MillerThousand AnswersBeekeepingQuestions.pdf - BioBees

THOUSAND ANSWERS 225How thin a sugar syrup may be fed to beesSugar Syrup.—Q.without danger of spoiling after taking into the hive?A. Early in the season, when the bees are flying daily, it willdo no harm to feed them syrup just as thin as they will take it,say one part sugar to ten of water. And the same is true untilfairly late in the season. As the weather begins to be cool towardfall, the syrup must be given thicker and thicker, lest the bees donot have time to evaporate it sufficiently, and as late as Novemberit will not be well to feed a thinner syrup than two parts sugarto one of water, and two and one-half of sugar to one of water isstillbetter.Q. In making syrup two to one in boiling water, after it isthoroughly mixed, is it necessary to put it on the stove to let itcome to a boil?A. All that's needed is to dissolve the sugar, even if in coldwater.Q. How would you prepare sugar syrup to feed in cellar,when it is absolutely necessary to feed in mid-winter to preservefrom starvation?A. Just a plain syrup, two pints or pounds of water to fivepints or pounds of sugar. Stir the sugar slowly into the hot water,and be very careful not to scorch it. But you might do better tomake a plain candy and lay over the frames.Q. I have half a barrel of common syrup that is of no use tome. Would you let the bees have it in the spring? If so, how,and what time?A. Yes, there is generally a time in the spring when bees canfly every day but get little or no nectar. At such a time it will bewell to feed such syrup. Either feed in the hive with a Miller orother feeder, or if you are situated where neighbor bees will notget the lion's share, you can feed in the open air in shallow disheswith cork chips on top, or some other arrangement to keep thebees from drowning. Open-air feeding may be a little the best forthe bees—more like working inthe field.Q. Will you please inforiri me what kind of acid is used insyrup to keep it from granulating? And how much of the acid isused to a gallon of syrup?A. An even teaspoonful of tartaric acid for every 20 poundsof sugar is stirred into the syrup about the time the sugar is dissolved.The acid is first dissolved in a little water.Sumac.—Q. Does sumac yield honey? I removed some honeythis season that had a greenish tinge. The comb fairly melted