110 



THE AMEEICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[Nov., 



when shade is needed, and the leaves fall as 60on in 

 autumn as all tne sun is needed again. 



Before speaking of hives, excuse me if I again in- 

 sist that no eld broken hives or frames, no blocks, 

 sticks, stones, or rubbish, 6hall be tolerated inside 

 the enclosure at all ; not even an unused queen cell 

 shall be thrown on the ground, but all shall be kept 

 like a tidy place of business, as we expect you to 

 make this. 



If you can stand it, please have but one kind of 

 hive, and you will escape many perplexities. 



The hive we approve of is so fully described in the 

 American Bee Journal, for September, that we do not 

 think best to take space for it here, more than to say, 

 that both upper and lower story are one and the same, 

 and the same with top and bottom. 



The hive has but two parts, viz., body, cover or 

 bottom, and these are so simple that any mechanic 

 should be able to make them accurately to measure, 

 so that any one fits anywhere, and the hives are all 

 bo precisely alike that neither the bees nor their own- 

 ers know one from another except by locality. 



If you wish to make the best per cent, on capital 

 invested in this apiary, take our advice, and use the 

 Extractor alone, and don't patter with boxes and 

 comb honey, unless it is to test the matter yourself, 

 and a very few experiments will be enough to con- 

 vince you that selling the comb as soon as built, is as 

 poor policy almost as keeping common bees in old- 

 fashioned box-hives. 



Again, make, or have made, an extractor just large 

 enough to take in the frame you use, and have only 

 the frame that carries the comb revolve, and not the 

 whole can. A very short time will show any one the 

 great amount of strength that is wasted in revolving 

 at a high speed the can, honey and all. 



There need be no argument on a matter when 

 actual experiment is easily available, and the same 

 will apply to box and extracted honey. Extracted 

 honey is now quoted at from 16 to 20 cents in New 

 York, and we believe a ready market is at last ob- 

 tained for all that can be produced. 



Make it a study in arranging the Extractor and all 

 implements, to save all useless steps and to save all 

 lifting and daubing utensils uselessly. Have the Ex- 

 tractor deliver the honey directly into the barrels, 

 ready strained, and have your barrels tight and well 

 waxed inside. 



We have not space here to describe the house for 

 wintering, located in the centre of the apiary^but 

 will add that it is used as a honey house in the sum- 

 mer, it should be neatly and tastefully arranged, and 

 so that everything may be kept scrupulously clean. 

 " In fact, we must have the ladies' assistance in this de- 

 partment for aught I see. 



Are there many here that still feel that wintering is 

 the great unsolved problem and cannot with us feel 

 sure that so simple a thing as pure sugar syrup is 

 all that is needed to prevent the dreaded disastrous 

 repetition of last winter ? 



Well, wait and see, as ample experiments will de- 

 cide the matter, I think, this coming winter, and 

 those who prefer to act rather than wait, 1 most earn- 

 estly advise to get their feeding done and have the 

 syrup sealed up during warm weather. With a quart 

 of bees, and plenty of pure wholesome food (A coffee 

 sugar we know, for instance, is pure), and a frost- 

 proof house to winter in, I think a colony of bees is 

 much less liable to be lost than farm stock generally, 

 and, in regard to ventilation, I really do not think it 

 worth troubling about if food be proper; that is, I 

 would leave the same ventilation that they had in 

 summer time and nothing more. Echo answers 



Nothing more," from 



Novice. 



Mr. Bingham thought there were some practi- 

 cal thoughts in " Novice's" letter. He thought 

 chickens did no harm, as it was his experience 

 that they killed miller moths. We have a right 

 to be thankful to "Novice" in regard to his 

 efforts in developing the art of "slinging" 

 honey, and believe his plan of feeding bees to be 

 a good one ; it is feeding from the bottom of 

 the hive. 



Several other topics were discussed which were 

 of interest to the members present, but of such 

 a general nature they could not be properly 

 reported. 



ELECTION OF OFFICERS. 



On motion of A. C. Balch, the convention 

 proceeded to ballot for president of the associa- 

 tion. President Rood made a few remarks 

 thanking the association for the honor they had 

 conferred upon him in the past, and declining to 

 again hold the office. 



The following named persons were elected as 

 officers of the association far the ensuing year : 



President — T. F. Bingham, Allegan. 



Vice-President — A. C. Balch, Kalamazoo. 



Secretary — J. W. Porter, Ogden, Lenawee 

 county. 



Treasurer — H. A. Burch, South Haven. 



Secretary Porter drew up the following resolu- 

 tion, and on motion of Mr. Heddon, the associa- 

 tion adopted it : 



To the Honorable Legislature of the State of 



Michigan : 



Whereas, During the past year and previous years, 

 the people of the State of Michigan have lost thou- 

 sands of dollars from the ravages of insects upon fruits 

 and grains ; and 



Whereas, Bee-keeping has become a prominent and 

 growing pursuit in the States, and deserves the at- 

 tention of scientific men ; and, 



Whereas, We, the Michigan Bee keepers' Associa- 

 tion, believe it to be to the interests of the State at 

 large, in promotiug the interests in industrial pur- 

 suits, to have a State Entomologist, who shall make 

 it his business to investigate and look after such in- 

 terests : 



Therefore Resolved, That we, the Michigan Bee- 

 keepers' Association, do hereby petition the honorable 

 Legislature to take under consideration the propriety 

 of creating such an office, and we do unanimously 

 recommend the same. 



T. F. Bingham, President. 



J. W. Porter, Secretary. 



Mr. Bingham was conducted to the chair and 

 made some very sensible remarks, thanking the 

 association for the honor conferred, and pro- 

 ceeded at once to the conduct of business. 



Mr. Heddon, on request, made a statistical 

 report on his bee-keeping, the amount of honey 

 obtained, number of swarms, etc. 



On motion of Mr. Ira Green, of Lapeer, a 

 vote of thanks was given by the association to 

 the gentlemen who have furnished papers for 

 the edification of this association ; and to Ezra 

 Rood, late the acting officer of this meeting, for 

 the able manner in which he has performed the 

 duties of his office. 



The association then adjourned to meet at the 

 time and place of holding the next annual State 

 Fair. 



