April 21, 1904. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



293 



wide side-bars, wire nails or staples are in tlie way of the knife or tlie 

 comb-basket, and all manipulations can be done more quickly than 

 with any of the lixed frames known to me. I believe I have tried all 

 of them, I do not recommend this arran;;enient tor deeper frames. 



K. C. AiKiN (Colo.) — This is practically answered in No. 7. Use 

 deep frames of the hanging style, but shallow ones of close-titting 

 ends and standing, no space behind end-bars. My shallow frames 

 have top and bottom bars identical, a scant inch wide, and a plump I4 

 thick. End-bars 1\ wide and 's thick. 



Dr. C. C. Miller (111.) — Fewest and smallest points of contact 

 possible, so as to avoid trouble with propolis. Cut-olT top-bars with 

 staples for end-spacing. Top, end, and bottom bars all the same 

 width, IV^. Frames spaced apart by means of nails, with heads i^ 

 inch thick, if I could get them ; if not, with common wire nails. 



E. S. I.OVEST (Utah. ) — I don't think I would want to use a Hxed 

 frame of any size or style, because I know of no advantage of a fixed 

 frame, only possibly in moving from one locality to another, and this 

 can be remedied by fastening strips over the tops of the movable 

 frame, and its advantage to the bee-keeper in the general manage- 

 ment of his bees are too numerous to mention. 



.J. M. Hamkaugh (Calif.) — In this locality I have chosen the 

 regular lT\x!iV, Langstroth, and 10 to the hive, and the distinguish- 

 ing features are: I can use the same size for both brood and surplus 

 in running to extricting, and 10 well-filled combs are sufficiently 

 heavy for one man to handle; besides, it comes nearest being the uni- 

 versal size. We should minimize details and labor. 



E. Whitcomb (Xebr.) — The distinguishing features of a fixed 

 frame would be that I would not want a thing to do with it. I am a 

 member of the church, and have a great desire to remain in good 

 standing not only with the church, but with God. With fixed frames 

 I am afraid that I might be tempted to backslide. In speaking of 

 grace, our Savior, we fear, did not have in mind the perplexities of 

 fixed frames. 



J. A. Green (Colo.) — I would use, as I do now, a frame with 

 close-fitting ends, pressed tightly together with a screw, as in the 

 Heddon hive, but separated by a Oee-space from the end of the hive. 

 These frames are immovable while thehive is being handled or hauled, 

 while, when loosened up, they are handled almost as easily as a free- 

 hanging frame, and more easily, by far, than frames of the Hoffman 

 type. Moreover, the close-fitting ends make the ends of the hive 

 practically double-walled, giving protection against heat and cold. 



[ Convention Proceedings ) 



Report of the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Convention 

 Held in Trenton, Dec. 1, 2, and 3, 1903. 



BY MORI,EY PKTTIT. 



(Continued from page 2S0.) 

 The following^ paper was read by Mr. John Fixter : 



FEEDING BEES IN THEIR WINTER QUARTERS. 



Owing to the past unfavorable season for honey-gather- 

 ing in the Ottawa valley, many letters have been received 

 from people who have only a few colonies of bees, stating 

 that when carrying their bees into winter quarters they had 

 discovered there did not seem to be a sufficient store of 

 honey in the hive to carry the bees through the winter. To 

 gain information as to the best method of overcoming this 

 difficulty the following experiment was tried with 6 strong 

 colonies of bees : 



Four frames of sealed honey were taken from each of 

 the t) colonies, leaving the cluster on the 4 remaining 

 frames. The four frames were left in the centerof the hive 

 with a division-board at each side, and some light packing 

 was placed between the division-boards and the sides of the 

 hive. The wooden covers were removed, and a large propo- 

 lis quilt made of heavy canvas placed over the top of each 

 hive. Over the top of the propolis quilt extra packing was 

 placed to keep in the heat, absorb moisture, and prevent 

 drafts or upward ventilation. The bottom-boards were left 

 on as they came from the bee-yard, leaving the entrances 

 wide open. 



The experiment was as follows : 



1. Two colonies received maple sugar of the best 

 quality. 



2. Two colonies received candied honey and sugar. 



3. Two colonies received partly-filled sections of honey. 

 Each colony, when put on this test, weighed 31 pounds. 



and each was given 5 pounds of its particular food to start 

 with. The experiment lasted from Nov. 18, 1902, to March 

 22, 1903. 



