3^2 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



Chaff as packing over the brood-nest 

 in winter was condemned at the Ontario 

 convention by Mr. R. McKnight. At the 

 side of the hive where it is kept dry, chaff 

 is all right. Over the top of the brood- 

 nest it becomes damp and mouldj-. 

 Ground cork, such as magala grapes are 

 packed in for shipment is most excellent. 

 Forest leaves answer well this purpose. 

 Sawdust is an excellent material, but it 

 should be from seasoned lumber. 



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Bees Wintered in the cellar do not 

 consume so many stores as those wintered 

 out of doors, but Mr. Hall, at the Ontario 

 convention, called attention to the fact 

 that the large consumption of stores by 

 the colonies out of doors comes from the 

 breeding that takes place early in the 

 spring before those in the cellar are car- 

 ried out. He approved of taking the bees 

 from the cellar quite early, say in March, 

 if the weather is not too severe, as this 

 starts breeding and gets the colonies in 

 better condition for the harvest when it 

 comes. 



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The SterEopticon views shown by E. 

 R. Root at Chicago to which were added 

 some English and some Canadian views, 

 150 slides in all, were shown by Bro. Root 

 at the Ontario convention, where they 

 were greatly enjoyed. The last slide 

 shown was "God Save the Queen," the 

 letters being formed of hone^- comb built 

 in this form by the bees, and exhibited 

 at the fair by some bee-keeper who had 

 had it photographed. When these words 

 appeared upon the screen, the whole au- 

 dience burst into applause, and followed it 

 up by singing "God Save the Oueen." 



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Prolificness in a queen was not ap- 

 proved by Mr. J. B. Hall at the Ontario 

 convention. He preferred industry and 

 longevity on the part of the workers. 

 As the honey harvest ends in July, the 

 rearing of a large number of workers that 

 come on the stage of action too late is 

 really a disadvantage. With two colonies 



of equal strength, one will often store 

 twice as much honey as the other one 

 stores; it is the possession of qualities that 

 will enable bees to do this that Mr. Hall 

 preferred in place of prolificness. Mr. 

 Hall asserted that the bees of a very pro- 

 lific queen were seldom possessed of these 

 other desirable qualities. 



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Carniolans were greatly praised by 

 Mr. C. W. Post at the Ontarior conven- 

 tion. His surplus comes from clov- 

 er, basswood and buckwheat. He uses 

 a 9-frame hive. He has scarcely any 

 swarming, and makes increase by 

 starting 2-frame nuclei and building them 

 up. Morley Pettit and W. J. Craig were 

 not in favor of Carniolans. 



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The NaTion.^i, Associ.\Tion defends 

 its members as quickly in Ontario as in 

 the United States. I fear most of the Can- 

 adians do] not understand this; as the 

 matter of Canadians doing something in 

 the line of forming an association of de- 

 fense was considerably discussed at the 

 late Ontario convention. It was dropped 

 when it became evident that joining the 

 National answered every purpose. One 

 man reported that there were only four 

 Canadians who were members. This 

 alone shows that this point is not rightly 

 underslooi. Come on, brother Cana- 

 dians. Join wiili us, and we will take 

 care of yuu in yonr troubles. 



FOUIv BROOD. 

 Bacillus Alvei was found in the eggs 

 and ovaries of queens from diseased colo- 

 nies, by Prof. Harrison of the Guelph, 

 Ontario Agricultural College. He said at 

 the Ontario convention that w-hen foul 

 brood was first introduced into a new por- 

 tion of the country it is much more viru- 

 lent. He also suggested that the reason 

 why foul brood was not spread by mak- 

 ing foundation from wax containing 

 germs of the disease was because the 

 germs were embedded in the wax. Wax, 

 as usually heated for making foundation, 



