}\)c ©ee-|\eepeps' J\e\^ie6j. 



A MONTHLY JOURNAL 



Devoted to tlqe Interests of HoqeLj Producers. 



$L00 A YEAR. 



W. Z, HDTCHiNSON, Editor and Proprietor. 



VOL X. 



FLINT. MICHIGAN, SEP, 10, 1897, NO. 9. 



Closing of the Season— Mati' g of ftneens — 

 Autumn Work. 



L. A. ASPINWALIi. 



" He's a lucky man who can do what he will, 

 Hat wise ami Kreat is he who will do what he can." 



T RRESPECTIVE 

 1 of climatic con- 

 ditions, the wheels 

 of time move on- 

 ward, and with our 

 he.'st efforts, we fail 

 to keep apace with 

 its inevitable trend. 

 Most of us plan in 

 excess of our abili- 

 ty to accomplish, 

 both as regards the 

 things attempted 

 and the time occupied. 1 tully intended to 

 clip all viryiu queens in my yard the present 

 season, but the openint; of a rich honey flow 

 intercepted my plans. 



Although the season has been variable in 

 extremes of temperature, still, bee keepers 

 in Michigan have experienced an old-time 

 honey yield; and although a single season 

 cannot fully compensate for the failure of 

 many in succession, still, I am thankful that 

 Nature has not exhausted her resources, and 

 hopeful that a cycle of good years has re- 

 turned. 



The temperature of late has been rather 

 low for rapid storage of honey, however 

 there is ample time for an abundance of 



buckwheat and autumn flowers, if accom- 

 panied by warm nights which are likely to 

 follow the cool spell. In the meantime these 

 periods of rest will be productive of a 

 larger force of workers and will fully com- 

 pensate for the present inactivity. Such 

 was the condition previous to white clover 

 bloom in June. The cool weather served to 

 increase the number of field bees by reason 

 of inactivity. These periods of rest are fur- 

 nished by Nature to all her creatures, other- 

 wise constant wear would detract from any 

 advantage that might be gained. 



Towards the close of a season it is but 

 natural to take a retrospective view. In 

 looking back I see where I failed in neglect- 

 ing to clip the wings of all my virgin 

 queens. For some unaccountable reason 

 more than the usual number have mismated. 

 It is probably due to a natural increase of 

 the surrounding bees in good seasons, 189G 

 being favorable to such a result. 



The mismated ones in my yard among the 

 undipped averaged one in every four. The 

 results attendant upon clipping are highly 

 satisfactory; the mismates averaging but 

 two in every twenty-four, or one in twelve. 

 With a larger number, the results might 

 have been still more satisfactory. 



It is also satisfactory to note that none 

 were lost in the marital flight; particularly 

 so, as many had more than one-sixteenth of 

 an inch clipped from their wings. It may 

 be well to note that great accuracy was ob- 

 served in clipping to maintain a uniform 



