DEPAKTMENT REPORTS. 95 



I did not permit the colonies to swarm, but practiced artificial swarming, or 

 dividing. I lost three colonies, one coming out in the spring, and leaving at 

 once, witliout waiting to alight even ; the other two going oS this fall, before 1 

 suspected any such thing, choosing Sunday as the .time for their leave-taking. 

 Had I previously cropped the queen's wings, all of these would have been saved. 

 I have now no queens with uncropped wings. 



I have extracted during the season 507 pounds from the brood chamber. 

 About a third of this was from basswood, the other two-thirds from fall bloom, 

 and none was extracted except from worker-comb, which it was desired to keep 

 free from honev that it might be used for brood. 



During the season I have worked for conrb-honey, both in boxes and in small 

 frames, and found that I could secure much more in. the frames. I find, too, 

 that the honey in small frames is liked quite as well by consumers. 



In the spring I surrounded the apiaiy grounds with numerous honey-pro- 

 ducing shrubs and trees, as basswoods, locusts, crab-apple, shad-bush, etc. 

 Most of these have done well, — a few have died. These have been kept mulched, 

 and the ground about them well spaded al). the season. I have also set out more 

 evergreens, some for a wind-break, others for shade for bees ; and have started 

 some Concord grape-vines and Virginia creepers for shade. Some of the latter 

 plants have been, set about the house, that it may climb upon it, and has already 

 made a fine growth. I have also set out several kinds of bee-plants of more or 

 less repute. The following kinds have done well, and all have yielded bloom 

 except the two first, which will not bloom till another season : yellow trefoil 

 clover, yellow Bokhara clover, mignonette, black mustard, Chinese mustard, 

 borage, common and silver-leaf buckwheat, common and Chinese sunflower, 

 and Kocky mountain bee-plant. 



The following is the account with the apiary : 



APIARY. ^^^ 



To tools - $12 00 



seeds 2 25 



record book. 1 60 



45 lbs. sugar. 4 95 



lumber for hives IG 87 



'^ work-bench 2 00 



drawing lumber 1 00 



nails, brads, tacks, tins, and hooks (for hives) 7 75 



paint and oil (for hives) — 3 98 



students' labor (making hives) 18 23 



'' (making work-bench) 3 00 



Italian queens 19 60 



3 bee hats 1 55 



2 doz. registering cards 30 



1 oz. pep. essence 50 



4 lbs. comb foundation 3 50 



2^ lbs. beeswax 75 



students' labor in care of bees 7 68 



24 evergreens 3 00 



students' labor in care of experimental plats 15 35 



broken rake 50 



3 cart loads manure to mulch trees (for garden) @ 40c 1 20 



11^ wagon-loads manure for experimental plats (for farm) @ 25c- 2 88 



