OCTOBER 1, 1912 



New apicultural building at the Massachusetts Agricultural College, Amherst, Mass. 



FIELD MEET AT THE MASSACHUSETTS AGRI- 

 CULTURAL COLLEGE 



BY A. W. YATES 



The field-day and special meeting of tlie 

 Hampshire, Hamj^den, Franklin Beekeep- 

 ers' Association, held at the Massachusetts 

 Agricultural College, Amherst, June 12, 13, 

 1912, was largely attended, many being 

 present from out of the State. 



The morning of the first day was given 

 up to sight-seeing and the examination of 

 the products of manufacturers and queen- 

 breeders, of which a large hall was filled. 

 Some of those making these exhibits were : 

 0. F. Fuller, F. M. Keith, A. W. Yates, 

 Dadant & Sons, queens and queen-rearing; 

 H. F. Davis, F. Danzenbaker, Gus Ditmer 

 Co., H. H. Jepson, Kretchmer Mfg. Co., 

 E. M. Nichols, Ross Bros., supplies. 



There was also a large collection of hives, 

 implements, honey-packages, curiosities, 

 and literature in the collection of the col- 

 lege, that was very interesting. 



The sjDeakers of the afternoon of the 

 first day were A. W. Yates, of Hartford, 

 Ct. ; subject, "Bees in Relation to Fruit 

 Culture and Plant Life," and R. H. 

 Holmes, Shoreham, Vt. ; subject, "Securing 

 Fancy Vermont Honey." After this a 

 demonstration was given of an electric 



foundation-fastener by H. F. Davis. Mr. 

 F. Danzenbaker explained the improve- 

 ments on his new hive, and showed a case 

 of fancy section honey produced in one 

 of them. 



All then adjourned to the ajjiary build- 

 ing. Dr. Gates explained the features of 

 the new building, including its two floors 

 and basement. Special attention has been 

 paid to lighting and ventilation. On the 

 first floor are a large laboratory and work- 

 shop, a room for the separation of com- 

 mercial honey, and an office. The upper 

 floor has three good-sized rooms. In the 

 basement are the storage rooms for the 

 wintering of colonies, the heating plant, 

 and apparatus for wax-rendering. In the 

 college apiary, which is located in a shel- 

 tered place on the hillside above the build- 

 ing, Mr. Keith gave a demonstration of 

 cell-grafting that was very instructive. 



The evening was taken up by the ad- 

 dress of welcome by President Kenyon, L. 

 Butterfield, and an address by J. Lewis 

 Ellsworth, Sec'y State Board of Agricul- 

 ture. Dr. James P. Porter gave a very 

 interesting illustrated lecture on "The Life, 

 Habits, and Development of the Honey- 

 bee," showing the diiferent stages of de- 

 velopment from the solitary bee. 



In the forenoon of the second and last 

 day Dr. E. F. Phillips gave an idea of 



