372 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



June 11, 1903. 



more active? which has the greater wing-power? It is perhaps fortu- 

 nate that this selection is left to Nature, anij that in the race after the 

 queen in the upper air the feebler drones drop out of the race one 

 after another, and finally the fittest— the one with the best wind and 

 wing — remains as the successful suitor. 



It the man can select the colonies in which drones are to be reared, 

 is it really desirable that he should have any further control in the 

 ■ matter of selection? 



How to Hold a Bee-Smoker.— "To my notion," says Edi- 

 tor Root, " there is only one way the thumb should be on the 



side of the bellows next to the stove. This lets the hand hang in the 

 natural position without any twist at the wrist." It would be interest- 

 ing to know how many have notions exactly the opposite. 



Dividing a Colony into two equal parts and allowing the 

 queenless part to rear its own queen is a plan that generally suggests 

 itself to a beginner. The following, which has just been received, is 

 a type of a good many questions sure to occur at this time of the year : 



" Can I divide a colony of bees and put half the frames in a new 

 hive? Would they rear a queen of their own if thej' had brood? and 

 would I better put the queen in the new or the old hive?" 



The plan as suggested may succeed altera fashion, but it is hardly 

 the most advisable plan. It is, however, so easily carried out, that in 

 spite of its disadvantages it will probably be more or less practiced. 

 By a little added work, the plan may be greatly improved. Put half 

 the frames with adhering bees and the queen in the new hive. Three 

 or four days later, without opening the hive, make the two hives ex- 

 change places. The result will be better than to leave the queen 

 permanently in either place. 





Association Notes 





Mr. a. 1. Root and Dr. Miller expect to travel together from 

 Chicago to the Los Angeles convention. So there will be at least 

 " two boys" at the great meeting. 



Poisoning Bees. — General Manager France reports that a Wis- 

 consin bee-keeper, on May 10, seeing that his neighbors' bees were 

 robbing his colonies, closed his hives and exposed some honey mixed 

 thick with Paris green. The result was that several apiariefe were 

 badly poisoned, and possibly other serious troubles. Mr. France was 

 to settle the case June 2. 



Over in Canada, a noted case has been won by the National — 

 damages from bees. We have not as yet learned the particulars. 

 There should be more members of the National in Canada. And then 

 there should be a member of the Board of Directors over there. We 

 are in favor of having the next vacancy in the Board filled by some 

 good Canadian bee-keeper. 



The Santa Fe Route will be the one over which the majority of 

 bee-keepers of the East will travel to Los Angeles. We are hoping to 

 get together a large party of bee-keepers to start from Chicago over 

 that route, and stop off one day at the Grand Canyon of the Colorado 

 Biver in Arizona. Doubtless there will be a number of other bee- 

 keepers who will join the party all along the way, so that by the time 

 Arizona is reached it should be a large company. We will give full 

 particulars later as to time of leaving Chicago, etc. 



The National Bee-Keepers' Convention, as all bee-keepers 

 iknow who read the bee-papers, is to meet in Los Angeles, Calif., Aug. 

 IS, 19 and 30 ne.'ct. The meeting will be held in Blanchard's Music 

 Hall, -'33 South Broadway. Mr. Geo. W. Brodbeck, President of the 

 California National Honey-Producers' Association, has in charge the 

 local arrangements, and writes us that it will be less dilfioult to 

 make provision in the way of hotel accommodations in Los Angeles 

 than any other place that could be found. He says they have so 

 many large rooming houses scattered all over the city, that thousands 

 'who go there every season are well provided for ; and it seems to be 



the rule for people to hire rooms and take their meals out, so that 

 rooms in any quantity can always be had. and meals from 15 cents up 

 to any price one may wish to pay. But a good meal can be had for 25 

 cents. Mr. Brodbeck says that the matter of lodging and meals will 

 eventually be handled by a hotel committee, so that accommodations 

 will be secured for every one who goes to the convention. 



Mr. Brodbeck also writes that we can put them down for a 

 " California Welcome " on the first evening of the convention, which 

 is Tuesday, Aug. 18, in Blanchard's Music Hall, which Mr. Brodbeck 

 says is an ideal one for holding meetings. 



We trust that every bee-keeper who can possibly arrange to be 

 present will attend this convention. Being held in the great honey 

 State of California, and also in a part of the country which every one 

 who has not yet visited it should desire so much to see, it seems to us 

 that the temptation to go will be so great that it can not be resisted. 

 On account of the exceedingly low railroad rates in August, we be- 

 lieve there will be a great representation from the East. Of course, 

 the Western bee-keepers will simply swarm to Los Angeles. We 

 should not be surprised if it would be the most largely attended con- 

 vention the National has ever held. We hope it will be. Mr. Brod- 

 beck writes that ever}' one says, " I am coming." 



Hon. H. W. Austin, whose portrait is presented herewith, is one 

 of the new members of the Illinois Legislature, and was perhaps the 

 one most instrumental in securing for 

 bee-keepers the new law, which we 

 published on page 308, and to which 

 we have referred several times in 

 these columns recently. Mr. Austin 

 is a resident of Oak Park, oue of the 

 finest and most delightful residence 

 suburbs of Chicago. His fidelity to 

 the bee-keeping interests of this State, 

 as well as his successful efforts in be- 

 half of its bee-keepers, will be appre- 

 ciated by all. 



We are pleased to present to our 

 readers Mr. Austin's picture, as well 

 as an expression of appreciation of his 

 services. He will have the satisfaction 

 of knowing that he not only did his 

 full duty, but invested his efforts in a 

 cause which was entirely worthy, and 

 well deserved the law which was secured through his efforts and 

 that of others. 



HON. 



AUSTIN. 



Niscelianeous Items 



J 



Mr. Thos. Wm. Cowan's Return to England is noted in the 

 British Bee Journal for May 31, he having arrived with his wife on 

 May 14. It had been about five years since they left England for 

 California, where they have lived ever since. Several weeks ago we 

 mentioned the fact of their returning to England, and that upon leav- 

 ing their California home a grand demonstration was given in their 

 honor. Mr. Cowan is Chairman of the British Bee-Keepers' Associa- 

 tion, and has been ever since its organization. A very cordial recep- 

 tion was given him by the Association upon his return. All our read- 

 ers will be pleased to learn of the safe voyage of Mr. and Mrs. Cowan 

 to their homeland; but if they are not careful, the United States will 

 be considered as their " homeland," although the British Bee Journal 

 says it knows that Mr. and Mrs. Cowau will never cease to regard 

 England as their " home," wherever they may be. 



Mr. N. E. France, of Wisconsin, reports that the upland bass- 

 wood timber has very little blossom buds this season, but that in the 

 valleys it is better. On May 30 Mr. France received his reappointment 

 as State Inspector of Apiaries for two years, under the new law, 

 which grants -^"00 per year, including expenses. Mr. France expected 

 to start out on his official duties June 1. 



