439 



comb foundation only in the body of the 

 hive. Tiie starters in the boxes, siiould be 

 of clean white comb, fastened with white 

 glue. 



Tlie most profitable time to feed is in the 

 spring and summer when blossoms fail. 

 Feeding induces the queen to lay, and the 

 bees will raise the brood for the coming 

 harvest. Tiie more bees, the more honey. 



Care should be taken during the sea- 

 son that the queen has room in which to 

 deposit her eggs. For this purpose the 

 extractor should be used freely. It will be 

 found a gain, even if you have to feed the 

 honey back again to keep the queen layii:g. 

 As it is desirable that there sliould be but 

 little unoccupied room, the liive should be 

 supplied witii a movable division board. 



As the colony increases in size, the board 

 can be easily moved. The tools required 

 for a beginner are first a good manual. A. 

 J. Cook's, of the agricultural college of 

 Lansing, is the latest and best; a honey ex- 

 tractor ; a Bingham smoker ; a Bingham & 

 Hetheiington honey knife; a bee-veil, and 

 tools enough to put hives and boxes together. 



The old secret of handling bees with 

 safety, was to alarm them in some way so 

 that they would fill themselves with honey, 

 when they are peaceable, like a natural 

 swarm in swarming time. Bee-keepers use 

 smoke for this purpose. If you have but a 

 few colonii'S, a small stick of half-rotted 

 wood lighted so that the smoke can be 

 blown amongst them will do, but a good 

 Bingham smoker will save much time ; don't 

 fail to get the largest size. One of our best 

 bee-keepers says that the great secret in 

 successful bee-keeping consists in knowing 

 how to keep all colonies strong. To this 

 might be added : Doing the right thing at 

 the right time. Don't cherish the idea that 

 you can keep bees without work. Don't be 

 alarmed if you get stung ; pull out the sting 

 as quickly as possible, blow a Utile smoke 

 over the place and go ahead, you will soon 

 get used to it. 



One very important item is to take the 

 American Bek Jouknal. It is worthy 

 of the ))atronage of every t)ee-keeper in tiie 

 land. With these few hints permit me to 

 close, hoping they may assist the beginner 

 in apiculture. 



|^° The Central Illinois Bee-Keepers' 

 Association held its semi-annual meeting 

 Oct. 31st. 1878, at Hillsboro, III. 



Dr. Hobson, of Irving, being called upon, 

 addressed the Convention, showing the ne- 

 cessity of feeding bees during the wet and 

 cold vveather in spring, and severe drouths 

 of summer. They require it as much as any 

 other stock, it strong colonies are desired. 

 He thought many hives too large ; 1,800 cu- 

 bic inches are sufticient for brood chamber. 

 The best place lor the surplus honey was 

 over the frames. This season was not fa- 

 vorable ; from 22 colonies he got but 1,200 lbs. 



Mr. Welcher had 65 colonies in spring, and 

 increased to 14.5. From these he obtained 

 7200 lbs. extracted, and ISOO lbs. comb honey. 



Dr. Allen, of Greenville, said bees had 

 been almost a failure this year with him. 

 He was successful in wintering bees by cov- 

 ering completely with hay or straw. 



Mr. J. H. Shimer, the President, had 40 



colonies in the spring ; they did nothing till 

 August, when he moved them 12 miles into 

 the country. In Oct. tliey had stored 2,000 

 lbs. in 1-lb. sections, which sold readily in 

 St. Louis at 20 cents per lb. 



Annual meeting will beheld atHillsboro, 

 111., April 1st. Wm. J. Jacksou, Sec. 



Honey Show.— Mr. M. W. Carrott 

 made a very tine honey exhibit at the 

 Quincy, 111., Fair. Tlie Western Agri- 

 culturist remarks thac Mr. C. is "a 

 great admirer of bees, and as successful 

 as the most enthusiastic amateur could 

 wish. His hives are of modern con- 

 struction. Commencing with common 

 bees, he Italianized them by giving 

 them tested Italian queens ; his colonies 

 ai"e now strong, and iiave been active 

 workers, having filled the prize boxes 

 with the finest honey ; he has also taken 

 large quantities from the frames with 

 the honey extractor." 



Local Convention Directory. 



1878. Time and Place of Meeting. 



Dec. .3.— Montcalm County, at Carson City, Mich. 



4.— Mlclildan State, at Grand Kapkls, Mich. 



17,— Northwestern Illinois, at Shirland, Ul. 

 1879. 



Feb. 14.— South-Western Ohio, at Lebanon, O. 

 April 1, -Central Illinois, at Hillsboro, III. 

 May 6.— Albany County, N. Y., at Clarksville, N. T. 



ti.- Central Kentucky, at Ijexington. Ky. 



28.— North-EasternWisconsin, at Hartford, Wis. 

 Oct. 21.— National Convention, at Chicago, Ul. 



Z^" In order to have this Table complete. Secreta- 

 ries are requested to forward full particulars of time 

 and place of future meetings.— Ed. 



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