AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



803 



top of the nucleus. Now pack around 

 and 6 inches above the nucleus, having 

 ample ventilation at the top to keep the 

 sawdust dry. Have at least one quart 

 of bees in the nucleus. They are as 

 warm as the big hive below, and breed 

 up remarkably fast in the spring. See 

 that they do not run short of stores. Do 

 not stir them until steady warm weather, 

 or until they need more room. 



I have strong inclinations towards an 

 unpainted, or white-washed hive, for 

 wintering. The moisture dries out of 

 it much quicker, making the wood a 

 good non-conductor, something like a 

 basswood log. 



Chicago, Ills., June 3, 1893- 



Mkm Honey— (Jool Queens. 



A. N. DEAFER. 



On Saturday, June 4, I discovered 

 that a large part of my bees were almost 

 at the starvation point. I hustled up 

 town, and before night I had a barrel 

 of granulated sugar converted into 

 syrup, and fed to them. In the after- 

 noon I found that they had begun to 

 work on white clover. Sunday the 

 honey came in quite fast, and yesterday 

 and to-day I have been getting surplus 

 cases into place. The honey has been 

 coming in very fast for the last three 

 hours to-day, but the rain now (3 p.m.) 

 has put a stop to it for the present. 



My bees are in tip-top condition for 

 the harvest, thanks to the " Miserable 

 Frenchman," as Dr. Miller puts it. The 

 colonies in big " Dadant hives " average 

 the strongest in every way. If Dr. 

 Miller will please explain how he gets 

 just a little too much honey in an 8^ 

 frame Simplicity hive for a colony to 

 winter on, he will confer a great favor — 

 upon me at least. This spring, 11 

 frames of the size preferred by the 

 Dadants have proved none too much. 

 What bees I have in Simplicity hives I 

 have given two stories, and both stories 

 are pretty well filled with brood, in 

 most of the hives. Of course, I have 

 some weak colonies, but not nearly as 

 many as commonly. 



I reared a great number of queens a 

 la Doolittle last summer, and I find that 

 they average a better lot than any I 

 have ever reared before. I give a good 

 deal of credit for the fine condition of 

 my apiaries at this date, to this extra 

 fine lot of queens, and I am satisfied 

 that I can, if any one can, compete with 

 cheap sugar; that with large hives good 



queens, and lots of good dry leaves 

 around the hives. I shall try my hand 

 at comb honey this summer, as I can sell 

 it at good prices. Comb honey in sec- 

 tions must be our hope now. With the 

 best granulated sugar at 4:^ cents per 

 pound by the barrel, where will ex- 

 tracted honey go ? 



The bottoms here will surely abound 

 with Spanish-needle this fall — at least 

 it looks now as though there ought to 

 be water enough. There is also lots of 

 young white clover coming up this 

 spring. There will be a good honey 

 crop from white clover next year, I 

 think. 



Upper Alton, Ills., June 7, 1892. 



f alasl Yalley Bee-Keeners' Convention. 



FKANK VAWTEK. 



The Wabash Valley Bee-Keepers' As- 

 sociation met in convention in the City 

 Hall at Vincennes, Ind., on Saturday 

 afternoon, May 28, 1892, with Vice- 

 President Cox in the chair. 



Several new members were added to 

 the Association. 



It was reported that arrangements 

 had been made to give $200 in cash 

 premiums for bee and honey displays at 

 the Knox county, Ind., Fair. 



The Porter Spring bee-escape was ex- 

 hibited, explained and approved. 



The continued wet weather has had a 

 bad effect on bees, as they cannot work 

 in the rain. Many members reported 

 loss of colonies by starvation during the 

 month of May, which is something very 

 unusual. 



A specimen of a very pretty and new 

 honey-plant was exhibited. It is known 

 as "crimson clover," and is said to be a 

 rich honey-producer. It is usually sowed 

 in the fall. 



A new disease there has made its 

 appearance, which, for want of a better 

 name, is called " bee-paralysis." The 

 symptoms are a black and shiny appear- 

 ance of the bees. They first act as 

 though crazy, fall about, and soon die. 

 The remedy is to transfer the colony to 

 new combs, or give it a new queen. 



It was explained that " 5-banded " 

 bees are not a new variety or strain, 

 but simply a selection of Italians. 



The next meeting will be held at the 

 Mayor's office in Vincennes, at 10 

 o'clock on Aug. 17. 



The membership of the Association 

 should be greatly increased. 



Frank Vawter, Sec. 



