THR fKlVlERICJtN BEB JOURNai,. 



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How to Join the Union.— Several 

 have lately sent inquiries to know how to 

 become members of the Union. In order to 

 answer all at once, and save writing a letter 

 to each, we invite attention to the following: 



The Entrance Fee is tl.OO, and that pays 

 for the Dues of any portion of tlie unexpired 

 current year, ending Dec. 31. 



Then it costs only one dollar for Annual 

 Dues, which are payable every New Year's 

 day, and must be paid within six months, 

 in order to retain membership In the Union. 



If membership ceases, all claims against 

 former members also cease ; and all claims 

 to the protection of the Union are dissolved. 



The Constitution as last amended reads 

 as follows : 



Article I.— This organization shall be 

 known as the "National Bee-Keepers' 

 Union," and shall meet annually, or as 

 often as necessity may require. 



Article II.— Its object shall be to pro- 

 tect the interests of bee-keepers, and to 

 defend their rights. 



Article III.— The officers of this Union 

 shall consist of a President, live Vice- 

 Presidents, and a General Manager (who 

 shall also be the Secretary and Treasurer), 

 whose duties shall be those usually per- 

 formed by such officers. They shall be 

 elected by ballot, and hold their several 

 offices for one year, or until their successors 

 are elected ; blank ballots for this purpose 

 to be mailed to every member by the General 

 Manager. 



Article IV.— The officers shall consti- 

 tute an Advisory Board, which shall 

 determine what action shall be taken by 

 this Union, upon the application of bee- 

 keepers for defense ; and cause such extra 

 assessments to be made upon the members 

 as mav become necessary to their defense ; 

 provided that only one assessment shall be 

 made in any one fiscal year, without a 

 majority vote of all the members (upon 

 blanks furnished for that purpose), together 

 with a statement showing why another 

 assessment is desirable. 



Article V. — Any person may become a 

 member by paying to the General Manager 

 an Entrance Fee of one dollar, for which 

 he shall receive a printed receipt making 

 him a member of the Union, entitled to all 

 its rights and benefits. The Annual Fee of 

 Sl.OO shall be due on the firstday of .January 

 in each year, and MUST be paid within six 

 months in order to retain membership in 

 this Union. 



Article VI.— The Funds of this Union 

 shall be used for no other purpose than to 

 defend and protect its members in their 

 rights, after such cases are approved by the 

 Advisory Board ; and to pay the legitimate 

 expenses of this Union, such as printing, 

 postage, clerk-hire, etc. 



Article VII.— This Constitution may be 

 amended by a majority vote of all the mem- 

 bers at any time. 



The Entrance Fee and Dues must be sent 

 direct to the General Manager, Thomas G. 

 Newman, Chicago, Ills., who will record 

 the names, and send receipts for every dollar 

 sent in. The Union needs funds now, and 

 at least one thousand bee-keepers should 

 each become members immediately. 



Advisability of Clipping ll>c 

 Qiici>ii'§ Wing. 



Written for tlie American Bee Journal 



A Modern Bee-Farm and its Eco- 

 nomic Management, by S. Simmins, of Rot- 

 tingdean, Brighton, England, is the title of 

 a new book of about 2(K) pages, printed on 

 excellent paper, and nicely bound in cloth. 

 Price S1.(X). For sale at this office. 



Query 644.— 1. Would you clip the queen's 

 wing? 2. Why ? .'i. When ?— T. F. 



No — J. P. H. Bkown. 



No. — Dadant & Son. 



I do not practice it. I can see some 

 things in its favor, and some against 

 it. — H. D. Cutting. 



No ! I work on the non-swarming 

 plan. — J. M. HA5IBAUGH. 



I. Yes, everij lime. 2. To save work. 

 3. The first time I see her after I find 

 eggs. — A. J. Cook. 



1. Yes. 2. So that the swarm may 

 return. 3. In tlie spring, when clean- 

 ing out the hives. — Mahala B. Chad- 

 dock. 



1. Yes, every time. 2. So as to 

 prevent swarms absconding, and for 

 convenience in hiving. 3. Just as 

 soon as convenient, after she has be- 

 gun to lay. — A. B. Mason. 



No ; I want no queens that cannot 

 fly, any more than queens without 



legs. C. H. DiBBEBN. 



1. Yes. 2. To keep her from going 

 to the woods, and to facilitate hiving 

 swarms. 3. As soon as she begins to 

 lay. — M. Mauin. 



