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THE AMERICAN BEE JOLHNAL. 



Feb. 4, 1904. 



in the United States. Nearly every other exposition has 

 been somewhat local, but St. Louis is universally conceded 

 to be the best place for it. Though this last year has been 

 one of the off years, he is confident that a good display can 

 be made, by including next season. Some say they sent 

 exhibits to former exhibitions, but never heard of them 

 again ; but he will have charge of this exhibit, and will see 

 that everything is returned or sold, and the proceeds turned 

 over. He knows the exhibit he made in Omaha sold a great 

 deal of Colorado honey, and is sure that this will. A fine 

 display can be made if all chip in what they can. He ex- 

 pects to give all his judgment to the matter, and use the 

 judgment of others. He has the promise of the best space, 

 and the best location, in the Horticultural Building. He 

 especially recommended sending something special, out of 

 the common order, as it catches the eyes of many thousands, 

 and goes a long way toward the success of a general display; 

 it costs more to prepare such an exhibit, but it pays. The 

 superintendent has promised to arrange to have colonies of 

 bees there in working order. 



Mr. Wilson spoke in the same vein, saying that Colo- 

 rado melons have a national reputation through Senator 

 Swink's advertising, and we can have the same reputation 

 for honey by advertising in the same way. Each individual 

 who sends an exhibit will be given credit for it. 



Pres. Harris — Unless we look out the Mormons will 

 take the first prize. They are making extensive prepara- 

 tions for the Exposition. 



Mr. Gill — I move the Colorado State Bee-Keepers' Asso- 

 ciation give earnest and loyal support in getting up a proper 

 exhibit at St. Eouis next year. [Carried.] 



Mrs. Mary Wright, State Dairy Commissioner, was in- 

 troduced, and said she would do all in her power to aid the 

 bee-keepers in doing away with the competition of impure 

 honey. 



Mr. M. A. Gill, of Boulder Co., then read the following 

 paper : 

 TO WHAT EXTENT WILL IT PAY COLORADO BEE= 

 KEEPERS TO MANUFACTURE THEIR OWN 

 SUPPLIES? 



In my opinion the time has come when the bee-keepers 

 of the West' should manufacture the most of their supplies. 



In making our own supplies, as in buying them, one of 

 the vexations is that we require so many different systems, 

 which, of course, will require different kinds of hives. But 

 these notions of ours can be met just as well by making 

 them as by buying them ; the only difference will be, it 

 will cost a little more, like it does any manufacturer to be 

 all the time changing his machinery. 



We should simplify our fixtures just as much as possi- 

 ble, and this will not only cheapen them, but enable us to 

 handle more bees. Most amateurs, when they look at a 

 complicated hive-cover, or a complicated frame that is hard 

 to make, will think that there is some hidden potency in the 

 construction that is necessary for them to secure the largest 

 production of honey, or the successful wintering of their 

 bees. But the practical, experienced bee-man knows that 

 the more simple we can meet the requirements of the bees 

 the better it is for the bees, as well as the most profitable 

 for the owner; and that many of the complications are a 

 trick of the manufacturers to head us off from making our 

 own supplies. 



It has been said that Colorado had no lumber that would 

 make a good beehive, and I, myself, used to think that way. 

 But four years ago I made 200 hives and 600 supers from 

 white spruce. The lumber was well seasoned. I cut them 

 accurately and nailed them up in a workman-like manner, 

 and gave them two good coats of lead and zinc paint, and I 

 find them to-day in better repair than hives made from soft 

 pine by Eastern manufacturers. When I say better repair, 

 I mean the whole IS -story, which includes the super, cover, 

 and hive-follower, all of which are a nuisance as now made 

 by the factories. 



There is also a species of soft white pine that grows 

 high up in the snow in the vicinity of Long's Peak, that 

 also makes a good hive. Most bee-keepers around Long- 

 mont have been making their own hives for the past four 

 years. We find it the most satisfactory to give our orders 

 for lumber right to the mill owner, and have our lumber cut 

 with proper regard to width and thickness, so that when 

 the lumber is seasoned, planed, and cut into hives, there is 

 the least possible waste. 



We have bought our pattern slats (for supers) and HoflF- 

 man frames in the East, and for my own part, for comb 

 honey and rapid handling, I must say I prefer the Hoffman 

 frame, but as the price has gone to 2;i cents each, I think 

 we shall change to a plain staple-spaced frame, with heavy 



top-bar, and made from our best, picked, native material ; 

 and I think they can be made for one cent each. 