The 2 colonies fed on maple sugar consumed 11 '2 pounds 

 each ; they were examined every two weeks, and water 

 added to the sugar through holes in the tops of the cakes, 

 keeping it soft and moist. 



The 2 colonies fed on partly filled sections of honey 

 consumed during the same time 14'+ pounds each. There 

 was for several reasons considerable waste in this test, and 

 if partly-filled sections could be sold even at a reduced 

 price, it would be advisable to do so instead of feeding back. 



The 2 colonies that were given candied honey consumed 

 10-V pounds each. The candied honey was moistened at in- 

 tervals, which made it easier for the bees to suck up. Can- 

 died honey is made as follows : Take good, thick clover 

 honey and heat (not boil) it until it becomes very thin, then 

 stir in fine granulated sugar. After stirring in all the 

 sugar the honey will absorb, take it out of the utensils in 

 which it has been mixed, and thoroughly knead it with the 

 hands. The kneading makes it more pliable and soft, so 

 that it absorbs, or rather takes up, more sugar. The knead- 

 ing operation, with the adding of fine sugar, should be con- 

 tinued until the dough is so stiff as to be quite hard to work. 

 It should then be allowed to stand for a day or two, and if 

 at the end of that time it is so soft as to run, or to be sticky, 

 a little more sugar should be kneaded in. It should be cut 

 into convenient sized cakes and placed on top of the frames 

 in such a way that the bees can get at it easily. 



The colonies in all three tests came through in excellent 

 condition. Any of the three methods may be safely fol- 

 lowed, but I would strongly recommend examining and 

 weighing all bees the first week in September. At that 

 time every colony should have a good laying queen, and 

 should weigh over SO pounds. In seasons when there is no 

 fall flow of honey all colonies in Langstroth hives weighing 

 less than SO pounds in September should be fed up to that 

 weight at least. The best method for getting colonies up to 

 the required weight is, when extracting to save several full 

 well-sealed combs, then remove some of the light ones out 

 of the hives and replace them with the heavier full frames. 

 If no honey is available feed sugar syrup ; this latter plan 

 is rather a tedious one, and great care must be taken not to 

 daub the hives or appliances, as robbing at this season of 

 the year is very easily started and very hard to stop. 



Sugar syrup may be made as follows : Use the best 

 grade of granulated sugar, two parts to one of water by 

 weight. The water should first be brought to a boil, then 

 the pan or vessel set back on the stove so that the boiling 

 will not continue, but the water be kept sufficiently hot to 

 dissolve all the sugar. 



The sugar should be poured in slowly and thoroughly 

 stirred until all is dissolved. The syrup should then be fed 

 in a lukewarm condition. John Fixter, 



Experimental Farm Bee-Keeper. 



Mr. Holtermann — We must understand what is meant 

 by a damp cellar. Because a stream of water runs through 

 it the air will probably be dryer, because the cold water 

 condenses moisture from the warmer air, carrying it off out 

 of the cellar. It also carries out impurities, and is actually 

 a drying and ventilating agent. 



Mr. Sibbald did not consider feeding in the cellar prac- 

 tical ; should be adopted only as a last resort. 



Mr. Darling — Any port in a storm. I would feed candy 

 on the tops of the frames. 



Mr. Holtermann thought when dealing with living 

 things like bees, where there are so many conditions to con- 

 sider, larger numbers of colonies should be used. 



Mr. Morrison— If the moisture was going to kill them, 

 three colonies are enough to lose ; if not, they could try 

 more next time. 



COLOR AND FLAVOR OF HONKY. 



Several members spoke highly of sainfoin, but expressed 

 a desire that we test the quality of the honey before recom- 

 mending it to farmers generally. 



Mr. Timber— For example, grass peas give a very poor 

 quality of honey, so should not be recommended. 



Mr. Holtermann— Italian bees prefer light-colored 

 honey, if given a choice. 



Mr. Lott— Sainfoin gives a very fine quality of honey. 



Some one expressed the opinion that color preference 

 was only a fad ; that public opinion was liable to change if 

 an amber honey were found with good flavor. 



The following resolution was passed : 



Resolved, That the government be advised to plant an 

 enlarged area of sainfoin in order to test the quality of the 

 honey. 



