MillerThousand AnswersBeekeepingQuestions.pdf - BioBees

252 DR. miller'sboilci- off the slovf and stirred in the sugar. I used two i>ciundsof sugar to one of water.A. I must say there is something I don't understand about thissugar-acid business. There arc those who, as ycni say, insist thatno acid is needed, and they are very enipliatie about it. A veryfew say that the sugar liardens in spite of the acid, and you arcone of the unfortunate few. Tlie time and manner of feedingmay" have something to do witli it. If you feed as early as Augustor tlie first of Septeml)er, and use mcire water tlian sugar, I don'tbelieve acid is needed. Even if you feed lieavier syrup, if youfeed it slowly, there should l)e no troulile. But with late feedingof thick syrup, I should feel safer witli the acid. 1 liardly secwhy you sliould fail; you used more acid than I ever used, andI never had any trouble, altliough I have had much e.xiierience.Still it is possible that the mode of proceeding may have soniethingto do with it, and I'll tell you how 1 proceeded, wlien I fedlate with heavy syrup: Water was put intt) a vessel on the stove,and when at or near the boiling point, sugar was slowly stirred inat the rate of 5 pounds of sugar to a ([uart of water. The stirringwas continued until the sugar was dissolved, so that ihe sugarmight not settle to the bott(mi and be burned. When the sugarwas dissolved, an even tcaspoonful of tartaric acid for every 20pounds of sugar, previously dissolved in water, was stirred intothe syrup, and it was taken from the fire. 1 would liardly supposethat your reversing the order would make any dilTerence,still it might.Toads.— (J. I have seen a frog or toad on the alighting-ijoardof the hive, close to the entrance, late in the evening, just whenthe bees have clustered on the outside tliese warm, dry days andnights. I did not see the toad eat any bees at this time, but Iwonder if he doesn't.A. Yes, there has l)een a good deal of testimony that frogsand toads cat bees. Toads are such useful creatures in the gardenthat they may pay for eating ,i few liees by the number ofinjurious insects they destroy.Q. How do you keep toads from eating bees?A. Perhaps no better way than to raise hives so high thattoads cannot reach the entrance.Tongue of Bee».—Q. Are there long-tongued bees? 1 canhardly swallow that, I think that is only a selling point for tliosewho have queens for sale. I have a few colonics, and I intend t(j