Mar. 17, 1904. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



197 



I Convention Proceedings J 



The Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Convention. 



BY JA8. A. STONE, SEC. 



Spkingfield, III., June 18, 1903. 



Due notice having been given, the Illinois State Bee- 

 Keepers' Association met in Room 17 of the State House, at 

 the call of the President, for the purpose of electing a Foul 

 Brood Inspector for the State of Illinois, for the years 1903 

 and 190-1 ; and to transact such other business as might 

 come before the meeting. 



The meeting was called to order, with Pres. Crim in the 

 chair. 



Mr. Crim nominated Mr. J. Q. Smith, of Lincoln, to fill 

 the office of Foul Brood Inspector for Illinois for the two 

 years named in the call, viz.: 1903 and 1904. Mr. Crim 

 put the question, which was carried unanimously. 



By a vote it was recommended that the Inspector be 

 allowed four dollars ($4.00) per day and his expenses, for 

 time actually and necessarily spent in carrying out the intent 

 of the law. 



The Association favored our joining the National Bee- 

 Keepers' Association in a body, if such arrangements could 

 be made. 



Adjourned. Jas. A. Stone, Sec. 



REPORT OF THE ANNUAL STATE CONVENTION. 



The 13th annual session of the Illinois State Bee-Keep- 

 ers' Association met at the State House on Nov. 17, 1903, 

 for a two days' session. 



Called to order with Pres. Smith in the chair. The fore- 

 noon session was passed in getting acquainted with one 

 another. A motion was carried that the chairman appoint a 

 committee of three on Resolutions, and a recess was taken till 

 1:30 p.m. 



At 1:30 p.m. the meeting was called to order, with Pres. 

 Smith in the chair. 



The Pri^sident named the Committee on Resolutions as 

 follows : Jas. A. Stone, S. N. Black, and E. J. Baxter. 



The Secretary made a verbal report of the numerous 

 efforts the Legislative Committee had made in the last decade 

 to secure laws opposed to the adulteration of honey and other 

 foods ; against spraying of fruit-trees while in bloom with 

 poisonous liquids ; and of the continuous efforts they had 

 made to secure a foul brood law, until they finally succeeded, 

 by their persistent efforts and the valuable assistance of the 

 Chicago-Northwestern, the American Bee Journal, and many 

 of the bee-keepers of the State, in securing the present law 

 that was placed on our statute books by the last legislature. 



The Secretary reported in the same manner what had 

 been done by the Premium-List Committee in securing a pre- 

 mium list from the State Board of Agriculture, which has 

 given us a list which we think is second to none in the United 

 States, unless it be those that have it given to their States 

 only. We think ours should be limited to the State only, and 

 it would result in larger and finer exhibits. We are very 

 much indebted to H. J. Cater, Superintendent of the Apiarian 

 Department at the Fair, for the liberality of our premium list, 

 and for the care he has taken to see that we were fairly 

 treated as exhibitors and visitors at the State Fair. 



The Secretary also reported that Superintendent of Agri- 

 culture for Illinois at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition — 

 Will I>. Otwell — was in correspondence with us, and was desir- 

 ous that our Association make an exhibit at the said World's 

 Fair, similar to the one made by the same at the Columbian 

 World's Fair. 



Ou motion by Mr. Becker, it was ordered that an exhibit 

 be made if the Commission would give the same amount that 

 our State gave the Association for the Columbian Exposition, 

 viz.: ($3500) three thousand five hundred dollars, and that 

 the Executive Committee have charge of the correspondcnii-, 

 and of the whole matter pertaining to the exhibit in case one 

 be made. 



The Association voted to complete the arrangement, par- 

 tially made at the last called meeting, whereby 50 cents from 

 each membership fee be paid for one year's membership in the 

 National Bee-Keepers' Association. 



The treasurer's report was read as follows : 



Pleasant I'i.ains, III., Nov. ItJ, 1903. 

 Treasurer's Report of the Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association, 

 July 13, 1903— 



Received of State Treasurer «1000 



Paid on order No. 1, to State Inspector $ 7.T 00 



2, " " 31 10 



Total paid S106 10 



Balance on hand at this dale 893 90 *1000 



Chas. Becker, Treas. 



