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December, 191S. 



American Hee Journal 



hives, one story for the brood-cham- 

 ber, and the other for surplus. He runs 

 entirely for extracted honey, which, he 

 says, pays best. 



Mr. Isbell believes in shading the 

 hives well, either artificially or nat- 

 urally, and has a large alighting-board 

 for the tired, heavy-laden bees. He 

 keeps a record of each queen, and re- 

 queens each colony every two years. 



Get 



Ready for a Bumper 

 Next Season 



Honey Crop 



It is none too soon to get supplies 

 for ne.xt season's use, and set them up 

 so as to have them in perfect readiness 

 by the time they are needed. If re- 

 ports are true, all bees are heavy with 

 stores, owing to a good, late honey- 

 flow lasting until frost, and as a rule 

 bees are stronger than usual. This 

 means that we will undoubtedly have a 



bumper honey crop next season. 

 ■ As a general thing beekeepers do 

 not order enough supplies for the ap- 

 proaching season ; not enough hives 

 for increase or for swarms, thinking, 

 perhaps, that the bees will not swarm, 

 or something will happen that they will 

 not need them. This is a great mis- 

 take, for it is always best to have a few 

 hives left over, and not run the risk of 

 losing swarms for lack of hives. An- 

 other deplorable fact is that there is 

 rarely enough storing room in the su- 

 pers provided, and the result is that 

 much honey is lost. 



I know this to be the case since visit- 

 ing beekeepers over the country. They 

 usually buy 1^-^-story hives, having but 

 one super per colony when they should 

 have not less than three. Some colo- 

 nies will not need so many, but others 

 will need more, and this amount is 

 small enough even for seasons when 

 our honey-flow is not heavy. 



A Swarm! I Can't Ring a Bell. What Must I Do? 



Convention <^ Proceedings 



Synopsis of Illinois State Meeting 



On the morning of Nov. 5 the Illi- 

 nois State Beekeepers' Association met 

 at the State House in Springfield. All 

 the officers were present. 



The resolution passed by the asso- 

 ciation in 1912, asking the Board of 

 Trustees of the University of Illinois 

 to establish a bee department and ex- 

 perimental station at the University 

 had not been acted upon at this date. 

 President E. J. Baxter, however, who 

 had called upon thi; President of the 

 University and the head of the Bureau 

 of Entomology, reported that a bee 

 department was favored, and as soon 

 as the matter could be properly taken 

 up it would be favorably considered. 

 The State Entomologist, however, said 

 he would not wish to take up the in- 

 spection work of brood diseases in the 

 State, as it is in good hands at this time. 



The report of Foul Brood Inspector, 

 Mr. A. L. Kildow, showed that there 

 was about 50 percent increase in the 

 number of colonies of bees in the 

 State, and foul brood diseases were 

 being checked, and in many places en- 

 tirely eradicated. European foul brood 

 in the eastern part of the State is not 

 yet under control, but that section is 

 to be thoroughly inspected before an- 

 other year passes. The inspection work 

 was handicapped the latter part of the 

 season on account of lack of funds. 

 The State treasury being empty, the 

 Foul Brood Inspector was notified not 

 to spend any more than was absolutely 

 necessary the latter part of the sum- 

 mer. All the funds, however, will be 

 available early next spring, and a great 

 deal should be accomplished. 



Through the efforts of Pres. Baxter. 

 Sec. Stone, and Senator Compton, the 

 appropriation for foul brood inspec- 

 tion was increased by the Legislature 



at its last session from $1-500 to $2000. 

 The State Legislature realizes that the 

 beekeeping industry is an important 

 one. 



The program was to consist partly 

 of competitive papers for which four 

 prizes were offered, but only one paper 

 was presented and read. This was by 

 las. Poindexter, of Bloomington, and 

 a good discussion followed it. 



Action was taken to get one or more 

 prominent beekeepers and speakers 

 from outside the State to make up a 

 strong program for next season. If 

 possible to secure him the principal 

 speaker will be Mr. N. E. France, of 

 Wisconsin, whose value as a practical 

 beekeeper was greatly enjoyed at the 

 1912 convention. 



A photograph was taken during the 

 morning session, but only some 20 

 members of the 30 or more in attend- 

 ance were present. 



The secretary of the Eastern Illinois 

 Beekeepers' Association, Mr. H. S. 

 Duby, asked that their proceedings be 

 printed as part of the Illinois State Re- 

 port, and he also asked for assistance 

 from the Illinois State Association in 

 the way of paying expenses of one or 

 more prominent beekeepers to attend 

 their convention in eastern Illinois. 

 Xo action was taken on these matters. 

 More organizations of beekeepers in 

 Illinois ought to exist with field days. 

 Instructions, especially on brood dis- 

 eases, should be given out freely. In 

 some sections of the State beekeepers 

 do not recognize the good intention 

 and value of the work of the inspector. 



The question box furnished a large 

 part of the program, and many live 

 questions were threshed out. Conclu- 

 sions on outdoor wintering were: 

 Good protection from intense cold and 

 cold winds; sufficient ventilation with- 

 out draft to the bee cluster, and absorb- 

 ent material directly above the cluster. 

 Any method of packing used just above 

 the cluster, forming a stiictly sealed 

 covering was condemned. 



The question of the National .Asso- 

 ciation, as presently managed, was 

 brought up, and with but few excep- 

 tions the members were pleased with 

 both the advantages the National Asso- 

 ciation offered and the Beekeepers' 

 Review. The work formerly done for 

 the National by N. E. France, as Man- 

 ager, was warmly commended. 



Getting reports of the United States 

 honey crop through the Bureau of Sta- 

 tistics was discussed. The Department 

 of .Agriculture has sent out letters ask- 

 ing for suggestions on this matter. A 

 thorough and reliable report of the 

 honey crop, such as there is now made 

 of the grain crop, would be of great 

 benefit. Steps w'ere taken to ask that 

 the Department of .Agriculture get the 

 information necessary to facilitate 

 them in making an intelligent canvass 

 and report. 



The matter of placing bees on the 

 tax list is quite important. At present 

 bees are ta.xed as miscellaneous prop- 

 erty, and no doubt many colonies are 

 not assessed. It will give more promi- 

 nence to our industry, and make it 

 easier for the beekeepers of Illinois to 

 get the appropriations and other favors 

 which they may need and ask of the 

 Legislature. 



The election of officers placed the 



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