Dec. 28, IWS 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



901 



some of them was indicated only by a slight elevation — a 

 sort of mound of snow. These hives were lying close to 

 the ground and the spot was well sheltered, so that the 

 snow had gathered there. It was a warm day and I 

 suggested to the owner that it might be well to give the 

 bees some air. We did, and I believe we did them more 

 harm than good, for many of the bees had a flight and 

 were lost. I do not think that they needed it. Their 

 hive was so well protected that they did not feel the 

 changes of temperature as they must have felt them after 

 we liberated them. 



In our movable-frame hives, which are up from the 

 ground and have more or less upwards ventilation through 

 fissures in the cover, I believe that there is not the least 

 danger whatever of having the bees smothered by leaving 

 them buried in the snow, or by doing as one of our oldest 

 bee-keepers does — covering them up with snow, when it 

 is plentiful and the weather down to the zero mark. 



He holds that the more they are sheltered by the 

 snow, the better they fare, and this is very probably cor- 

 rect as long as the cold days continue. 



But there is a reverse to this. It is when the snow 

 melts and changes to ice. If the hive has no upward 

 ventilation or fissures through which air may enter, the 

 entrance and lower joints may be frozen entirely fast, 

 when the question of smothering would be a matter of 

 only a few days. 



Again, if warm weather comes and the snow melts 

 oflf, it becomes necessary for the bees to take a flight. 

 They think so, at least, for they begin to worry and seek 

 the entrance. It is at this time that the cleaning oflf of 

 the snow from the entrance proves useful. If the hive is 

 sheltered with snow from all sides, but the alighting- 

 board is clean, the bees are sure to find a dry spot when 

 they come out. 



But why not keep them confined when the snow is 

 on the ground? Well, you may try it if you choose, but 

 the trials we have made at confining bees on warm days 

 have always been disastrous. They fret and worry, and 

 if they are loaded with feces they are often compelled to 

 discharge them within the hive. We have concluded that 

 it was a mistake to confine the bees, even in snow-time, 

 if it is warm enough for them to fly. Yet, if they have' 

 not been long confined, and the snow is deep, and the 

 weather rather doubtful for a flight, they may be induced 

 to remain quiet by sheltering the hive from the rays of 

 the sun for the few warm hours. A very good plan, if 

 you use movable roofs over the top of the hives (and this 

 should be done), is to turn- the roof on edge, in front of 

 each hive for the time of their flight. This keeps the 

 sun's rays oflf and they will not worry. But if it is warm 

 enough for them to fly, and they insist on coming out, 

 then turn this roof completely over, on the snow, in front 

 of the alighting-board, and you will have a good dry spot 

 on which they may alight without settling down on the 

 snow, for the bee that alights on the snow in January, 

 unless it be an exceptional day, is seldom able to regain 

 its hive. 



The prevention of mice is important. When the en- 

 trances have been worn to a sufficient size to admit of 

 mice, they may be reduced with a metal strip that will 

 cut the height of the entrance to about one-fourth inch. 



The colonies in the cellar will keep quiet this month. 

 An occasional glance at them will indicate their needs. 

 Darkness, sufficient air, and an even temperature of about 

 40 degrees, will insure absolute safety. It is pleasant, 

 when the north wind is roaring during a cold January 

 night, to go down into the cellar and listen to the gentle 

 murmur of the bees, which will delight our ears again 

 next May by their hum, while they fly about the blossoms 

 and help the fertilization of our fruits. Hamilton, 111. 



Honey as a Health-Food.— This is a 16-page honey- 

 pamphlet intended to help increase the demand for honey. 

 The first part of it contains a short article on " Honey as 

 Food", written by Dr. C. C. Miller. It tells where to keep 

 honey, how to liquefy it, etc. The last part is devoted to 

 " Honey-Cooking Recipes " and " Remedies Using Honey ". 

 It should be widely circulated by those selling honey. The 

 more the people are educated on the value and uses of honey 

 the more honey they will buy. 



Prices, prepaid — Sample copy for a two-cent stamp; SO 

 copies for 70 cts, ; 100 for fl.25 : 250 for $2 25 ; 500 for 3W.00 ; 

 or 1000 for $7.50. Your business card printed free at the 

 bottom of the front page on all orders for 100 or more copies. 

 Send all orders to the o£5ce of the American Bee Journal. 



=^ 



(£onr>cntion 

 Procecbtn^s 



Report of the Worcester Co., Mass., 

 Conventions 



«/ 



The Worcester County Bee-Keepers' Association be- 

 gan their w'inter series of meetings Nov. 11, 1905. The 

 first meeting of the season was of an informal nature, re- 

 ports from different bee-keepers in this vicinity being 

 heard. 



The season was not, as a whole, a very profitable one. 

 The average amount of honey was about 30 pounds; 589 

 pounds was the largest amount reported, and that from a 

 small apiary. One of our heaviest bee-keepers works 

 almost entirely for increase, and does not aim to produce 

 much honey. 



Only one bee-keeper reported any diseased brood, and 

 that from a district that has had trouble before. 



The matter of holding an apiarian exhibition in the 

 near future was brought up and left in the hands of a 

 special committee. 



James Wheeler was announced as a future speaker, 

 likewise Arthur C. JNIiller, of Rhode Island, who has 

 spoken to us several times before. 



These topics were suggested as suitable ones for 

 future meetings: 



"Honey, its composition, uses, and value as food," 

 "History of bee-keeping from Greek and Roman times up 

 to the present date," "History and methods of artificial 

 increase," "History and methods of queen-breeding," 

 "Anatomy and structure of the bee and relations to the 

 colony," "Bee tongue, its lengths and parts, and relation 

 to red clover," and "Methods and difficulty of wintering." 



The following is ' something further concerning the 

 meeting of Nov. 11, 1905: 



There is money in the production of wax. for pure, 

 unadulterated beeswax is in great demand, and jewelers 

 and people in many other lines cannot get along without 

 it, and will pay from 50 to 75 cents a pound for it gladly. 

 Not nearly the amount of beeswax consumed in this 

 country is supplied by bee-keepers of the United States, 

 and much of it comes from Mexico and the West Indies. 



Much interest is being manifested by people of the 

 county in the keeping of bees and the production of wax, 

 and at the close of yesterday afternoon's meeting five new 

 members were admitted to the Association. These were 

 Fred Rich, S. H. Cheney, E. C. Putnam, C. H. Harris, and 

 Hon. Ledyard Bill. 



The meeting was called to order by Pres. F. H. Drake, 

 of East Brookfield. It was well attended, between 40 and 

 50 members and guests being present. Charles R. Russell 

 was the speaker of the afternoon, and talked on 



Wax, Its Discovery, Form.vtion, Uses, Adulterations, and 

 Proper Ways of Extracting.' 



After his talk, Mr. Russell and Arthur C. Miller 

 showed how wax is extracted. Mr. Miller using a machine 

 of his own invention, while the speaker used the Ferris 

 wa.x extractor. 



The lecturer also showed how pure wax is tested in 

 benzine and alcohol and water, having several jars and 

 bottles on exhibition. 



' To make his statements regarding the great market 

 for w'ax even more emphatic. Mr. Russell read a letter 

 which he received from E. E. Phillips, acting in charge of 

 agriculture in the United States Department of .Vgriculture 

 at Washington. This was in answer to a letter written by 

 Mr. Russell, and was as follows: 



"I am unable to give you an estimate of the amount of 

 beeswax produced in the United States annually, because 

 I have no information on which to base the estimate. 

 You may be interested, however, in knowing that in 1903 

 the importation into this country amounted to 488,576 

 pounds, valued at $127,220. Wax was imported to a large 

 extent from' Mexico and the West Indies, and the im- 

 portations for 10 years back show a very decided increase. 