1. If I did not want her to fly, I 

 would. 2. To prevent her flying. 3. 

 The very first clianc6. I do not think 

 that clipping is so prevalent as form- 

 erly. — J. M. Shuck. 



1. Yes. 2. To mark them, to con- 

 trol swarming, etc. 3. Any time after 

 laying well. — P. L. Viallon. 



1. Yes. 2. So that she cannot lead 

 swarms to the woods. 3. Generally in 

 the spring, before the colony increases 

 much in strength. — R. L. Taylor. 



1. I have never clipped a queen's 

 wing — and I do not know that I ever 

 shall. 2. To aid in swarming. 3. As 

 soon as she commences to lay. — Will 

 M. Barncm. 



1. That would depend upon the 

 situation and surroundings of my 

 apiary ; if near heavy timber, or .sur- 

 rounded by tall trees, yes. 3. When 

 my little scissors were sharp — almost 

 any time before swarming. — Mrs. L. 

 Harrison. 



No, sir. I am opposed to clipping 

 queens' wings. I know that excellent 

 and successful bee-keepers clip them. 

 There are advantages and disadvan- 

 tages both ways. — James Heddon. 



1. Indeed, I would. 2. So she can- 

 not fly with a swarm. 3. The first 



time that I see her after she lays. If 

 not before, certainly prior to swarming 

 time. — C. C. Miller. 



1. I would not. Those who do, 

 claim that swarms are saved by so 

 doing, and much trouble avoided. I 

 do not see it so. .3. I should clip the 

 wings any time after fecundation had 

 taken place ; it makes no matter when. 

 — J. E. Pond. 



1. Yes. 2. Because there are more 

 reasons in favor of so doing than there 

 are against it. 3. At any time, when 

 you see the queens after they become 

 fertile. I usually do it when apple 

 ti'ees are in bloom, because this is at 

 the beginning of the season, and also 

 because thei-e are not so many bees in 

 the way then as later on. — G. M. Uoo- 



LITTLE. 



1. I do not now clip tlie wings of 

 my queens, but I did formerly. 2. I 

 do not now, because it is not neces- 

 sary, as it is so far to timber (about 

 one mile), that the bees never go awaj' 

 without first clustering near b}-. Did 

 I live near timber, I would use queen- 

 traps in preference to clipping. — G. L. 

 Tinker. 



1. Queens at the head of my honey- 

 producing colonies (not my breeding 

 (lueeus). yes. 2. "Why?" Because I 

 can manage the swarms with less 

 labor, and without danger of loss of 

 swarms, and especiallj" as there are 

 some trees of considerable height near 

 my apiary. 3. In the early spring, 

 when the colonies are at their smallest, 

 when the queens can be most readily 

 found. — G. W. Demaree. 



1. That depends. If I were a woman, 

 I would, always. If among high trees, 

 it is a good thing to do so anyway. I 

 think that it is a good practice, even 

 for men, unless they like to try Frank- 

 lin's method with the lightning, and 

 bring them down with a kite. 2. It 

 saves work at swarming time. The 

 bees cannot abscond. You are more 

 sure of the age of your queens. 3. Any 

 time after the queen has mated. — 

 Eugene Secor. 



1. Yes ; if near timber. 2. So that 

 the swarms would return and thus save 

 labor. 3. Soon after she begins to 

 lay, or before swarming time. — The 

 Editor. 



Convention IVoticeN. 



ttW The Northern Illinois Bee-Keepers' Associa- 

 tion will hold Its next mectInK on AuB. 2U, liwo, at 

 R Marsh's, in Guilford Township, 4 miles northeast 

 of Rockford, Ills. D. A. fOLLEB, Sec. 



t1?~ The International Bee-Keepers' Association 

 will meet in the ccmrt-huuse, iit Hntntfurd. Ont., 

 Canada on December 4. 5, and fi, iks;i. All bee- 

 keepers are invited to attend, anfl State and District 

 hee-keepers' societies are requested to ai>p<'int del- 

 egates w the convention. Full particulars of the 

 meetinn will heKiven Induetlme. Anyonedesirous 

 of t)ecr)niinK anieiuher, and recelvinj; tlie last Annu- 

 al Report liound, may do so by forwardinK II.OO to 

 the Secretary.— K. K. HOLTIK.VAN.V, Sec. Brant 

 ford. Ont.. Canada. 



