418 



W. H. Andrews, President, McKinney, Col- 

 lins Co.; F. F. Collins, Vice President, Dal- 

 las, Dallas Co.; John Mason, Treasurer, 

 Greenville, Hunt Co.; Win. R. Howard, Sec- 

 retary, White Rock, Hunt Co. 



A resolution was offered byW. R. Gra- 

 ham for the appointment of a delegate to 

 represent us in the National Bee-Keepers' 

 Convention, to be held in Chicago, 111., Oct. 

 21, 1879. After some discussion W. H. An- 

 drews and F. F. Collins were chosen as 

 delegates to the National Convention. 



The subject of awarding prizes for im- 

 provements in implements, hives, honey 

 knives, smokers, honey in the best market- 

 able shape, etc., was' suggested by F. F. 

 Collins, which after much discussion was 

 laid over as unfinished business. 



The following subjects were chosen for 

 discussion at the next meeting of the 

 Association, and members appointed to 

 write discourses upon the same: "Foul 

 Brood," F. F. Collins ; " Test of Purity and 

 Breeding Italian Queens," W. H. Andrews; 

 History and Anatomy of the Queen Bee, 

 and Native Honey Plants in Northern 

 Texas," Win. R. Howard ; " Bee-Keeping 

 as a pursuit," W. R. Graham ; " Does Bee- 

 Culture Pay ? " John Mason ; " Can Bee- 

 Keeping Be Overdone?" L. J. Green; "Can 

 We Overstock Our Apiaries? " J. H. Cooke. 



Foul brood was discussed by Mr. Collins, 

 of Dallas, the only member present having 

 the disease in his yard. 



The Convention adjourned to meet in 

 Dallas, Dallas Co., in October, during the 

 Fair at that place. Time to be set by the 

 Executive Committee. 



W. H. Andrews, Pres. 



Wm. R. Howard, Sec. 



Dainty Bees. 



In the Popular Science Monthly a corre- 

 spondent, Thomas D. Lilly, of Virginia, 

 gives an account of bis observation the past 

 summer of the visits of bees and other in- 

 sects to the flowers of petunias and morning 

 glories. His account of the operations of 

 the insects is interesting. He says: "Dur- 

 ing the summer I spent much of my time in 

 a porch surrounded by petunias aiul morn- 

 ing glories, of all shades of color from white 

 to bright purple and dark violet. I first ob- 

 served that the colored petunias were torn 

 to pieces every day before noon, while the 

 white or pale ones escaped almost unin- 

 jured. I soon discovered that the bees and 

 butterflies were the mischief-makers, and 

 that the damage was done with their sharp 

 claws in struggling to get to the bottom of 

 the flower-cup. I kept a close watch, and 

 my first impressions were fully confirmed. 

 In every variety of situation and circum- 

 stance the white petunias have been neg- 

 lected for the colored, in exact proportion to 

 the intensity and vividness of color; and 

 the same I found to be true in a less degree 

 as regards the deep and pale morning glo- 

 ries. 1 have called the attention of others 

 to the facts, and proved the preference of 

 the insects is by color alone. If there was 

 any difference whatever in the sweetness or 

 fragrance, it was in favor of the rejected 

 white flowers. 



®\lt %tt\tx IBos. 



Coopersburg, Pa., July 30, 1879. 

 At this date our best honey crop is over- 

 having experienced one of the best honey 

 seasons we have had for years. We have 

 to depend mainly on white clover, which 

 was very abundant in our locality this sea- 

 son. Preston J. Kline. 



Hopedale, Mass., Aug. 4, 1879. 

 Where goldenrod, boneset, milkweed, el- 

 der, sumac and sweet pepper bushes grow 

 only by the road or brookside, near fences 

 and in the edge of the woods — nowhere in 

 large patches — are they to be depended on 

 as of much value for the production of 

 honey ? Would the Rocky Mountain bee- 

 plant probably flourish and yield honey if 

 cultivated in Southern Massachusetts, and 

 where can the seed be obtained ? Can any 

 one give me an approximate idea of how 

 much land should be sown with honey 

 plants, such as borage, mignonette and sweet 

 clover, to furnish pasturage for 3 or 4 colo- 

 nies of bees ? M. A. S. 



[When the plants you speak of grow 

 plentifully by the roadside, etc., in small 

 patches, they should furnish sufficient pas- 

 turage for 3 or 4 and even more colonies of 

 bees. We should suppose the Rocky Moun- 

 tain bee-plant could be cultivated in South- 

 ern Massachusetts very advantageously, as 

 its cultivation is quite successful in Minne- 

 sota. It should be planted in the fall, and 

 the seed can be obtained at this office, or at 

 most of the general seed stores. With the 

 fence corners and out-of-the-way places, 

 when protected from grazing animals, prop- 

 erly seeded with borage, mignonette or 

 sweet clover, you could easily provide an 

 inexpensive pasturage for a score or more 

 of colonies. After our experience the past 

 and present seasons, we are partial to the 

 sweet clover, and would advise scattering 

 the seeds plentifully.— Ed.] 



Oakford, Pa., Aug. 1, 1879. 

 I have had a good deal of difficulty in 

 reconciling the different reports 1 have read 

 in the American Bee Journal as to the 

 success of comb foundation, but this season 

 the problem has been solved to my entire 

 satisfaction. I have 2 lots of the article. 

 One of them came to me in a lot of bee ma- 

 terial of various kinds, that I purchased of 

 the executor of a deceased bee-keeper in a 

 neighboring county. The other was sent 

 me by Messrs. Newman & Son, of Chicago, 

 and cost, including charges, 73c. per lb. The 

 first is a perfect failure ; 1 would not give 

 5c. per lb. for it as foundation, and can see 

 no use to put it to. except to melt it up and 

 use it to attach comb in frames and boxes. 

 The Newman foundation is a perfect suc- 

 cess. The bees go to work at it immedi- 

 ately, and the queen lays in the cells before 



