72 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



m 



under different conditions. The investigations may be said to be progress- 

 ing as favorably as could be expected, and the results are taking definite 

 form. However, two more years must elapse at least before we can give 

 our results, for, beginniug at the very bottom of the matter, it must needs 

 develop slowly if any trustworthy conclusions are reached. 



As a conclusion, I may add that many samples have been analyzed for 

 farmers during the course of the year, and in connection with the "State 

 Live Stock Sanitary Commission" several bacteriological analyses have 

 been made. 



Very respectfullv submitted, 



CHARLES E. MARSHALL. 



CoPEXHAGEX, Denmark, 

 June 20, 1899. 



The report has been written without access to my notes; accordingly, 

 no details have been inserted. — (Author.) 



REPORT OF THE APIARIST. 



To the Director: 



Sir — The following is the report of the work done in the Apiarv from 

 November 1. 1898, to June 30, 1899 : 



The bees were put into the cellar late in November, thirty-two colonies 

 in all after the weaker ones were united. The stores in fhe hives were 

 almost all from boneset and coreopsis and all colonies had an abundance. 

 Three colonies were fed sugar syrup entirely. The cellar was in good con- 

 dition in the fall and the bees were quiet and seemed to be wintering 

 finely. Temperature was kept at 15 degrees F. 



During the extremely cold weather in February a water pipe froze 

 and burst. This flooded the cellar before it was discovered, so that the 

 water nearly covered the floor. As the drains were frozen solid, the water 

 could not run off and so the air was loaded with moisture and gas. These 

 conditions are not at all favorable to the successful wintering of bees, 

 and, as a consequence, on April 13, 1899, when they were taken out, 

 seven of the thirty-two colonies were dead and many more were weakened 

 so much that they could not survive. 



The lesson learned was that bees will winter successfully only in a per- 

 fect cellar, and if such a cellar is not available they should be wintered 

 out of doors. 



The three colonies that had sugar syrup for their stores came through 

 the winter in good condition, showing that sugar is a good winter food 

 under any conditions. 



Owing to the weakened colonies there were no early swarms. May 25 

 being the first. 



A course in bee keeping was given to the Agricultural Freshmen, sixty- 

 five in all, each student having twelve hours w^ork in the yard. 



During the present season we hope to make several experiments along 

 the line of foundation tests and migratory bee keeping, as well as many 

 others. The condition of the bees at the present time is fair, and some 

 honey is being stored. 



During the winter I have attended the State Bee-Keepers' Convention 



