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American Hee Journal 



July 12, 1906 



The Model Institute. 



While I may not claim ability to sketch a model in- 

 stitute, I, from my long experience" and observation, may be 

 able to give hints that will help to make such meetings 

 strong and helpful in a large degree. 



First, the institute should be well attended. This aids 

 in insuring enthusiasm, spreads the good seed far more 

 rapidly, and makes the expense of the institute more than 

 justifiable. To secure this, a preliminary meeting where a 

 wide-awake expert — the institute conductor — meets 15 to 

 30 of the people of the place, is most important. At this 

 time committees on arrangements, exhibits, decoration of 

 hall, music, etc., are appointed, with the promise, at least, 

 of the chairman that he will act. A program is sketched, 

 which the committee will change as circumstances suggest, 

 and arrangements made to advertise the institute in every 

 possible way; not alone posting of printed notices, but if 

 announced in schools and churches, it will help greatly. 

 Of course the local press must be urged to give, as they are 

 usually ready to do, the most hearty support. 



Again, at least half the speakers may well be college 

 professors, experts, and outsiders, who have made a decided 

 success in lines of farm work. These increase attendance, 

 and add tremendously to the interest and value of the 

 institute. But we must never omit home talent. The wide- 

 awake, successful man of the place knows conditions, and his 

 dictum will often be the best word spoken. A goodly 

 number of ladies should be on the program. This brings the 

 wives and daughters, and doubles the value of the meet- 

 ings. 



Decoration of the hall much more than 'pays for the 

 trouble, while no one can appreciate the good effect of a 

 fine, well-labeled exhibit of fruit, grains and vegetables, till 

 he has seen the interest that gathers about them. 



Good music is helpful — at least two pieces each session- 

 while a prayer to open each day's exercises, by the clergy- 

 men of the place, gives good tone, and is appreciated by 

 most of our people. 



An experienced and wide-awake presiding ofificer is most 

 important. This may well be the one who has charge of 

 institute work, with two or three vice-presidents from the 

 place, whom he may call to the chair as conditions sug- 

 gest. The question-box in the hands of a bright, wide-awake 



man who knows whom to call on to get the best answers 



for no one man can, or should, attempt to answer all or 

 generally a major part— will be a vital part of the institute, 

 and may well take from a fourth to a third of the time of 

 each session. This gives a much-appreciated opportunity 

 to broaden the program. 



Conventions. 



Many of the above suggestions will apply to the State 

 and County associations like our bee-conventions. It is es- 

 pecially desirable to secure a large attendance, and nothing 

 helps in this more than the fact that an expert or authority — 

 the more the better— will be present to address the meeting. 

 How the presence of Langstroth used to fill our bee-conven- 

 tions! Heddon, A. I. Root, Dadant, and Dr Miller would 

 each and all bring a full house. 



For one, I am in favor of written papers. They should 

 always be as brief as may be. Such are more carefully pre- 

 pared, and are likely to focus attention, and give the best 

 that the author has to present. The question-box— which 

 should never be omitted — supplements the regular program 

 in an excellent way. This affords ample opportunity for ex- 

 tempore effort. 



In all such meetings we must exercise to induce the 

 fullest and freest discussion of all topics presented. 



Good Bee-Cellar— Longevity of Queens- 

 Watering-Place for Bees 



BY F. I.. DAY. 



IT was quite cold last fall at the time I put the bees 

 into the cellar. Alter the roof of the cellar was covered with 

 leaves ami straw for winter it took about a week for the 

 temperature to rise to 42 degrees. From Dec. 5 to April 5 

 it did not go above 43 or below 40 degrees. During this 

 time the outside temperature varied about 100 degrees. The 



consumption of stores per colony was not more than 7 to 

 10 pounds during the 134 days the bees were in the cellar 

 Two years ago the bees were in the same cellar 165 

 days. Then they had sugar syrup for stores, while the 

 past winter they had a good grade of fall honey. On the 

 whole they stood the longer confinement on sugar better than 

 the shorter on honey. The 30 colonies came through the 

 past winter without any loss, but several were quite weak. 

 About 20 were extra strong, and in the best condition; 3 

 were queenless, and the balance ranged from fair to weak. 

 Two of the queenless colonies were united with others 

 having queens, and the other one has been nursed all the 

 spring at a decided loss. 



"Locality" Causes Loss of Queens. 



On page 233, Mr. Hasty reviews the short life of my 

 queens and makes a suggestion that "locality" may be the 

 cause. But he finally guesses that it is owing to the strain 

 of bees. I consider the former idea the better of the two. 

 I have only two bee-keeping neighbors ; one of these in- 

 creased from 8 colonies to 30 last season by natural swarm- 

 ing, besides a number of swarms that went to the woods. 

 He keeps no account of his queens, and, indeed, seldom opens 

 a hive, except to put on or take off supers. 



My other neighbor's bees swarm even worse, and he told 

 me that he lost all his old queens last season on account 

 of excessive swarming. These two lots of bees are of 

 totally different strains from mine. 



Hence I conclude that the excessive swarming of my bees 

 and consequent loss of queens is mostly due to locality. I 

 saved only one old queen last season, and did that only by 

 taking her from her own colony and placing in a nucleus. 

 Locality causes the swarming, and that the loss of queens. 



Successful Watering-Place For Bees. 



This season I have succeeded better than usual in 

 furnishing my bees a watering-place which suits them. A 

 common store-box was placed near the middle of the yard, on 

 the ground, with one side removed. It was carefully leveled 

 and fastened to stakes driven into the ground. The open 

 side was turned south. Two grooved boards about 10 inches 

 square were then made, with wide cleats on the under side 

 to prevent warping. For each one of these a 2-quart mason 

 fruit jar was used. To 1 of these when filled with water was 

 added a tablespoonful of salt each time. The other jar 

 was filled with fresh water. The jars are inverted on 

 the boards and the water fills the grooves which are about 

 Y+ inch deep. Boards and jars are then put into the box. 



The bees much prefer the salt water, of which they take 

 about 5 times as much as of the fresh. The salt-water jar 

 is often emptied in one day, sometimes in J/2 day. 



The jars are usually filled at night after the bees are 

 -done flying. On cold, rainy days they come to this watering- 

 place by hundreds, and very few get chilled. They often 

 take 3 quarts of water per day. Detroit, Minn. 



^freedom 



CoDdueted by Louis H. Scholl, New Braunfels, Tex. 



Comb Honey in Place of Queen-Cage Candy 



Not having queen-eage candy, if comb honey were used in its 

 stead, would the bees remove it to release the queen? 



I trust to have something more interesting to offer at another 

 time. W. F. McCreadt. 



The above question is just a little more important than 

 it may seem, for I have had some experience in the matter 

 of using comb honey, or honey with wax, in queen-cagfes 

 just as in the question above. Sometimes — at out-yards, 

 especially — I have used a bit of comb honey in place of 

 queen-cage candy, and I can remember well how I lost the 

 use of several fine queens by it. It seems that the bees eat 



