EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 141 



An experiment was made to determine the advantages and possible 

 disadvantages of the plain section. As it has been offered for sale by 

 the principal supply dealers for two seasons a description is unnecessary. 

 See Bee-Keeper's Review for January, 1898, also American Bee-Keeper 

 for December, 1898. 



Several supers were fitted with plain sections on one side and open top 

 on the other. In every case the bees began on the plain sections first and 

 they weighed the heavier, section for section. Of course it is to be re- 

 membered that the flow was light and in a heavy flow the open top and 

 bottom would#doubtless outweigh the plain when they were properly 

 filled. The fence separators are easily adjusted and the plain sections 

 are more easily cleaned, pack closer in the crate and look very much 

 better on the market. The combs selected were a fair sample and it will 

 be readily seen that the plain ones are the most attractive. They are an 

 improvement and have many advantages over the old style. 



Less than a mile north of the College Apiary'is a large marsh of nearly 

 8,000 acres. This marsh is nearly five miles long and is rich in boneset, 

 wild bergamot, willow-leafed spirea, coreopsis and goldenrod. The 

 bees in the yard worked on these flowers quite freely and August 1, 

 eight colonies of equal strength, were weighed up and four of them 

 were moved three miles north into the center of the marsh. These four 

 were returned to the yard October 7, after the honey flora had been 

 killed by the frosts. The weights were as follows: 



Weight of four colonies left at home, 278 pounds, average 69^ pounds 

 each. 



Weight of four colonies taken to the marsh, 268 pounds, average 

 67 pounds each. 



Total gain of those left at home in 68 days, 35 pounds, average 8 3-4 

 pounds each. 



Total gain of those taken to marsh, 156 pounds, average 39 pounds 

 each. 



Total gain of the four colonies taken to the marsh over those left 

 at home was 121 pounds, average 30^ pounds each. These colonies were 

 in better condition than those left at home. 



Besides this, owing to the fact that they were so far away, constant 

 attention was impossible and two of the colonies swarmed. This weak- 

 ened them so much that nearly all the gain was made by the two col- 

 onies that did not swarm. 



This experiment clearly demonstrates the fact that although bees will 

 fly a long distance after honey, when they are moved directly to the 

 flora they will store much more nectar than if compelled to fly to it and 

 bring it back a drop at a time. The honey gathered at the home yard 

 and in the marsh was identically the same during this period, so the 

 bees were undoubtedly all working on the same field. 



The continued experiment on bees' tongues did not make such marked 

 progress as it did last year. At the beginning of this season the longest 

 tongues in the yard measured 5.41 m. m. 



One direct cross was made, but owing to the large number of drones 

 from common stock in the surrounding country, no other queens were 

 satisfactorily mated. The bees from this cross have made a gain of .9 

 m. m., and now measure 6.31 m. m. The experiment will be continued. 



The year has been a poor one for the apiculturist in this section, 