QUESTION-BOX — RE A KING QUEENS. 



Mr. Crim— What is the best plan for rearing queens for 

 our own use ? 



Pres. Smith — Take your best queen away from her hive, 

 then after a number of queen-cells have been sealed, form 

 nuclei and place the combs containing these queen-cells in 

 them. 



Mr. Black— The most satisfactory way I have ever tried 

 has been to select the colony, or colonies, from which I wish 

 to rear queens, stimulate early by feeding until the colony is 

 well provided with eggs and brood, then take the queen from 

 the colony, and introduce her into some colony where you wish 

 to requeen. The colony made queenless will form numerous 

 iiueen-cells, and when the queen-cells are capped take a 

 frame with queen-cell to be substituted for a frame in the 

 colony you wish to requeen. To be sure they may not destroy 

 the queen-cells so substituted, have an empty hive, take out 

 all the frames and place in it, and while so doing catch the 

 queen and pinch off her head. Then shake all the bees onto 

 the ground two or three feet from the old hive and replace 

 the frames, including the one that has the queen-cell, in the 

 old hive, allowing the bees to run into the old hive ; close up, 

 and the work is done. In case of more than one queen-cell on 

 the frame, they can be placed in other hives in the same man- 

 ner, by cutting out and inserting in the frames of the hive. In 

 this way you can treat as many colonies as you have queen- 

 cells. By using drone-traps, drones from objectionable colonies 

 may be caught. 



Mr. Smith — My plan is to select the best honey-gatherers, 

 and of the gentlest disposition. Stimulate during fruit-bloom. 

 As soon as the first swarm issues from it, exchange hives with 

 the next strongest one ; in this way you add to hive No. 1 all 

 the field-bees from the strong swarm, and in a few days the 

 young queens will issue from hive No. 1 with a prime swarm. 

 As soon as possible change the place of hive No. 1 a second 

 time with another strong colony, and continue this procedure 

 as long as you hear piping, or at least three colonies may be 

 requeened from each select colony with virgin queens from 

 prime colonies. 



BEGINNING WORK ON WHITE CLOVER. 



Mr. Primm — How early can we expect our bees to begin 

 work on white clover ? 



Mr. Baxter— Bees seldom store honey from white clover 

 earlier than June 10. 



Mr. Becker— I have known of bees storing an abundance 

 of honey from white clover as early as May 20. 



INFALLIBLE METHOD OF INTRODUCING QUEENS. 



James Poindexter— When we say infallible, we mean that 

 with us it has been an unfailing process, when practiced dur- 

 ing the past 12 or 15 years, and shall claim the right to use 

 the above heading, until at least we meet with one failure. 



While we have not used the method exclusively, yet it has 

 been a success under very unfavorable conditions, such as 

 when colonies had been queenless for weeks, and in a few 

 instances laying workers were present in the hive when the 

 queen was released, and in times when honey was scarce and 

 robber-bees were plentiful. Also, it has been a success when 

 other methods tried on obstinate colonies failed. We will say, 

 however, that we did not give Dr. Miller's method of intro- 

 duction by baptism a trial. 



The success of the method is based on the principle that 

 animals, as a rule, are less belligerent, and more amiable with 

 a full stomach than otherwise. The genus homo and the 

 honey-bee being no exceptions. 



Our way of operation is this : First see that the colony 

 is queenless, and has plenty of honey for the bees to fill them- 

 selves with. Then get all the bees possible inside, close the 

 hive bee-tight, with proper ventilation ; cause the bees to fill 

 themselves by smoking and jarring the hive. This last I do 

 by putting a thin strip under the bottom-board, so as to bal- 

 ance the hive, and vibrate it back and forth. This is done for 

 15 minutes or more ; if there is no unsealed honey it reqiiires 

 longer. 



Now see that the queen and attendants have had a good 

 square meal, and make an oixMiing at the entrance, side or 

 top of hive, and cause the queen and escort to run in, by 



