160 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[Jan., 



several inches. By removing the honey board, 

 it can be set on the frames ; but it will then be 

 necessary to lay something over the top. If 

 "liquid sweets" run through faster than is de- 

 sirable, melted wax may be spread over a portion 

 of the bottom, or thicker muslin may be used. 



RUSTIEUS. 



Ohio. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



The West St. Louis County (Mo.) Beekeepers' 

 Convention. 



The first quarterly meeting of the "West St. 

 Louis County Beekeepers' Association," was 

 held at Manchester (Mo.), on Saturday, October 

 14th, 1871. 



In the absence of the President, the Vice- 

 President, J. C. Holocher, was called to the 

 chair. The minutes of the last meeting were 

 read and approved. The next order of business 

 was the reading and adoption of the constitu- 

 tion, which, after considerable debate, was, with 

 some modification, adopted. 



On motion of A. Herzog, a committee of three 

 was appointed to prepare subjects for discus- 

 sion—namely : T. D. Woody, G. Kropp, and W. 

 H. H. Woody. 



Pending the action of the above named com- 

 mittee, the Vice President addressed the Con- 

 vention in regard to the object of the same, 

 briefly touching upon several very important 

 points pertaining to apiculture. 



The committee reported the following topics 

 for discussion : 



1. Natural m. artificial swaiining. 



2. When is the best time for placing surplus 

 honey boxes on hives ? 



3. What is the most profitable size for honey 

 boxes '? 



4. Bee pasturage. 



5. Wintering bees indoors or out. 



These topics were then taken up in order, for 

 discussion. 



1. Increase of Stocks— Natural vs. Arti- 



ficial. 



Mr. Kropp said he had no success whatever in 

 the increase of stocks artificially. He had tried 

 it, but the bottom had fallen out. He favored 

 increase by natural swarming, and considered 

 such swarms superior to any artificially pro- 

 duced. 



Mr. W. Woody said that artificial increase of 

 stocks was best for one reason ; you could in- 

 crease them to tlie amount desired with less 

 trouble, and have them in better condition for 

 wintering, than if natural swarming be relied on. 



2. Best Time for ArPLViNG Surplus Honey 



Boxes. 



Mr. T. H. B. Woody thought the best time for 

 putting on surplus honey receptacles was (if 

 pasturage was favorable) as soon as convenient — 

 the sooner the better; for a few days lost can never 

 be regained. He would suggest, that as soon as 



the bees showed signs of gathering honey from 

 the fields, was the time when boxes should be 

 placed on hives ; and as soon as filled and cajjped 

 over, they should be taken off, and other boxes 

 substituted in their stead. 



Mr. Kropp said he practised the same method, 

 but found that after the removal of the field 

 boxes, the bees did not like to resume work in 

 the empty boxes given to them. For one, be 

 should like to know if there was no way to 

 compel, them to work in the empty boxes given 

 them. 



Mr. J. C. Holocher said he did not know of 

 any way by which bees could be made to work 

 immediately in boxes, without inserting a small 

 piece of comb in the box. This, he believed, 

 would answer the purpose admirably. 



3. Most Profitable Size of Honey Boxes. 



Mr. Herzog thought that boxes with glass 

 sides, that would hold about four-and-a-half or 

 five pounds, are the most profitable size. 



Mr. J. C. Holocher thought that boxes con- 

 taining about eight small frames — each frame 

 weighing from one to two pounds— are the proper 

 size for market. They will sell more readily, 

 and have a better appearance. 



Mr. Dosenbach had had no experience in sell- 

 ing or raising honey, for he had just commenced 

 beekeeping last spring. The season was not 

 favorable for storing surplus, but he thought the 

 small frames the best. 



Mr. T. H. B. Woody did not want box honey 

 at all. He believed in the use of the melex- 

 tractors, for you could get a larger yield, besides 

 returning the empty combs to the bees, which 

 was of great advantage to them. 



Mr. Kropp thought boxes would do for him, 

 for a person was liable to " sling too much from 

 his bees," if he uses the extractor. 



The hour being late, and some of the members 

 wanting to leave for home, the remaining two 

 topics were laid over until next meeting. 



Having no further business for the convention, 

 Mr. Whiting, of Pacific. (Mo.,) was called on 

 for an address on apiculture, to which he re- 

 sponded substantially as follows : 



Ladies and Gentlemen : I must confess that I 

 am unprepared for this occasion. Being called 

 ')n so unexpectedly, you must not expect me to 

 begin at one end of bee-culture and go to the 

 other ; but I will briefly touch one or two minor 

 points. Who should keep bees ? I reply, one and 

 all. All pei-sons who own a rod of land should 

 keep bees ; and if you do not have the rod of 

 land, keep them, any how (Laughter). If you 

 reside in the city, it affords you an opportunity 

 to keep bees. If you live on the mountain tops, 

 or in the vale ; if you are a mechanic, or a far- 

 mer, or a lawyer ; whether you are rich, or walk 

 in poverty's vale, you can keep bees ; and they 

 will return you a handsome reward for your care 

 and trouble. Allow me, therefore, to say to one 

 and all, " keep bees ;" and to keep them success- 

 fully, it is of no difi'erence whether you own a 

 foot of land or not. You have a free pasturage 

 for your bees. ^^ Keep the bees,''' and they will 

 get the honey for you (cheers). Now, kind 



