1896. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



249 



national ; that he thinks the present National Bee-Keepers' 

 Union should not be enlarged in its scope so as to cover Can- 

 ada. There may be something in this. When the North 

 American was incorporated, it will be remembered that some 

 of our Canadian brethren raised a vigorous protest. If the 

 North American Bee-Keepers' Union, as is proposed, should 

 become a fact, it, of course, would have to be incorporated, 

 either in the United States or in Canada, in order to carry on 

 the work of defense, to prosecute and be prosecuted — in fact, 

 to act as a responsible person or firm. Obviously the Union, 

 when amalgamated with the other association, should be in- 

 corporated in the United States. 



I do not know that this point has ever been raised before ; 

 but possibly our Canadian bee-friends who objected the first 

 time would object again. But whatever is done, I am most 

 emphatically in favor of having the Union so modified that it 

 shall have annual meetings or conventions, to discuss the all- 

 absorbing problems that come before us, no matter whether 

 they relate to defense against unjust legislation, prosecution 

 of glucose-mixers, or whether they concern some of the prob- 

 lems as to how to manage bees. In other words, I am most 

 heartily in favor of having the social annual-meeting feature 

 hitched on to the Union in some way ; and if it is not wise to 

 have it international, let it be distinctly national. 



In the event that the Bee-Keepers' Union should be 

 changed as I have suggested, those Canadians who have wel- 

 comed the proposed change in the North American could hitch 

 on a union to their Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association. In 

 that case the old North American could be disbanded, and the 

 two national associations could have joint meetings at stated 

 or occasional intervals to discuss common interests, as was 

 done so well in the old North American, and thus Canadian 

 and American bee-keepers would be united in one common 

 brotherhood as before. Then the work of defense, and prose- 

 cuting adulterators, could be carried on by each distinct na- 

 tional association in its own country. 



Now, please understand that what I have said is meant in 

 the way of suggestion, and not as a recommendation. 



We may say in reference to this matter, that we agree 

 exactly with what Mr. Root says. We not only favor a na- 

 tional bee-keepers' association, but we also believe that such 

 organization should " hitch on " the union feature, if no amal- 

 gamation takes place, for it must be admitted that such an 

 arrangement would serve as a strong inducement to perma- 

 nent membership — the very thing that has been needed to 

 make the old North American what it should have been. 



But we do not see why this cannot all be done with one 

 stroke — simply unite the present National Bee-Keepers' Union 

 and the North American Bee-Keepers' Association under the 

 name. United States Dee-Keepers' Union. That would do the 

 thing easily and quickly. 



There is really no need of an annual North American or 

 Inter-National meeting, but such could be held say triennially, 

 if deemed best. Of course, the National (Canadian and United 

 States) associations would meet annually, and a general union 

 meeting could take place somewhere along the border of the 

 two countries at less frequent intervals. 



It does seem to us that our country ought to be able to 

 organize and maintain the largest and most efficient bee-keep- 

 ers' association in the world. We have the bee-keepers, and 

 plenty of splendid material for successful leadership. Now, 

 what's to hinder carrying out, finally, all the plans before 

 enumerated, at the next meeting of the North American, after 

 a vote has been taken on the amalgamation question, which 

 will be sure to carry when it is understood that the new or- 

 ganization will be national instead of inter-national ? 



We have thought out what we believe would be a splendid 

 plan for securing a thoroughly representative organization, 

 but we will not take the space to even outline it just now. 

 There will be ample opportunity to do this after the initiative 

 steps have been taken, as indicated above. 



We should be glad to hear what our readers think of hav- 

 ing a National bee-keepers' association, organized upon the 

 lines suggested by Mr. Brodbeck, Editor Root and ourselves. 



See " Bee-Keeper's Guide" offer on page 221. 



