Hi W. G. Miller,
 
>John Taylor's book says to feed swarms a sugar solution made up of 20 pounds
>of sugar to 1 gallon of water?   That's a 2.5 to 1 strength- fall feeding
>stuff.   Not what I want to feed a fresh package.
 
Thankfully I had lots of good help when I first tried this mixture.  I
posted a question about it on here and was immediately encourage to
use 1 to 1.  You wouldn't believe the difficulty I had getting that
stuff into solution!  About 1/3 of it sat on the bottom.
>
>I was  taught (and have had success with) feeding packages and weak colonies
>1 to 1 sugar syrup to simulate a nectar flow.  The lesser concentration
>simulates a natural nectar flow, and encourages the workers to draw comb and
>the queen to lay eggs.  Both of these are desirable in a package.
 
This must be what was meant by "stimulate them" when I was encourage
to use 1:1 instead of the aforementioned.  I kept forgeting to ask
what was meant by that.
>
>How long to feed?  Maryland is funny in that respect, for no nectar comes in
>during the summer.  I (in Maryland) would feed a package at least until the
>fall nectar flow starts, but I will be the first to say that is because of
>our local condidtions.
 
I stongly suspect that I will end up feeding a good deal of this first
season from what I'm seeing in the hive and reading in BEE-L.
 
Thanks to all for all the good information.
 
 
-- John Taylor --
Southeast Missouri
 
When in danger, or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout!