424 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOLRINAC. 



June 16, 1904. 



there is honey to gather. The question of controlling 

 is also a matter of location. 



Mr. Hershiser — The difference in sweet clover honey 

 yield is mostly in the atmospheric conditions. In poor sea- 

 sons the bees mix in pollen, which gives the honey a green- 

 ish tinge. As to the yields of honey, much depends upon 

 the man. 



Mr. Betsinger — The time is coming when these big 

 yields reported in the West and in Cuba will not be any 

 more. Climatic conditions change. 



Mr. Hershiser — It depends upon the weather. 



Mr. Holtermann — The difference in a short distance is 

 astonishing. Conditions which give a good growth of the 

 plant give a good flow of honey. On the heavier soil you 

 get a larger percentage of sugar in beets. Where the soil is 

 failing, honey-production fails. Then there are weather 

 conditions ; clover requires moist, warm weather ; basswood 

 requires cooler weather. The loss of forests injures the 

 honey-flow. There must be a solid subsoil, but the surface 

 must not be too hard. The best is a clay loam with a sub- 

 soil which is not leachy. Buckwheat is very sensitive to 

 moisture, and does better near a lake shore on a well-drained 

 clay soil. 



Mr. House — When the two crops are grown, all dark 

 honey should be extracted from the brood-chamber before 

 the white honey-flow begins. 



NONSWARMING. 



Mr. Holtermann said that he would just like to intro- 

 duce the subject, as he had not had suflficient notice to put 

 his thoughts in proper shape. During certain portions of 

 the season a great deal of time is spent in chasing swarms. 

 Even if we want increase this is expensive, as we can get 

 it much more cheaply by forming nuclei. In the preven- 

 tion of swarming we must consider the man, the hive, the 

 location, and the bees. In studying the bees we must study 

 their tendency to hang together. Then we must have a 

 large hive, plenty of ventilation, store-room and shade. 

 With reference to location, Mr. Holtermann said that he 

 had an almost continuous flow from early spring right on 

 to the end of the season in September. Under such condi- 

 tions it is much harder to prevent swarming than though 

 there are breaks in the season. He does not like breaking 

 down queen-cells unless the season is nearly over. 



N. D. West prevents swarming by a method which, at 

 the same time, requeens the apiary every year. This method 

 is described in Mr. West's catalog, and need not be repeated 

 here. 



Mr. Betsinger — To get good comb honey, only put sec- 

 tions on those that are strong. A continuous season means 

 swarming ; a break means non-swarming. Let them lie 

 still a couple of days. Put them in cold storage. To pre- 

 vent travel-stain one must have new separators, and new 

 combs in the brood-chamber. 



THE MODKRATOR'S report. 



Mr. Betsinger, the former moderator, told how he man- 

 aged to regulate the price of honey. He would watch the 

 whole season through to keep track of the amount of honey 

 likely to be put upon the market, from his estimate of the 

 retail price, and go personally to all the dealers, telling 

 them what to charge for honey. They had learned to have 

 confidence in him, and would take his advice. He consid- 

 ered that poor comb honey had injured the market consider- 

 ably. Good white honey never goes begging. 



POINTS FROM THE DISCUSSION. 



Many favored the square section. One buyer, Mr. Cass, 

 was willing to buy 100,000 pounds of comb honey if it is 

 good, and in square sections. 



Mr. Hershiser said the oblong section was the one put 

 up by the late J. E. Hetherington, the greatest comb-honey 

 producer in the United States. 



Mr. France — The most important part of bee-keeping 

 at present is the business end. 



RESOLUTIONS. 

 The followiflg were passed : 



Resolved, That it's the sense of this convention that 

 the apicultural interests of this State be properly repre- 

 sented at the lyouisiana Purchase Exposition at St. L,ouis, 

 and that the Commission of New York be requested to pro- 

 vide sufficient funds to meet the expenses of such an ex- 

 hibit ; and that it be collected, installed and maintained by 

 a competent bee-keeper of this State. Also, that a commit- 

 tee be appointed to urge immediate action upon the part of 

 said commission. 



Whereas, The Secretary of Agriculture, in his last 

 Annual Report to the President, strongly urged the trans- 

 formation of the Division of Entomology of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture into a Bureau, therefore 

 be it 



Resolved, That we, the Onondaga Co., N. Y., bee-keep- 

 ers in convention assembled, approve of the recommenda- 

 tion of the Secretary of Agriculture, that the Division of 

 Entomology be transformed into a Bureau. 



Resolved, That we urge our representative, the Hon. 

 M. E. Dristel, to vote and work for such a change, and that 

 a copy of these resolutions be sent to him. 



Dr. Parker, 1 

 Irvan Kbnyon, [■ Com. 

 S. D. House, ) 



[ Our Bee-Hcepin§ Sisters | 



Conducted by Emma M. Wilson. Marengo, 111. 



A Poem foF the Sisters. 



I am sure the sisters will enjoy the following bright 

 poem, about the 19-year-old sister with a " bee in her 

 bonnet :" 



PROFITS IN BEE-CULTURE. 



1 hive a young friend who has studied the bees. 



And can tell all about them with marvelous ease; 



She talks of the workers, the drones and the queens. 



And you can't say of her that she " doesn't know beans " — 



For she does, and whatever this girl hears or sees 



Sets her tongue running fast on the subject of bees. 



" There's a bee in har bonnet," I know by the sound, 

 For there's plenty of buzzing when she is around, 

 And she'll wax very eloquent, telling how money 

 Will roll in as soon as she markets her honey. 

 I really believe she will meet with success ; 

 And that I'd like to help her I'm free to confess. 



A worker herself, she is bound to succeed 



In the culture of bees, and 'twere folly indeed 



To try to induce her to give up the scheme, 



For she says, " I'm persuaded that this is no dream." 



So she hums to herself (she is only nineteen). 



And holds fast to her plan with the grace of a queen. 



I wish she would notice that I'm not a drone. 

 And pity me, knowing that I live alone ! 

 I will play " busy bee," keeping ever in sight 

 This sweet apiarist in whom I delight. 

 I'll buy her a comb, and then after a spell 

 I'll arrange for her comfort a right royal cell. 



Perhaps if a bad bee should sting her some day, 

 She would tly to my arms for protection, and stay. 

 If she doesn't, I'll wait till the swarming-time comes. 

 When folks run about beating tin pans and drums, 

 And then I'll be certain to capture this queen. 

 To reign over my hive and make all things serene. 

 Hartford Co., Conn. Chas. Edward Prior. 



Plan for Prevention of Swarming:. 



Dear Miss Wilson : — I think I have studied out a plan 

 to prevent swarming when one wants honey and not in- 

 crease, and if the bees are preparing to supersede it will 

 not interfere with that. I have neither read nor heard of 

 this plan, although it is similar to the " shook " swarm. I 

 will try it soon, and if others should do so I would like to 

 have them report. 



When queen-cells are started divide the colony by re- 

 moving two or three frames of the youngest brood, also the 

 queen-cell and adhering bees. Place these and the queen 

 in a new hive on a new stand, add three dummies, and fill 



