388 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



June 18, 



mean to throw the blame on Doolittle. Let him go to rearing 

 leather-colored queens. When anybody solicits me to buy 

 "golden beauties" now, I shake my head very much as a hen 

 is said to do when ofifered a worker-bee to eat. 



Leon, Iowa. 



^ 



I>e Honey Am Comiii' in «le I>oah. 



BY MKS. E. R. B. 



Dere's a cabin dat's a buildin' 'long de basswood trees — 



O de honey am comin' in de doah ; 

 For I 'clare dose gums hoi' a mighty sight o' bees — 



O de honey am comin' in de doah. 

 Watch out, you darkeys, for de gran' log roUin', 

 Hab ebry banjo strung for de all-night thummin', 

 For we's in for de fun while de bees am swahmin', 



And de honey am comin' in de doah. 



Dere's a mockin'-bird singin' by de garden gate — 



O de honey am comin' in de doah ; 

 And I feared he tell dat dis niggab out late— 



O de honey am comin' in de doah. 

 Watch out, you darkeys, for to hunt dat 'possum, 

 Down to yonda where the 'simmon swamp blossom, 

 For we'll roas' dat meat, and we'll carve him handsome, 



While de honey am comin' in de doah. 



Dere's a weddin' a fixin' for de middle of June— 



O de honey am comin' in de doah ; 

 An I tote my darlin' to de little cabin soon — 



O de honey am comin' in de doah. 

 Watch out, you^arkeys, get ebry han' workin', 

 Ready for d'day when parson do de talkin". 

 Ready for de hive dats chock-full for swahmin'. 



And de honey am comin' in de doah. Nunda, N. Y. 



Vermont Bee-Keepers' Coaventioti Report. 



BT O. J. LOWBEY. 



The 21st amnual convention of the Vermont State Bee- 

 Keepers' Association was held at Burlington, Jan. 29 and SO, 

 1896. 



The convention was called to order by President H. W. 

 Scott, prayer was offered by H. L. Leonard, and the minutes 

 of the last meeting were read and approved, after which came 

 roll-call of members. The Treasurer's report showed the 

 Association to be in good condition financially. 



LARGE OR SMALL HIVES. 



M. A. Everest opened the subject of " Large or small 

 hives; which are best for bee-keepers ?" He thinks for his 

 work a hive with space enough for 10 frames 14x8}-.^ inches 

 large enough ; he likes a long entrance on the side instead of 

 from below, as in the Bristol hive, because the wind does not 

 blow in as much. 



H. L. Leonard — I think the size of the hive very impor- 

 tant to the successful production of honey. I like a medium- 

 sized hive measuring about 2,000 cubic inches, and having 

 usually 10 frames 10x13 inches, inside measure. The ad- 

 vantages of this hive, to me, are, thai I can extend the size by 

 moving the division-board ; can get a large colony not want- 

 ing to swarm early ; never have to feed much — often place a 



comb of honey back of the division-board. I have used other 

 sized hives. 



O. J. Lowrey uses a hive for 9 or 12 frames, Hj^xllJi 

 inches ; he thinks this is as large as most queens can fill ; only 

 about five in 100 will fill over 10 frames. In his location 8- 

 frame Langstroth hives are large enough. He thinks the 

 amount of honey in the fall is usually as much in the 8 as in 

 the 10 frame hives. 



M. F. Cram thinks 9-frame hives best, as smaller ones 

 cause too early swarming. 



R.H.Holmes uses Langstroth hives with from 4 to 11 

 frames, and division-board. He thinks it beneficial to con- 

 tract in the fall, often to 7 frames or less. In the spring he 

 expands slowly as they need ; he thinks the gradual expansion 

 keeps off the idea of swarming. Large hives, less feeding, 

 less surplus ; small hives," more feeding, more surplus. The 

 apiarist and the location make much difference as to the size 

 of hive needed, and results obtained. 



COMB vs. EXTBACTED HONEY. 



A paper from W. G. Larrabeg was read, on "Comparative 

 Cost of Producing the Two Honeys — Comb and Extracted." 

 In his experience some years extracted paid the best, while in 

 others comb honey was the most profitable. In starting an 

 apiary for extracted honey, the expense is more in getting 

 supplies than for comb honey, but it can be produced much 

 cheaper. The labor required to produce extracted honey is 

 very'much less. Two hours of good, hard work will do all 

 that is necessary for a colony in a good year. If one desires 

 to get the most profit from the least labor, run for extracted 

 honey, but if one is looking for the pleasure that is to be 

 found, he would by all means produce comb honey. 



In the discussion that followed it was decided that condi- 

 tions and seasons differed much as to the comparative profit. 



H. W. Scott thinks extracted honey much cheaper and 

 most profitable. He uses 10-frame Langstroth hives, two 

 stories until the honey-flow, then keeps the queen below with 

 an excluder. He says they do not swarm as much. He leaves 

 the honey on until half sealed. 



Ques. — " If honey comes slowly why do they use more in 

 producing comb honey than in extracted?" Ans. — "In building 

 comb slowly they make heavy comb ; this requires much more 

 honey." 



H. L. Leonard prefers to produce both honeys together. 



Reports of members for the season of 1895 showed that 

 the crop of honey was very light, giving an average of 19.2 

 pounds per colony, spring count, and a very small increase in 

 colonies. 



The question-box was next opened. 



PREVENTION OF DRONES FLYING. 



1st. "Is it practicable to prevent drones flying from all 

 colonies that are not above medium in working qualities? 

 If so, what is the best method ?" 



O. J. Lowrey— The apiarist should breed only from the 

 best stock, keeping back poor drones by shaving the cells. A 

 queen-breeder should take every precaution against poor 

 drones by using drone-traps all the time. I do not think the 

 traps interfere with the working of colonies. 



BREEDING FROM THE LIGHTEST-COLORED QUEENS. 



2nd. "Is there danger of deterioration by continually 

 breeding from the lightest-colored queens?" 



H. W. Scott— Yes. 



R. H. Holmes — That depends upon whether the lightest- 

 colored bees are the best; many times they are not. As a 

 rule, I prefer the leather-colored bees. 



GOLDEN-ROD HONEY FOR MARKET. 



3rd. " Will it pay Vermont bee-keepers to put honey on 

 the market as poor as the golden-rod at any price ?" 



A Member — No ; do not sell poor honey at any price. 



