Mar( n. 101! 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



success. Little new legislation in any line 

 was suggested, altlio the usual discussion 

 (a beekeepers' convention would seem queer 

 without it) on foul-brood matters and sug- 

 gested improvements to the law were not 

 wanting. The officers elected for the ensu- 

 ing year are about the same as last year, 

 excepting that Dr. Gates of the College, 

 Guelph, Ont., is now secretary. All business 

 in connection with the Association should be 

 directed to him in the future instead of 

 to Mr. Hodgetts at Toronto. J. L. Byer. 



Markham, Ont. 



* * » 



In Minnesota.— TJ^e influenza is on the 

 wane m Minnesota. 

 Special Field Agent McMurry had started 

 work here again the first of January but 

 was compelled to stop on account of the 

 epidemic. After being postponed twice the 

 annual meeting of the Minnesota Beekeep- 

 ers' Association was held in Minneapolis 

 on Jan. 29 and 30. The attendance was 

 more than 125, and the meeting was con- 

 sidered by many to be one of the best in 

 the history of the association. Prof. A. W. 

 Rankin, in his opening address as president, 

 laid special emphasis on the importance of 

 forming local associations affiliated with the 

 state association. He also suggested that 

 inasmuch as the war is now over it might be 

 well for beekeepers to produce more comb 

 honey. Twenty per cent of those present 

 signified their intention to produce comb 

 honey next summer. A committee was ap- 

 pointed to consider and report as to the best 

 plan for those to follow who have not more 

 than five colonies and desire to produce 

 only comb honey. Prof. L. V. France gave 

 a report on the distribution of bees and bee- 

 keepers in Minnesota. So far as he has been 

 able to gather information on the subject 

 he finds that the counties having the largest 

 number of colonies are Fillmore, Hennepin, 

 and Morrison. A demonstration of fall and 

 winter insulation was given by Dr. L. D. 

 Leonard. His method consists in putting 

 insulite on the frames under a two-inch 

 telescope cover and then tacking insulite 

 on the sides and ends of the hive. This is 

 put on the hive early in the fall and remains 

 on in the cellar and until late in the spring. 

 H. L. McMurry mentioned as one of our un- 

 solved problems the content of honey as re- 

 gards the injurious factors in various hon- 

 eys for wintering. He expressed the opin- 

 ion that there are more losses from im- 

 proper food than from any other cause. 

 Prof. E. W. Thatcher, Dean of the Agricul- 

 tural College, brought a message of optim- 

 ism concerning the future and assurances of 

 his hearty co-operation with the work of the 

 beekeepers of the State. Frank S. Pool, 

 who served as sugar representative for Min- 

 nesota, gave an interesting review of his 

 work with special reference to his dealings 

 with the beekeepers, which he said were very 



pleasant. Prof. R. A. Dutcher of the State 

 University spoke on the subject, ' ' Does 

 Honey Contain Vitamines?" His address 

 was exceedingly interesting. He said that 

 he had been able to find only small quan- 

 tities in honey. Carl B. Stravs, Superin- 

 tendent of the Department of Bee Culture 

 at the State fair, made an earnest appeal to 

 the beekeepers of the State to take greater 

 interest in the fair and to recognize it as 

 one of the greatest means of advertising 

 Minnesota honey and thereby aid in build- 

 ing up the industry in the State. (I shall 

 have more to say along this line in a fu- 

 ture issue.) Major Francis Jager, who has 

 charge of the Division of Bee Culture at 

 the State University, gave the closing address 

 on the subject, "Bee Culture and the War." 

 The following list of officers was elected 

 for the ensuing year: President, Prof. A. 

 W. Rankin, Minneapolis; first vice-presi- 

 dent, C. M. Peck, Excelsior; second vice- 

 president, Mrs. D. F. McQuire, Hopkins; 

 secretary-treasurer, L. V. France, University 

 Farm, St. Paul; member of the executive 

 committee for three years, O. L. "Wille, St. 

 Paul. Chas. D. Blaker. 



Minneapolis, Minn. 



T„ Tpxas "^^^ mild winter prevailed in 



Texas as well as thruout the 

 North. Along with the increase in tempera- 

 ture there has been an increase in moisture. 

 This last feature has been most gratifying 

 after three long years of drouth. At this 

 place we entered the year with an accumu- 

 lated deficiency equal to the normal annual 

 rainfall. There are many who feel that a 

 mild winter will bring an early spring. 

 However, those best acquainted with possi- 

 ble weather behavior in this State predict 

 that the spring will be cold and late. It has 

 been observed that excessive rains during 

 the winter tend to prolong the jjeriod of 

 cold in the spring. The problems of such a 

 spring are a matter of mijch concern. The 

 bees may be encouraged to build up exces- 

 sively, and a late freeze may cut off the 

 food supjily at a critical time. Our bees 

 were bringing in great quantities of pollen 

 on Jan. 29 from three possible sources. Elm 

 was in bloom at that time, and the spring 

 beauty was attracting quantities of bees. 

 Peach trees in the more protected places 

 were in full bloom so that the bees were 

 bringing in new nectar. 



On this date (Feb. 7) the first examina- 

 tion of our bees was made. We had been 

 awaiting anxiously a day that would be 

 warm enough for such work. Our colonies 

 went into the winter under varying condi- 

 tions, and curiosity was running high by 

 this time. We found some colonies made 

 by late divisions to be short of stores, to 

 which a frame of honey was given. In 

 every colony eggs were found, and in the 



