1872.] 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



65 



has done admirably well this season. All the 

 boxes (nine on one side, and eighteen on the 

 other, the first holding, say, six-and-a-half, the 

 other two-and-a-half pounds) except two, have 

 been lilled with first class honey. I would advise 

 all my brethren to try at least one of these hives, 

 and I think that (like myself) they will be in- 

 duced by results to increase their orders. For 

 side delivery, I consider it superior to anything I 

 have ever seen, though still adhering to the 

 opinion expressed above, that for supers, the 

 Colvin chamber is unsurpassed. 



B. J. B. 

 Barboursville, Va., Aug. 6, 1872. 



Central Iowa Beekeepers' Association, 



The Beekepeers' Association of Central Illi- 

 nois, met in special meeting, at Lexington, 

 McLean county, July 18th, 1872. 



MORNING SESSION. 



President, S. C. Ware, of Towanda, in the 

 chair; J. Sawyer, of Normal, appointed secretary 

 pro tern. 



Messrs. Brooks, Peak and Price were appointed 

 a committee to prepare questions for discussion. 

 In the absence of the committee, the president 

 made an interesting address upon the general 

 subject of bee-culture, speaking particularly of 

 the " New Idea " Hive, in which honey boxes 

 are discarded. The committee presented the 

 following report, which was adopted : 



1. The best method of wintering, and spring 

 management of bees. 



2. The best method of increasing stocks and 

 securing the greatest amount of honey. 



3. Wliere, and how to transfer. 



4. Is the frame hive superior to the box hive '? 



5. Is the Italian superior to the black bee? 



6. General remarks on bee-culture. 

 Discussion on hives continued by the presi- 

 dent, Messrs. Brooks and Reynolds. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



The convention proceeded to discuss the fol- 

 lowing topics : 



1. The best method of wintering, and spring 

 management of bees. 



Mr. Cole stated that he had wintered twenty- 

 five colonies on their summer stands, with the 

 loss of five colonies. 



Dr. Shilling moved his bees from the summer 

 stand, and placed them near a fence, gave lower 

 and upward ventilation ; had fourteen colonies ; 

 lost none. 



Mr. Brooks extracts all the honey from the 

 two centre frames before putting bees into win- 

 ter quarters ; thinks this a successful method, as 

 the bees need empty cells in the centre of the 

 hive, that tbey may cluster in winter and gener- 

 ate heat ; also recommends the making of a 

 small hole in the centre of each comb^ about 

 four inches from the top of the frame, for winter 

 passage for the bees. 



Mr. Ware — Hives must have young bees to 

 winter well ; advises the use of the honey ex- 

 tractor on all hives having a surplus of honey in 



the fall, but leaving enough for the use of the 

 bees in winter ; also recommends the taking out 

 one frame from the hive and placing the other 

 frames at equal distance from each other ; feed 

 bees in spring a little each day (whether they 

 have honey in the hive or not), to stimulate 

 breeding, so that a sufficient quantity of young 

 bees may be had as early as possible to gather 

 honey in its season ; otherwise the profits of the 

 hive is a failure. 



Mr. Brooks would stimulate, not only with 

 honey fed into the hive, but by giving them early 

 in the spring, until they can get propolis, buck- 

 wheat, rye flour or Graham flour, placing it in 

 troughs so that bees can get it easily. 



Rev. Mr. Luccock said bees will take corn 

 meal in preference to any other flour. Winters 

 his bees in the house with success ; puts a cloth 

 over top of frames, pours a syrup on it for hive 

 feeding in spring and winter. 



Mr. Ledgerwood recommends a covering made 

 of wire cloth placed on the frames in continued 

 cold weather, so that the bees may discharge 

 thereon ; his plan is to remove the hive to a warm 

 room long enough to warm the bees, when they 

 will ascend to the wire cloth and empty them- 

 selves ; the cloth can then be removed and the 

 hive returned to its place. 



Second topic— The best method of increasing 

 stock, and securing the greatest amount of 

 honey. Mr. Anderson said large colonies are 

 needed for the largest amount of surplus honey. 



Mi'- Brooks increases stocks by first removing 

 the old hive some distance from its stand, and 

 putting in its place an empty hive with frames 

 properly arranged ; he then opens the old hive 

 and removes a frame of brood with adhering 

 bees, together with the queen, which he places, 

 after removing an empty frame therefrom, in the 

 centre of the new hive. The empty frame is 

 then placed in the centre of the old hive, the 

 hives closed, and the process is complete ; would 

 give the old colony a queen cell if he had it at 

 the time of dividing, if not, would open the hive 

 ten days after the division and destroy all queen 

 cells but one in the queenless hive. 



The rule expressed by other speakers for 

 increasing stocks was to liave small hives and 

 good queens. 



Third topic — When and how to transfer. Mr. 

 Ledgerwood, transfers in the spring of the year, 

 as soon as warm enough to handle ; transfer 

 straight combs into frames, the cells the same 

 side up as in the old hive, using a transfer board 

 to lay the comb upon when transferring the 

 comb. 



Mr. Brooks said the safest plan, as a general 

 rule, is to transfer when there is plenty of honey 

 in the field. 



Fourth topic— Is the frame hive superior to 

 the box hive ? This being generally admitted, 

 the topic was not discussed. 



Fifth topic— Is the Italian superior to the black 

 bee ? Mr. Ware asks, are not black bees as good 

 as Italians? The question was answered in the 

 negative by a number of speakers, who said the 

 Italians are more hardy, more prolific, better 

 honey gatherers, &c, &c. 



The question asked by Mr. Ware was more 



