^oniotniions. 



North-Western Illinois Convention. 



The North-Western Illinois Bee-keepers' 

 Association met at Rocic City, May 7, 1878, 

 President H. W. Lee in the chair. The 

 minutes of last meeting were read and 

 approved, and 6 new names were added to 

 the roll. A letter from the Secretary of tlie 

 Western Illinois Bee-keepers' Society, ask- 

 ing us to change the name of our society, 

 was read, and laid on the table without dis- 

 cussion. The Secretary handed in his 

 resignation, which was accepted, and Jas. 

 E. Fehr was elected his successor. 



It was decided by a unanimous vote not 

 to change the name of our Association. 



DISCUSSIONS— UNITING COLONIES. 



Mr. Hodgkins scented with peppermint. 



Mr. Molly united in cool weather, by lift- 

 ing frames and bees out of one hive, and 

 putting them into the other hive ; and they 

 were always accepted. 



Mr. Fehr unites the same way ; prepares 

 them in the middle of the day by taking 

 half of the comb out of both hives, moving 

 the combs in one hive to one side of the 

 hive, and in the other hive to the middle ; 

 then in the evening, lifts conibs with bees 

 in the latter and sets in the former. Some- 

 times takes one queen away and sometimes 

 not, and the bees never quarreled. 



Mr. Lee thouuht tiiey might not kill tlie 

 one queen and keep both. He had several 

 cases of 2 queens in 1 hive. 



Mr. Conklin has frequently united by 

 putting one hive above the other, when put- 

 ting them in the cellar, taking off the bot- 

 tom board of the upper one. 



WHY BEES DESERT THEIR HIVES IN SPRING. 



Mr. Holly thinks it is for the want of 

 pollen. He said there must be one univer- 

 sal cause, or why did they swarm out one 

 spring, about 8 years ago, all over the 

 country, as reported in tiie journals ? He 

 had seen them so desert their hives in June, 

 in very dry weather, when there was no 

 honey or pollen. He had not seen any 

 desert their hives when they had pollen. 



Mr. Hodgkins thought it was dampness. 

 Had seen a neighbor's bees swarm out, 

 when, upon examining the hives, he found 

 the combs and hive wet and damp. 



Mr. Lee had seen them desert the hives 

 with plenty of honey and pollen ; thought 

 starvation -would drive them out; thinks 

 the black bees desert their hives more than 

 the Italians. 



CAN COMBS BE USED SUCCESSFULLY AFTER 

 BEING MOULDY ? 



Mr. Holly had lost many bees in winter- 

 ing, when he had box hives. Combs would 

 be mouldy. He would cut out all mouldy 

 comb. 



WHICH IS MOST PROFITABLE, EXTRACTED 

 OR COMB HONEY ? 



Mr. Holly thought people were getting to 

 know the pure from the adulterated honey. 

 This will increase consumption. 



Mr. Conklin had created a demand for 

 extracted honey, by leaving samples at the 

 grocery stores, and allowing every one to 

 taste it. 



WHAT TIME IS MOST APPROPRIATE TO PUT 

 BEES INTO WINTER QUARTERS ? 



Mr. Hodgkins put his into winter quarters 

 6 weeks before cold weather. He would 

 make sure of housing them before cold 

 weather. They always wintered well when 

 put in early. 



Mr. Lee would put them in during the 

 first part of November, if he felt certain 

 they would stand the long confinement. — 

 He always gave them upper ventilation. 



WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF WINTERING 

 DURING THE PAST SEASON ? 



Ml'. Williams lost more bees during the 

 last winter than ever before. He wintered 

 in the cellar. They got too warm and 

 smothered ; consequently, his bees are 

 weak. 



Mr. Lee lost 1 colony, out of 201 colonies. 



Mr. Hull lost 1. out of 59. 



Mr. Holly wintered 63, lost one. 



Mr. ("onklin had 39 and lost none. 



Mr. Hodgkins wintered 40 colonies and 4 

 nuclei, and lost none. 



Mr. Stewart wintered 83 without loss. 



Mr. Adams had 11, and lost none. 



Mr. Keister lost 9, out of 73. 



Mr. Fehr had 45, and lost none. Some 

 were verv weak, and he united them, leav- 

 ing but 39. 



K. M. Milliken, Mr. Stewart and Mr. 

 Keister were appointed a committee to 

 revise the Constitution. 



RESOLUTIONS. 



The following motions were carried 

 unanimously : 



Resolved, That we appreciate and recommend the 

 Invention of H. W. Conklin, for fastenin;? coint) 

 foundation into brood frames, by 2 saw kerfs ; one 

 horizontal, the other diagonal, same as described in 

 the AMERICAN BEE JouuxAL for May, pa^e 142. 



Resolved, That we extend our warmest thanks to 

 Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Stewart for their courtesy 

 and hospitality so generously tendered tons. 



Resolved, That our next annual meeting be held at 

 Shirland, on the lid Tuesday in December, 1878. 



Resolved. That we adjourn to meet on the Ist 

 Tuesday in September, at the residence of B. M. 

 Milliken, Dakota, Stephenson Co., 111. 



Jas. E. Fehr, Sec'y. 



Los Angeles (Cal.) Convention. 



A meeting of the bee-keepers of Los 

 Angeles County was held on May 18, 1878.— 

 A. J. Davidson in the chair. The minutes 

 of last meeting were read and approved. 



The Committee on Packages presented a 

 report, and exhibited sample barrels, made 

 at Anaheim. 15 and 20 gallons (holding from 

 200 to 250 tt)s.), substantially made with 

 iron hoops, and the ends of the barrels 

 painted, costing respectfully $1.50 and 

 $1.75 ; cans, square with screw top, 10 lbs 

 per 100, f 16 ; 5 lbs. per 100, $13 and .1512..50; 

 round, 10 lbs. per 100, $13 ; round, 5 fts. per 

 100, .$10 ; round, 2 lbs. per 100, $6. The 

 latter cans are without screw top. and are 

 soldered. The additional cost of waxing 

 the barrels will be from 20 to 25 cts. 