I will say to any one who intends to make his own 

 hives. Don't make them from any lumber you can pick up, 

 or you will be sorry you did not buy your hives at any cost. 

 Two years ago I could not get white spruce or white pine, 

 and so I made my hives and supers from what was called 

 Arizona spruce, and it proved very unsatisfactory. Mr. 

 Hickox also made a quantity that season from the same 

 material, and I think it about disgusted him with home- 

 made hives. Thus, I say, get the best native material, 

 have it well-seasoned, then make it up in a workman-like 

 manner, paint it good, and your hives will prove satisfac- 

 tory, and you can make nearly two for the price of one 

 Eastern hive. 



Our Longmont hive is made so that all parts are inter- 

 changeable with the standard 8 or 10 frame hives, but, in 

 my opinion, it is a better and more substantial hive. 



We have a better super, more convenient for rapid 

 handling, and more substantial. For my part, I do not like 

 the little wiggly, short-lived section-holders of the factory- 

 made hives. I do not like the hive-followers that are made 

 from the scrap-pile at the factory, nor do I like the covers 

 as furnished by the factories, that will leak and commence 

 falling to pieces within two years in this climate. 



But I am not here to discuss my own likes and dislikes, 

 nor my particular kind of hive and fixtures, but that a good 

 hive can be made from Western lumber, and at a price that 

 we can afford. 



I want to say that I have no complaint to make against 

 any Eastern manufacturer, nor any Western dealer, nor 

 have I any hives to sell, nor any interest in the sale or 

 manufacture of any hives or fixtures. I am simply a honey- 

 producer, and from this stand-point I find it sensible, as 

 well as profitable, to have as little money tied up in fixtures 

 as possible and still keep our bees in merchantable shape. 



While we have never made any shipping-cases, I believe 

 they can be very profitably made somewhere in the West 

 for 10 cents each, even if they are not quite so fancy in ap- 

 pearance as the Eastern made. 



We are told that the prices of sections have been nearly 

 doubled on account of the great scarcity of basswood 

 lumber, and that we must soon return to the use of the four- 

 piece section. I will say that when I can not have the 

 Rauchfuss press and the one-piece section, I shall return to 

 the production of extracted honey entirely. With regard to 

 this, let me say. Have no fear for the next few generations 

 but what the dealers will furnish us with basswood sections 

 if we pay the $4.00 and $5.00 per thousand. If I did not 

 know something about the millions of feet of standing bass- 

 wood to be found in that section of our country lying be- 

 tween the great Mankato woods in Minnesota and extend- 

 ing to New York, and including the Canadas, I should 

 think perhaps that the great shortage of basswood lumber 

 was the only cause for the recent excessive rise in the price 

 of sections ; but I know that the price of basswood lumber 

 in my old State (Wisconsin) has not risen as has the price 

 of sections. 



There is a great future for the bee-industry in the 

 great West, and the new Moffet railroad will open up a sec- 

 tion of country where there are vast quantities of lumber 

 that will make good bee-supplies (not including sections), 

 and in my opinion there is a good field right now for the 

 extensive manufacture of bee-supplies right here in this 

 Western country. M. A. Gix,!,. 



Mr. Gill — I want to say a few things not in the paper. 

 I feel that while we have been allowed to be carried along 

 in advance of the prices, the time has come to show those 

 people they can't infringe on us. Material is not so scarce. 

 The only way is to force them to come down. 



F. Rauchfuss — At what price can you buy lumber in 

 Longmont suitable for hives ? 



Mr. Gill — White spruce, just such ^yidths and thick- 

 nesses as are wanted, costs us $10.50 per thousand ; and 

 well-seasoned, $17.50 per thousand, and §3.00 for dressing. 



F. Rauchfuss — How does it run as to knots ? 



Mr. Gill— We picked the lumber. There are some knots, 

 but they are tight, and do not show through the paint. 



Mr. Whipple — I made 300 supers at a cost of not quite 10 

 cents apiece, as good as anything I can buy. 



Mr. Aikin — How shall we reconcile our use of native 

 lumber with our support of the Forestry Association ? 



Mr. Gill — We will observe the laws, but this is a ques- 

 tion by itself. 



H. Rauchfuss— I believe the time has come to manu- 

 facture our own supplies, not only in Colorado, but in the 



