ll'S 



(iJj:.v\LVGs IX iiKK cvi/nniK. 



Feu. 



can see is the fact that there are several hundred 

 thousand of the ten-frame hives now in use, and 

 more being made every day, and these are too valu- 

 abh^ to be discarded. T am sure that I don't want 

 to make kindling-wood of mine, or cut them down 

 to a smaller size, and I will not advise others to do 

 what I would not do myself. J. \V. Hakknf.ss. 

 Keeseville, N. V., Jan. ^'4, 18f-o. 



Friend H.. this matter of an 8-frame hive 

 lias been discus.sed and dropped a great 

 many times in years past. Mliile we nse S 

 Simplicity sections in a wide frame, it is 

 qnite desirable to have the hive large enotigh 

 to get a frame of sections outside of tlie 

 brood-nest on each side of the hive. If we 

 are going to get all of our honey built in 

 crates, however, and not make use of side 

 storing at all. an 8-frame hive might do very 

 well. As wide boards for covers are quite 

 expensive, tliere is quite a saving in having 

 a narrow hive, because we can then get 

 boards for covers without much trouble, and 

 Avith not nearly as much danger of cliecking 

 through the middle. An s-fiame hive is al- 

 so easier to handle, and. of course, better 

 for shipment ; and where you are selling 

 bees at so much per colony, of course it is an 

 advantage to tiie producer to have a narrow 

 hive, like small Ijarrels for apples, and hens 

 that lay small eggs. If the purchaser is 

 satistied with a colony that coveis only eight 

 combs, why. of course it is all right, and eight 

 combs make a very fair colony. We ha\e 

 got to face tlie difficulty you mention, how- 

 ever— «-frame hives can not be used inter- 

 changealily with 10-frame hives. Adam 

 Grimm has always used an K-frame hive, and 

 friend Ileddon, as you will see by another 

 cohmm. has also followed friend (ifimm. 



with specimens of stings, from worker and queen- 

 bees, which all so disposed could e.xamine, which 

 was a rare treat, as few bee-keepers ever have such 

 a privilege. 



Mrs. Kobbins was the first president of a bee-con- 

 ventinn, or of any other society where the other se.v 

 are in the majority. She was diffident as a presid- 

 ing officer, but made an excellent address, and 

 worked diligently during the year, to make the bee- 

 keepers' reunion a success. Her hospitality will 

 long be remembered by those who gathered in her 

 sunny parlors and sat around her table, and her 

 liberality whenever their eye rests upon the beau- 

 tiful badges, which are unprecedented in color and 

 finish. Mrs. L. Hahuison. 



Peoria, 111. 



WOMEN FOR PRESIDENTS OF BEE- 

 KEEPERS' CONVENTIONS. 



SOMKTHI.NO IN HK(JAKD TO THE IMIIANA STATK 

 BEE-KEEPERS' SOflETV. 



RS. C. Robbins, the late president of the In- 

 diana State Bee-keepers' Society, was aware 

 i that, if the same persons attended yearly, 

 and related their modus operandi of run- 

 ning an apiary, it would grow monotonous 

 after awhile, and all interest would be lost, and 

 eventually the society would become extinct. Lo- 

 cal societies should take the hint, and every year 

 introduce some new feature, or persons, to their 

 reunions. The weather was very inclement, being 

 30 degrees below zero on the morning of the first 

 session, yet there was a goodly number present. 



It would be well if other States would imitate In- 

 diana, and have a bee-keepers' meeting in rotation 

 with other State societies, the bee-keepers" follow- 

 ing the cane-growers', to be held at the capitol of 

 the State. Scientists are attracted hither by more 

 meetings than one, and many can have the benefit 

 of their researches. In this way the Indiana society 

 had the benefit of a learned essay from Prof. Wiley, 

 of Washington, D. C, on the " Chemistry of Honey," 

 and the result of ten analyses of honey purchased 

 In the open market. Mrs. Robbins invited a profes- 

 sor from Purdue Universty to be present; as he 

 could not comply, he sent a student who gave an 

 interesting talk, with fine illustrations of the sting 

 of bees. He also brought a powerful microscope, 



MAKING A PEPPER-BOX FEEDER IN- 

 TO AN ENTRANCE-FEEDER. 



FRIEND NELSON'S WAV OF UOINO IT. 



SEND you by this mail one of my feeders. I 

 call it the " Pepi)er-bo.\ entrance-feeder." I 

 make them in two forms, square and oblong, 

 the oblong to cover as much or as little of the 

 entrance as you think best. The nails are for 

 a horseradish-bottle to rest on if you want to feed 

 j more than a pepper-box will hold. I got the pep- 

 per-box feeder from ABC, and used it resting on a 

 ' lath at the entrance. If from some cause the bees 

 did not take all the feed it would start robbing in 

 the morning, so 1 hit upon this device. It is very 

 easily made, and very handy. If you object to the 

 ! nails, you might run two pieces of wire through; 

 and if it will be of any use to you, you are welcome 

 to it. It can be used inside of the hive, as some 

 preferthat way of feeding. Walter H. Nelson. 

 New Bedford, Mass., Jan. 8, 18^5. 



The adjoining cut 



' shows of itself the 

 way in whicli an en- 

 trance-feeder can 

 be made of a fruit- 

 jar, pepper-box, or 



i even a horseradish- 



j bottle, as friend X. 

 puts it. For a horse- 

 radish - bottle, you 



cut a piece of wood '^' 



about 2i in. s(iuare. \-^s? 



Bore a hole in it U bi.hk i i ,, imi_m(^iu.\ 



inches in diameter, '•'•i '•' ''. ';■^^^^'"|^|^o'^ ^^tn^n. h 

 and on one side split out the wood If inches. 

 To keep the bottle from slipping clear down 

 in, drive in wire nails or brads, as shown in 

 the cut. Place the open space facing the 

 entrance of your hive, and close up against 

 it. If the ctilony is weak, the entrance of 

 the hive should be contracted pretty well, 

 then no outside bees can push in and get 

 around inside the feeder. You can tie a 

 piece of coarse cloth over the month of the 

 bottle, or you can have a tin cap to slip over, 

 if yon clioose. The pepper-boxes that we 

 buy at the stores, full of pepper, have many 

 of them a perforated cover. Just set this 

 cover so the perforations will come all into 

 the hole, and it is all right. If yon want to 

 use a fruit-jar, of course you will have to 

 have a larger block. Friend J. W. Utter, of 

 Amity, N. Y., sent ug a block almost exact- 

 ly like the above, some time ago. 



