Michigan Convention. 



[Concluded from last issue.] 



The following persons paid tlie usual fees 

 and becaine members of tlie association: — 

 L)r. Southard. T. F. BiMghani, Prof. A. J. 

 Cook, L. C. Whiting, Wni. Spedcling, Dr. 

 C. F. Ashley. B. O. Everitt, G. G. Allen, H. 

 Barber, Jos. Butler, Wni. Thompson. F. W. 

 (Gilbert, D. (i. ISlieppnrd, E. Goodrich, J. 

 W. Benedict and P. R. Wilson. 



STATISTICAL TABLE. 



I^AMES. 



;S :^ 'i ■H.;S s 





•i^^J^i 



* Wintered on Summer Stands. 



t Wintered in Cellar. 



B Black Bees. 



I Italians. 



M Mixed. 



H Both Kinds of Bees. 



QUESTION BOX. 



The following questions were asked: 

 1. " Are incredible reports from the fra- 

 ternity an advantage?" 



The President replied that such reports 

 were not frequently made, but that which 

 often seemed incredible was true. 

 . 2. " Do bees injure fruit?" 



Dr. Whiting said that in his observation 

 bees did not cut their way into ripe fiuit, 

 but would work on any cracked or marred 

 fruit. 



J. W. Helme said that he thought that 

 they loouid attack fruit, but only as a last 

 resort, when they could get nothing else. — 

 They would eat [jeaches and grapes. 



Mr. Fahnestock said he was a fruit 

 grower. He had 60 acres of it. His apiary 

 was in his vineyard, and he had made care- 

 ful examination for years, and he never 

 knew sound fruit to be attacked by bees. — 

 Peaches that had hurst their skins were, of 

 course, a source of food. 



Dr. Southard had sat for hours at a time 

 to watch for work of bees on fruit, but 

 never saw them do it. 



The President said that the cases were 

 authenticated of bees attacking fruit, but 

 there were very few cases. He had experi- 

 mented with fruit placed before the hive, 

 and never knew a case where the bees 

 touched the fruit. 



3. "Which bees are best, Italian or 

 black bees?" 



A vote was taken, and 13 vote^ for the 

 Italians and 5 lor the black bees. Mr. 

 Bingham votcxl both ways, and explained 

 that for breeiiing, aiul for extracted honey, 

 Italians are the best; but for box honey, 

 nothing could equal the black bees. 



4. "Can bees be safely moved during the 

 winter?" 



Mr. Bingliam said that it formerly was 

 done very easily, but of late there seemed 

 to be some difticulty. 



Mr. Overnieyer said he would not hesitate 

 to move them at any time, but he would 

 want them to have a cleansing llight within 

 2 or 3 weeks thereafter. 



Mr. Porter reported the removal of his 

 bees on Thanksgiving, and he examined 

 them this week and they were doing well. 



Mr. Springer reportetl a case where a 

 friend had removed bees from Canada to 

 California in mid-winter, tor two seasons, 

 with great safety and success. 



The opinion prevailed that it was safest 

 not to remove bees till spring. 



.5. " What number of colonies can be 

 kept in one place, where there is plenty of 

 sugar maple, basswood and clover?" 



Mr. Benedict said 1,000 colonies in one 

 place, and 1 colony 3 or 4 miles from it 

 woidd be found to do equally well. 



Mr. Butler said he could not observe but 

 his 140 colonies did just as well as his 30 

 formerly did. 



The President found in California that 

 500 colonies were easily kept at one place. 



6. "What is tlie best mode of dividing 

 stocks?" 



Mr. Bingham was called upon, and said 

 he could hardly answer the question as put. 

 He supposed it had reference to artificial 

 methods. There were various methods, 

 but it was about as cheap to buy as to 

 divide. His hives sat upon a frame, and 

 had movable bottoms. When a hive was 

 breeding, he would place a hive with comb 

 on top of it, and soon the bees would go up 

 into it, and when the bees got fully to woi'k, 

 remove the old hive with the young brood, 

 and the swarm is divided. 