Plant Trees.— Mr. Allen Pringle, of Selby, Ont., 

 prepared a fine essay on " Bees," which was read at the Am- 

 herst Island Farmers' Institute in February. It was printed 

 in full in the Napanee Express for March 6, a copy of which 

 came into our hands. In the main it treated of the primary 

 principles of bees and bee-keeping — just what the usual farm- 

 ers' institute people need — but here is one paragraph on plant- 

 ing trees that is well worth reading by expert as well as novice: 



That bee-culture has become a science and an art is hardly 

 to be wondered at in these days of the marvelous progress of 

 all the arts and sciences. But, unfortunately, just as apicul- 

 ture has developed into this status a most serious obstacle 

 threatened its existence as a specialty. This obstacle is the 

 disappearance of the nectar-yielding flora. Over the whole 

 civilized face of North America the great forests have been for 

 half a century rapidly disappearing. With them have gone 

 some of the chief sources of our choicest honey — the bass- 

 wood, the maple, the willow, etc. The vast areas which used 

 to yield vegetable flora and wild flowers in abundance are 

 turned into cultivated fields by modern machinery. Moreover, 

 with the disappearance of the forests have come the severe 

 and prolonged drouths which militate against every branch 

 of agriculture — apiculture included. And right here allow me 

 to urge upon farmers the desirability of planting trees and 

 preserving their woods, and the scattering trees over their 

 farms, except where they actually interfere with cultivation. 

 This rapid destruction of trees and forests over the whole 

 country is a most serious matter. The farmer is, of course, 

 mainly responsible, and he will be the chief sufferer. I say to 

 the farmers and others, plant trees — plant wherever and 

 whenever practicable. For myself, I practice my own preach- 

 ing, and have done my share in this matter — having planted 

 during the last 10 or 12 years about 1,000 trees — basswood, 

 maple, etc. Our governments, local and general, ought to 

 encourage tree-planting much more than they do ; and they 

 ought to take proper steps for the preservation of what we 

 have left as far as possible, consistent, of course, with the 

 rights and liberties of the subject. 



AMONG THE BEE-PAPERS. 



[Continued from page 2J7.] 



net, such as can be removed without difficulty. If they have 

 any brood (even M7iripe queen-cells) it is not removed, but they 

 are likewise contracted in the brood-nest. If they have a 

 queen, the same is taken away, and care had lest another lay- 

 ing or virgin queen be present ; then contraction as above takes 

 place. Second : Now two or three brood-combs, with the queen 

 and all the adhering bees — the more the better — are removed 

 from another colony and hung in the upper story, with the ad- 

 dition of two empty combs (containing, if needs be, a little pol- 

 len and honey), one on either side of them. 



After 4b hours, the wire net is removed. After 48 hours 

 the frames from the upper story are hung down in the brood- 

 nest, the queen having descended quite often ere this. The 

 upper brood-frames, without the queen, of course, may after- 

 ward be returned to their former hive. If the colony is a 

 drone-laying one, more care is required. AJl the combs must 

 be removed so that no eggs can be laid, and the colony be put 

 in "swarming condition." Then when the queen, etc., are 

 put in the upper story, the lower colony clings to the wire net 

 in the shape of a swarm. After 4S hours the net is removed, 

 and, after two days more, the frames are taken down to the 

 brood-room. In all of these cases the queen is never hindered 

 in laying. Has she been sent from abroad, a nucleus has to be 

 formed, and, after it has accepted the queen, management is 

 the same as above. Dr. Metelli, of course, knows the other 

 modes of introduction too, but this one, you understand, is the 

 i(i/(W;(b;c one. — [We have been taught, and rightly, that noth- 

 ing will work infallibly with bees ; that they do nothing invar- 

 iably under all circumstances. The plan, however, looks as if 

 it might work almost infallibly.— Ed.]— Charles Norman, in 

 Gleanings. 



Causes of Swarming^. 



As an influence in swarming, I do not know what differ- 

 ence there would be as between old and young bees, for I have 

 not observed on this point. I do know that heat bears no little 

 influence. For the whole of my apicultural life, it has been 

 my custom to discourage swarming. Before the flow and when 

 they are not making a living, if I can keep them with just 



