486 



Garden Island, Ont., Aug. 26, 1879. 

 Some years ago, at a Cleveland conven- 

 tion—I think it was in 1872— Mr. J. W. Hos- 

 nier gave his experience in wintering bees. 

 He said " he did not put any colony into 

 winter quarters that had more than a quart 

 of bees in it, If more than one quart was 

 in any hive, when the time came to put 

 them away for winter, he emptied them on 

 the ground to die. His hives wintered well, 

 and consumed only abut 10 lbs. honey." 

 Does Mr. Hosmer still practice the same 

 plan with success, or has his quart winter- 

 ing business played him out? Also, have 

 any of the successful apiarists adopted his 

 plan of wintering? A. Mauone. 



[At the time you mention Mr. Hosmer's 

 plan was considerably talked and written 

 about. It did not, however, come into use 

 among bee-keepers, not even with Mr. Hos- 

 mer himself, so far as we know. Very 

 likely colonies thus treated might winter 

 well, in some seasons, but that the plan is a 

 practical one hardly agress with our theory 

 or practice.— Ed.] 



New Boston, 111., Oct. 8, 1879. 

 From 250 colonies we have 1,000 lbs ex- 

 tracted and 1,600 lbs comb honey. This is 

 a very small crop, but probably this is the 

 best average in the Mississippi Valley. 

 Many bees in old hives, as well as new 

 swarms, are now (Oct. 3) starving. The 

 loss of bees this winter and next soring 

 will be large. Does bee-keeping pay? Is 

 there money in the apiary? Only for those 

 who have good locations, who are up to the 

 times and make a specialty of the "bees- 

 ness. D. D. Palmer. 



LeGrand, Iowa, Oct. 14, 1879. 

 Bees have done poorly here this season, 

 especially since the dry hot weather set in 

 about the middle of July. Up to that time 

 they did well. I wintered 14 colonies with- 

 out loss, but afterwards lost a queenlees one. 

 Many lost the majority of their bees here 

 from improper wintering. They will lose 

 heavily this winter, if there is not more or 

 less feeding done this fall. 



J. W. Sanders. 



East Saginaw, Mich., Oct. 13, 1879. 

 I send herewith one of my atmospheric 

 feeders, for your museum, and for exhibi- 

 tion at the National Convention. It stands 

 on an incline, so that no feed will remain 

 after the bees are through taking it. No 

 bees can be drowned in the shallow trough, 

 and no robbers can get at it. To fill it, turn 

 the face side up, remove the thumb-screw, 

 fill and replace the screw, and place it at 

 the entrance of the hive, face downward. 

 H. H. Cheney. 



[It was placed in our museum, after being 

 exhibited at the Convention.— Ed.] 



Scienega, Cal.,Sept. 10, 1879. 

 I see the American Bee Journal keeps 

 fully up to its former usefulness and relia- 

 bility. Am uncertain about my future plans 



as yet. The reason is, an entire failure in 

 Southern California so far as surplus honey 

 is concerned. Mr. Strothern had his honey 

 house, together with a lot of hives, barrels,. 

 &c, burned; supposed to be spontaneous 

 combustion. Loss about $700. Mr. Shaw 

 had a grizzly bear commence destroying his 

 apiary; he finally shot the old fellow; he 

 weighed 800 lbs. Elisiia Gallui*. 



Brandy wine Summit, Pa., Oct. 22, 1879. 

 I have received the 1st premium and di- 

 ploma at the Chester County Fair. Also the 

 1st premium and medal for finest exhibit of 

 honey and bees and bee fixtures or apiarian 

 supplies at Delaware County Fair. It has 

 been a bad "fall " for bees here. We have 

 had no rain for two months until to-night. 

 J. T. & J. G. Williamson. 



©mtuetxtimxs. 



Indiana State Convention. 



Quite a number of bee-keepers met at In- 

 dianapolis, Ind., October 3, 1879. The meet- 

 ing was called to order at 10 a. m.. by C. S. 

 Schofield, who briefly stated that the object 

 of the meeting was to organize an Associa- 

 tion of the bee-keepers of the State of In- 

 diana, with the view of holding a conven- 

 tion during the coming winter, and as often 

 in the future as the Associatioh may see fit. 



Mr. A. G. Hill, ot Kendallville, was cho- 

 sen temporary Chairman with F. L. Dough- 

 erty as Secretary, when on motion it was 

 decided to proceed to a permanent organiza- 

 tion. Mr. Hill was proposed for President,, 

 but he declined on account of pressing busi- 

 ness, when Mr. C. S. Schofield, of Indian- 

 apolis, was chosen by acclamation. It was 

 then decided to elect two Vice Presidents, 

 one in the northern and one in the southern 

 part of ithe State — the National Road to be 

 the dividing line. A. G. Hill was elected 

 for the northern, and J. M. Brooks for the 

 southern district. F. L. Dougherty was 

 made Secretary and the Rev. M. Mahin, of 

 Logansport, Treasurer of the Association. 



On motion, the President appointed a 

 committee of three for the purpose of draft- 

 ing a Constitution and By-laws, to be 

 adopted at the next regular meeting. The 

 committee was also instructed to prepare a 

 programme for that occasion. The Presi- 

 dent and Secretary were authorized to pro- 

 cure a suitable room in which to hold the 

 next meeting. Mr. C. F. Muth, of Cincin- 

 hati, O., was present and gave his views on 

 "wintering" and the details of the work 

 before the convention, etc. A vote of thanks 

 was tendered him and he was cordially in- 

 vited to be present at the next meeting. A 

 vote of thanks was also tendered the State 

 Board of Agriculture and the press for 

 favors. 



The Secretary was instructed to send each 

 of the Bee Journals a copy of the proceed- 

 ings with the request to notice. Adjourned 

 to meet at Indianapolis Tuesday, Jan, 13th, 

 1880, at 9 a. m. F. L. Dougherty, Sec. 



