102 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[Nov., 



Mr. Marvin expressed his faith in green-house 

 fertilization, and thought if everything was diy, 

 so that their wings be kept dry, it woukl be 

 better. Professor Cook replied that in the 

 experiments he had made every precaution had 

 been taken — that the drones seemed frightened, 

 and that among all animals it was hard to bring 

 about copulation under fright. 



Mr. Marvin thought bees might be educated so 

 that drones would not be frightened. Mr. 

 Clements thouglit that drones kept in confine- 

 ment would not be so frightened. Mr, C. Balch 

 had failed in all his efforts at bee fertilization. 

 Mr. Moon said that twelve or fourteen years ago 

 he had tried a plan which cost more than it was 

 worth. Dr. Bohrer stated that there was a time 

 when he hoped it would be a success, but that 

 he thought in many places it was not necessary. 

 In his locality there were very few black bees, 

 and, therefore, he was not troubled with them. 

 Bees might be confined to the hives by cutting 

 notches in a piece of tin. Bees cannot be edu- 

 cated beyond the laws controlling their natures. 

 He is never troubled with moths in his Italian 

 bees ; he frequently finds them among black 

 bees ; he thinks that many may have been 

 deceived — that the bee was fertilized after enter- 

 ing the hive. Mr. Bingham, of Allegan, said he 

 would like to know the superiority of the Italian 

 bees over black ones. He thought there was 

 a good deal of humbug about the claims set up 

 for Italian bees. He had found them no better 

 than black bees. 



Then the question of artificial fertilization was 

 on motion laid on the table, and the question of 

 the relative merits of Italian bees was taken up 

 and discussed by the meeting. Dr. Bohrer gave 

 his experience with Italian bees. They are more 

 docile, allow themselves to be handled with more 

 ease ; less trouble to make money from honey. 



Professor Cook thought there was another 

 point, as to their stinging. They worked on 

 led clover ; he observed them so working. They 

 were not known to rob others, but made more 

 honey than black bees around them. 



Mr. Porter said he knew that black bees were 

 worse at robbi^ig, and were defeated in their 

 attempt on the Italians at the Agricultural 

 College. Mr. Bingham said the difference might 

 be accounted for in the difference in handling. 

 Italians were more addicted to swarming, even 

 when they had no royal cell. The black bees do 

 not swarm without royal cells. Italians fall 

 short of what is claimed for them. 



Mr. Moon said he had had black bees swarm, 

 and put them back seven times without a sign 

 of a royal cell. The Italian bee lias proved very 

 valuable. lie would rather have one Italian 

 than two black swarms. His greatest argument 

 was that they would cling to their cards, when 

 the blacks by puffing in a little smoke wovdd 

 rush out of the hive, and that it was almost im- 

 practicable to practice artificial swarming. 



jMr. Everard never knew a single swarm to be 

 injured by worms, no matter how much reduced. 



Mr. Moon was glad that the subject had been 

 agitated. He was of the opinion that what has 

 been said about Italian bees was exaggerated. 

 Mr. Marvin asked Mr. Bingham if he had any 



experience in "slinging" honey with black 

 bees ? Italian bees could not be made to work 

 in boxes. In Germany they do not pretend to 

 use boxes, but confine themselves to frames. He 

 does not believe that worms ever destroy bees 

 until they have been so reduced that they were 

 as good as dead. 



The discussion was continued for some time, 

 Avhen on motion the subject was laid on. the 

 table. 



The question was next considered as to the 

 propriety of offering premiums for the best hives 

 and honey. A little discussion took place in 

 regard to what a hive should be, and what should 

 be done to save farmers from being swindled. 

 Mr. Bohrer thought the best way was to instruct 

 the farmers beginning in agriculture. When 

 men are properly educated they will be able to 

 judge what a hive should be. 



It was suggested that a hive should be cheap, 

 simple and durable. Simplicity was strongly 

 recommended. 



A motion was made and carried that a com- 

 mittee be appointed to say what a good hive 

 shotdd be, and report the same to the convention 

 this evening. Messrs. Rood, Bohrer, and A. C. 

 Balch were appointed such committee. 



The convention then adjourned till 7 o'clock 

 this evening. 



EVENING SESSION. 



The continued illness of President Moon com- 

 pelled him to go home. Hon. H. Huff', of 

 Joncsville, was appointed chairman pro tern. 



The meeting Avas addressed by Mr. Rood, on 

 the subject of " Foul brood." His jiaper on the 

 subject was quite lengthy. He gave a full 

 descrijition of this fatal disease among bees, and 

 how to distinguish it, and gave some sage advice 

 in regard to handling other colonies or permit- 

 ting other bees from using the honey of the 

 affected colony. It is contagious as small-pox 

 is to man, and as fatal as cholera. The speaker 

 could assign no cause for the disease, nor any 

 effectual remedy. After the paper had been 

 read, a very general discussion ensued, but the 

 result was to leave it with no more light than 

 when the meeting opened, as regards the cause, 

 or of any cause for it. 



Mr. M. M. Baldridge, of St. Charles, 111., 

 then read a paper on the Honey Extractor, its 

 management, and the ti-eatment of extracted 

 honey. A very long discussion followed the 

 reading of this essay, during which Mr. D. S. 

 Heffron, of Chicago, made some very interesting 

 remarks in regard to the treatment of honey 

 after extracting it, and of preparing it for 

 market. When the discussion closed, the com- 

 mittee to whom was referi-ed the matter of hives, 

 &c., made their report through Dr. Bohrer. It 

 is as follows : 



We, the committee to whom was referred the 

 matter concerning the requisites of a good bee- 

 hive, have had the same under consideration and 

 submit tlie following : 



1st — For out-door wintering we recommend a 

 hive not exceeding twelve inches in depth nor 

 less than ten inches inside of the breeding cham- 

 ber, for use in northern latitudes. 



