HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 167 



other kinds. I have some eight kinds of hives, but have settled 

 down to the Langstroth. 



I winter my bees in the same manner as Mr. Urie. I raise the 

 hives and allow a space for the bees to drop down and have never 

 lost a swarm where I followed that plan. I make a frame an inch 

 and a half to two inches high and set the hive upon that. I give 

 good ventilation. 



The result of the summer's work is this; we have averaged 

 ninety pounds of honey to the hive. Some of it is very nice. 

 My experience in bee culture has extended over about twelve 

 years. The lady over there speaks of bad results; that is we 

 sometimes lose our bees. Whenever I lose a swarm I think it is 

 my own fault, through negligence or ignorance. During the past 

 two years when so many complained of losses I did not lose a 

 colony. But I calculate to know their exact condition. In this 

 way I make my bees pay me from eight to twelve dollars a 

 colony. I calculate anyone can make two hundred per cent upon 

 their investment; that is my idea of the bee story. But I am not 

 a bee man as my business is mainly in something else. 



One needs to study and learn the habits of bees in order to 

 succeed. People may get a dozen or twenty colonies and then 

 become discouraged because they don' t understand how to take 

 care of them. 



We ought to have a bee-keepers association, so the bee men 

 could meet together and have a sort of experience meeting and 

 relate their successes and failures. We need something of the 

 kind to keep up our courage. My father was a pretty good bee- 

 keeper and I recollect a good many things I learned when I was 

 ten to fifteen years of age. 



Mr. Taylor said he would favor the organization of a bee-keep- 

 ers association. There were a good many bee men present, and 

 they ought to organize such a society before the delegates re- 

 turned to their homes. 



Mr. Wilcox. Mr. President, I wish to say that Minnesota is 

 very favorably situated for the production of honey. In the 

 month of September last, in many localities, especially along the 

 river bottoms, the flow of honey was remarkably good, while the 

 product from the white clover was the lowest in importance. 

 At my apiary, at Hastings, my bees make more honey during 

 that month than in any other, and it is of great value. From 

 my back door I can see hundred? of acres of wild flowers at that 

 season of the year. Here is where they get their great flow of 



