May 28, 1903. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



341 



Mr. Wilcox — Put a new colony on the old stand, and 

 let the bees go to this. 



Mr. (Jross had been successful with putting a ripe <iueen- 

 cell into the colony. 



Mr. France thought they would break it up, and that 

 Wilcox's plan was the best. He said he had seen them, and 

 by catching them had gotten rid of them. 



" Is it advisable to give the bees a cleansing (light in 

 winter ?" 



A majority thought it was not, but it was the opinion 

 of some that it might be desirable in case of dysentery. 



APPROPRIATION IN THE LEGISLATURE. 



Mr. France reported on conference with Assembly Com- 

 mittee on Agriculture, that they were willing to recom- 

 mend more than S700, but that they did not think the Assem- 

 bly would allow more. 



Mr. Wilcox thought we ought to ask for an appropria- 

 tion for an exhibit at St. Louis. 



Mr. Gross — Preparation must be made now ; if we don't 

 ask for it now it can't be done later. 



Mr. Moe moved that the President and Mr. Wilcox be 

 authorized to ask for an appropriation of $1000. Carried. 



Mr. France — If the SIOOO is granted shall we commence 

 preparations at once ? 



Mr. Wilcox — As the entries need not be made until 

 August, 19IU, we can exhibit fresh honey, and will have a 

 chance to make the arrangements at our next annual meet- 

 ing. 



ELECTION OF OFFICERS. 



The following were elected by unanimous vote : Presi- 

 dent, N. E. France ; Vice-President, Jacob Huffman ; Sec- 

 retary, Gus Dittmer, of Augusta ; and Treasurer, Harry 

 Lathrop. 



Mr. France was recommended to the Governor for the 

 appointment as State inspector of apiaries. 



Mr. Wilcox was recommended to the Agricultural Com- 

 mittee as judge of the honey exhibit at the State Fair. 



A general discussion in regard to exhibits at State and 

 County fairs took place. It was the general opinion that 

 the inducements were not sufficient to warrant successful 

 exhibits. 



Mr. Wilcox — The inducement is to advertise yourself. 



Mr. France was always financially " out " on exhibits 

 at County and State fairs, but always built up a trade by 

 means of it. He stated that at some of the fairs one horse-i 

 race paid more than all the agricultural premiums put to- 

 gether. 



Mr. Lathrop — The best remedy for such a state of affairs 

 is to stay away. 



Mr. France — This will kill the fair. 



Some thought that it would be just as well to let it die, 

 and perhaps better. 



Pres. France read his report as General Manager of the 

 National. 



Adjourned to 1 p.m., when the convention was called to 

 order by the President. 



TAXING BEES. 



" Is it right or lawful to tax bees in some localities and 

 not in others ?" 



The general opinion seemed to be that it was not right, 

 but that if legal they should be assessed everywhere alike. 



Mr. Otto — The attorney says that all property must be 

 assessed unless exempt. 



Mr. Post always pays taxes on bees. 



Mr. France — I always pay taxes on my bees, and make 

 the assessor and treasurer specify it so. He cited a case 

 where a common council tried to declare bees a public nui- 

 sance, but changed their minds on seeing a receipt of taxes 

 specifying bees as property. It is not lawful to leave them 

 out. Everything should be specfied and enumerated. 



Mr. Fox — It is lawful to assess, and the assessor is 

 liable for neglect under the law. I do not think that chick- 

 ens are assessed in my town. 



USING A TENT WITH BEES. 



" Has any one here had experience with the open-top 

 tent? If so, with what result ?" 



Mr. Pierce — I have had experience to considerable ex- 

 tent, and find it all right. I know that it is argued that if 

 left open long enough bees will find the way back through 

 the opening in the top. I have left it open for a whole hour 

 and had no trouble, as the bees seem to miss it. I use mos- 

 quito-bar in the home yard, and wire-screen at the out yard. 



Mr. France — I don't see how any one with lots of bees 

 can get along without it ; it is indispensable to me. 



When do you use it mostly ? 



Mr. France — In the spring, looking over the colonies 

 and clipping queens ; also in the fall after the honey- flow, 

 when bees are robbing, you will need protection, and can 

 not get along without it. 



Mr. Gross — I do all this right along without a tent, and 

 I am never troubled. 



Mr. Fox — I am often troubled in the fall when extract- 

 ing, but I go right along about my business, and pay no 

 attention to them and get along all right. 



Mr. Minnich never has any trouble clipping queens and 

 in taking off honey; he uses escapes, and never has any 

 trouble. 



Mr. Gross also never has trouble taking off honey for 

 extracting. 



Mr. Pierce — There must be a difference in locality. I 

 could not do it in mine. I think you would always use a 

 tent if you would use it once. 



Don't the bees follow you from hive to hive ? 



Mr. Pierce never has any trouble that way, as the bees 

 follow the tent only. 



Mr. France — Some of you claim you are not troubled 

 when clipping queens. Supposing you clip early. Then 

 the tent is valuable. 



HIVE BOTTOM-BOARDS. 



" Who has used a Js-inch entrance ?" 



Messrs. Pierce and Adair had used it. 



Mr. Lathrop spoke of an idea mentioned in the new " A 

 B C of Bee-Culture," that the bottom-board could be ad- 

 justed to any desired width. 



WOMEN .AT CONVENTIONS. 



" Why don't we bring our wives and daughters to our 

 conventions ? 



Mr. France — The best part of the Northwestern con- 

 vention was the attendance of the ladies. We should bring 

 them. 



Mr. Rice — At some of the meetings I have attended 

 there were as many ladies as men. For my part, I think 

 we should induce the ladies to come with us. 



CELLAR-WINTERING — OTHER MATTERS. 



In preparing colonies for cellar-wintering should the 

 full combs of honey be put in the center of the hive ?" 



Most of the members said no. 



Mr. Otto — Bees can not cluster on filled combs, but must 

 have empty combs In the center to cluster in. 



Mr. Huffman — It is the nature of the bees to cluster in 

 the center, and if full combs are used they must be spread 

 apart — about five combs to an 8-frame hive. 



"What is the best way to repair broken ends of frames?" 



Mr. Fox— Nail a piece on top of the broken end, or, if 

 split, drive nails through. 



Mr. France — Transfer the comb to a new frame. 



" When should the bees be put out in the spring ?" 



Mr. Fox — I used to put them out late, but of late years 

 I put them out early, so they can get the early pollen. 



" Why does some honey granulate and others don't — all 

 Wisconsin honey ?" 



Mr. Fox — My experience is that the difference is in the 

 temperature. 



Mr. Otto — My experience is that all honey will granulate. 



Mr. Gross— I agree that this is the case with extracted, 

 but not with comb honey. I know of a case of comb honey 

 10 years old that was not granulated. 



Mr. France cited Mr. Ochsner, who claims that honey 

 will not granulate if kept in a warm room. 



" Gleanings says, • The very meanest colony to get into 

 the supers is the one with an inch or so of sealed honey un- 

 der the top-bars.' Is this true with colonies run for ex- 

 tracted honey ?" 



Mr. Fox — I never have any difficulty when there is honey 

 in the field. 



Mr. Huffman — That is my experience. 



SHAKEN SWARMS. 



"Will some one tell us about the 'shook' or shaken 

 swarms ?" 



Mr. Lathrop— I have practiced it for a number of years. 

 I always clip the queens, and if I find a colony ready to 

 swarm I set the hive away and put a new one in its place, 

 and shake them from the old hive in front of the new, and 

 let them crawl in. 



Do you use old combs or foundation ? 



Mr. Lathrop— I use either. 



Mr. Pierce— I shake all bees and the queen on empty 



