850 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Nov. ]."). 



put on an excluder with a case of sections be- 

 tween this and the upper case, and you will get 

 honey if there is any to be had. I have secured 

 30 lbs. extracted honey and 24 lbs. comb honey 

 from colonies worked this way, when others 

 have not made over 1.5 to 20 lbs. per colony, 

 comb. Now, my colonies worked with non- 

 swarmers on have stored two pairs of 70 lbs. 

 each, comb honey; two pairs of 60 lbs. each, 

 extracted lioney. 



In the way of feeding back I have secured 

 these results: I have fed one colony 70 lbs. ex- 

 tracted, and received 60 lbs. comb; I also fed 

 one colony 60 lbs. extracted, and received .50 lbs. 

 comb. C. S. Np:vins. 



Wagstatf, Kan., Sept. 16. 



[We sent the above to Mr. Langdon, who re- 

 plies:] 



My experience during the past season shows 

 that my circular is wrong. The slide should be 

 changed once in four days instead of seven. It 

 also says (which friend Nevins likely did not 

 see), that, if a rim were nailed on the back of 

 the device, no hole would be needed in the hive. 

 I shall make them all so the coming season. 



I did not finci that the bees were light for the 

 fall flow, though I have had them heavier. 

 One thing is sure — if they are lighter than 

 they would otherwise be, there is not a great 

 army of bees to board duiMng the interval be- 

 tween basswood and goldenrod. The effect is 

 the same as though the queen had been caged, 

 and there is a saving in that The plan of 

 ventilation given by friend N. is along the line 

 that I have adopted for use next season. 



Mr. Nevins' experience is another straw to 

 prove that running two working forces together 

 can not be excelled or equaled for getting bees 

 to woik in the supers, especially if there is a 

 short crop. 



I claim as strongly as ever, notwithstanding 

 the adverse reports that have been given 

 against the non-swarmer, that, if the bees are 

 given proper room in the supers, with gnnd ven- 

 tilation, so as to be comfortable, they can In-. 

 kept from swarming with an increased yield of 

 honey by the use of my device. My succe-s 

 with them on my house-apiary is better proof 

 on this point than most of these reports have 

 been that they will not work. Something was 

 at fault that could have been remedied. 



H. P. Langdon. 



East Constable. N. Y., Oct. 4. 



THE NORTH AMERICAN BEE-KEEPERS' CON- 

 VENTION AT CHICAGO. 



Continued from last issue, page 818. 



In our last issue we left off with the address 

 of welcome, from the editor of ihe American 

 Bee Journal. Following this was the 

 pkesident's addkess. 



The doctor said, in looking over the publish- 

 ed list of names of those who were to be at this 

 convention, he could count a quarter of a hun- 

 dred, any one of whom it would be a real 

 pleasure to spend a solid day with in bee-talk. 

 The opportunity of meeting all of these, and 

 more, at one time and place, was a red-letter 

 event. They were not assembled for bee-talk 

 alone. No m(^aii part of the enjovment was 

 tlie meeting of old friends, and the cordial 

 grasp of the hand; and why should they not 

 have a sociable time? The doctor, while ac- 

 knowledging the propriety of going through 

 with the formality of an introduction, the third 

 person making the other two acquainted, 

 thought it also proper, as they were all bee- 



keepers, for two strangers to get acquainted 

 after this fashion: '" My name is Smith — who 

 are you ■?" Continuing he said, "Our journals 

 are invaluable: but the rapid exchange of ideas 

 allowed in discussions at a convention has 

 brought to light many a truth that otherwise 

 would not have become public property." 



There were many interesting topics for dis- 

 cussion, but he luade an earnest exhortation 

 for the full use of the question-box; for in no 

 other way could they meet the wants of all. 



This address was followed by a report from 

 the treasurer, showing a balance due of $4.22. 

 Following this was an able address from Prof. 

 A. J. Cook, entitled 



BEE CUI/rURE AT OUK EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



Bee-keeping, he said, had merits that very 

 few of even the bee-keepers themselves appre- 

 ciated. It not only gathered up the most 

 wholesome article of food, but conferred an 

 added benefit in the important work of pollen- 

 izing flowers. There was no question but that 

 the productiveness of many of the fruits and 

 vegetables was often tremendously increased 

 by bees. It was true, that other insects aided 

 somewhat in pollenizing but to a very small 

 extent in comparison with the bees, and the 

 latter were ready early in the spring. Our 

 experiment stations were the product of the 

 civilization of the nineteeth century, and the 

 United States government, recognizing the im- 

 portance of agriculture, and the added impetus 

 given to any business, had donated $15,000 

 annually to each vState. to be expended in 

 experiments in agriculture; and 47 States and 

 Territories had availed themselves of this. 

 Thus three-quarters of a million of dollars were 

 spent annually in the interest of agriculture. 

 Apiculture was a very important branch of 

 agriculture; yet in the face of all this, only 4 of 

 the 47 States had done any thing to promote 

 :he interests of bee - keeping. Probably not 

 12000 was spent in experiments in apiculture, 

 against three-fourths of a million spent annu- 

 ally for agriculture. This, he thought, was a 

 stupendous injustice, and that, in all modesty, 

 bee keepers had a right to claim $1000 annually 

 in behalf of thiir pursuit; then $40,000. instead 

 of the scant $2000, would be expended. He 

 suggested that each State association appoint a 

 good committee of live, wide - awake bee- 

 keepers, 10 wait on the Board of Directors of 

 the several stations and set forth the reasona- 

 bleness of their demand. This act should be 

 supplemented further by personal letters. Bee 

 culture, had met with many disasters during 

 the last few years, and wise experimental work 

 and assistance from the State was what was 

 needed. If there should not be awaking-up 

 along the line, it was because bee-keepers were 

 asleep to their own interests. 



A discussion followed, in which it was asked 

 what vStates had made a move in this direction. 

 Prof. Cook named Rhode Island. Iowa. Colora- 

 do, Maryland, and California. In the White 

 City the display of the bee-keeping industry 

 was not what it should be. For instance, in 

 the California building all other industries 

 were represented, but honey was not shown. 



A paper was then read, from Mrs. Axtell, on 

 the subject — 



WHAT OUR EXPERIENCE WITH BEES HAS 



TAUGHT US DURING THE PAST 



FEW YEARS. 



They had learned that it was not wise for 

 tliem to make bee-keeping a specialty, but, 

 rather, a side issue; and yet they always aimed 

 to let nothing cause them to neglect the bees. 

 Thus, if bees failed them the other business 

 would enable them to make a living Again, 

 experience had taught them that large brood- 



