April 12, 1900. 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



229 



Report of the Wisconsin State Convention. 



BY N. K. FRANCE. 



The 16th annual meetingf of the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers' 

 Association was called to order Feb. 7, 1900, at 10 a.m., with 

 Pres. F. Wilcox in the chair. Prayer was offered by Rev. 

 H. A. Winters. 



Pres. Wilcox delivered a short opening address, after 

 which the secretary read the minutes of the last meeting-, 

 which were approved. 



CAUSE OF WINTER I,OSSES OF BEES. 



Next was a paper by Herbert Clute, of Clark Co., on the 

 causes of loss of colonies of bees last winter. A long dis- 

 cussion followed on wintering, several thinking the long- 

 continued cold weather the main cause. Proper ventilation 

 and uniform temperature were advocated by all. Several 

 have underground inlet air-tubes as well as upward ventila- 

 tors. If stone walls get damp and frosty it is an indication 

 of lack of heat and 

 ventilation. Good 

 feed is as necessary 

 as the cellar. This 

 may be either sealed 

 combs of choice white 

 honey or thick sugar 

 sj'rup. 



Several spoke of 

 heavj' losses where 

 honey - dew or sor- 

 ghum, from sorghum 

 mills, was plenty in 

 the fall. Some mem- 

 bers complained of 

 their bees in the 

 spring being both- 

 ered with diarrhea, 

 often the result of 

 shortage of good feed 

 — causing the bees to 

 consume an unusual 

 amount of bee-bread. 

 In making sugar 

 syrup, all use the best 

 white sugar, about 2 

 pounds to one of water, and if not stirred much in making 

 it is not liable to granulate. 



The secretary then read a second paper by Mr. Clute, 

 on " Bee-Keeping in Clark County." 



The convention then adjourned to 1:30 p.m., when Pres. 

 Wilcox called the meeting to order, and George W. York 

 gave each one present a copy of the song written by Dr. 

 Miller and Mr. Secor, entitled, "The Hum of the Bees in 

 the Apple-Tree Bloom." After Mr. York sang the first 

 stanza, all joined, and a choir of 35 bee-keepers" voices was 

 heard. 



The secretary then read an essay on bee-keeping, by 

 Mrs. Jennie Towle, of Clark Co. This was followed by Miss 

 Ada Pickard, of Richland Co., who was listened to with 

 great interest. 



"Dots by the Wayside," a paper by Jacob Huffman, 

 had many valuable suggestions. A lengthy discussion fol- 

 lowed on pasturage for bees, advising the sowing of more 

 alsike clover, and also sweet clover, as the latter might bet- 

 ter be growing where worthless weeds are found. Extracted 

 sweet clover honey being of a white-greenish shade, and 

 fair quality, it finds ready sale. Some had trouble to get 

 sweet clover seed to grow, but if fresh-gathered seed was 

 sown in early fall, in gravellj'or clay soil, a good catch was 

 generally secured. Mr. York spoke of its great importance 

 to Illinois bee-keepers. 



Mr. E. D. Ochsner then read a paper on " The Section- 

 Box for Wisconsin Bee-Keepers," advocating the standard 

 4%x4%. Messrs. Hatch and York, in the discussion, spoke 

 of others getting more for their tall, fence-separatored 

 honey. The majority present favored the use of the stan- 

 dard 4^ section until their markets demanded a change. 



The State foul brood inspector then read his annual re- 



Bee-Supply Factory of G. B. Lewis Co., Waterlown. Wis. 



port to the Governor, and in the remarks following, askt 

 the association to u.se its influence to have the present law 

 revised — put back as the legislature past it in 1897, adding 

 a section to appraise and pay for property where necessary 

 to burn. A motion veas carried empowering the officers to 

 draft such a bill, and take such steps as may be necessary 

 to secure its passage. 



A question was askt by Mrs. Towle as to whether the 

 State association protected its members the same as the 

 National. After remarks in reply to the above by Pres. 

 Wilcox, Messrs. York, France, and others, Mr. York in- 

 formed the a.ssociation of an offer, that if all the paid-up 

 members of this association would join the National Bee- 

 Keepers' Association in a body, there was a section in the 

 constitution allowing such to join at SO cents each. This 

 led to a recess, and a lively paying of such dues. Wiscon- 

 sin has been in the lead in many industries, and at the close 

 of the paying of dues for the National Association, a feel- 

 ing of National strength and patriotism was shown in every 

 face. 



Geo. McCartney was present with his valuable combined 

 foundation fastener and section press. 



The evening session was called to order by Pres. Wilcox. 

 The entire meeting was devoted to questions and answers, 

 this being the place where some questions of great value to 

 the one asking — in many instances of as much value as the 

 cost of attending the gathering. 



THE QUESTION-BOX 

 AND ANSWERS. 



QuES. — How to 

 prepare new graded 

 ground for an apiary. 

 Ans. — Seed to white 

 clover. 



QuES. — How to 

 manage a lO-frame 

 hive for comb honey 

 — which is the best 

 hive and frame ? 

 Ans. — The majority 

 favored the 8-frarae 

 Langstroth hive for 

 comb honey, and the 

 10-frame for extract- 

 ing. 



Qdes. — How far 

 do bees fly and gather 

 honey profitably ? 

 Ans. — In general, 1 

 to 3 miles, but in- 

 stances were spoken 

 of by W. Z. Hutchin- 

 son, where feed being 

 scarce, they were known to work freely six to seven miles. 

 QuES. — When to sow alsike clover seed. Ans. — In the 

 spring in soil well prepared, and if not allowed to be smoth- 

 ered by other crops, it will bloom well the second season. 



QuES. — Can ladies keep bees with profit? Ans. — Yes, 

 if proper attention and study are given to it. 



QuES. — How to get strong colonies by the harvest time. 

 Ans. — By good protection and feeding. 



QuES. — How to keep the top ol the hives warm on cold 

 nights and days in the spring. Ans. — Put burlap or other 

 cloth covering under the cover, and then tight-fitting cover. 

 At certain times protect the whole hive. 



QuES. — When and how to ripen extracted honey. Ans, 

 — All advised keeping it on the hives until ripened b3' the 

 bees. A majority of the members use queen-excluding 

 horiey-boards. 



OuES. — Is a bee-keeper responsible for damages done 

 by his bees ? Ans. — Yes ; but if bees are near neighbors 

 or a street, and sting people or stock, they should be moved, 

 or a high fence or hedge erected to force the bees high 

 above such street ; and where bees are kept near neighbors 

 so as to bother them, and stain their clothes on the wash-line, 

 keep good neighbors by an occasional gift of honey from 

 these bees. The bee-keeper also should belong to the Na- 

 tional Bee-Keepers' Association — a cheap and valuable in- 

 surance in times whe i envious neighbors complain. 



QuES. — Do old ejitracting-combs color the honey ? Ans. 

 — No, not even combs that have been in use 20 years. 



QuKS. — Do hives need ventilation in hot weather ? Ans. 

 — Yes, by entrancf s left open the full length, and the cover 

 raised a little at one end. 



QuES. — Do bees do as well in the shade as in the sun- 



