken into the hive when you look at the box in the morning. This is a very clean feeder— a very desirable I thing, for thoEJe who have fuseed with feeders

know how untidy and disagreeable everything gets unless great care is taken." The feeders used by Mr Root were one-quart fruit-cans, with a cover of perforated tin. When' these are used, they should bo slightly raised in front of the hive on little bits of wood, so that the bees may have a fair chance at all the holes at once. " When these .feeders are used they should be inverted over a pan of syrup, for a little will run out before it gets level and quiet. After -invertion they may be carried to any part of the apiary." The, great danger in feeding is robbing. Of this the apiarist must beware. Feed in the night-time. ' ' If you attempt to feed in the day-time, robbing and destruction are most sure to follow. " Where tood comes in such quantities and in such an unnatural way, they seem to forget to post sentinels as usual, and before they have time to recover, bees will pour in " (from all the district). Somotimes all that can be done is to ii e ari y T,f C l° ny Sli i e> and wish for ifc '0 get dark that the greedy 'elves' may be obliled to go home Now, when you commence feeding, remember that my last words on the matter were, Look out.' " So says Mr Root. William Jenner,