866 



Oct. 11, 1906 



American Ttee Journal 



But many farmers who keep bees only 

 in a limited way, do not have a com- 

 modious honey-house, and must, there- 

 fore, do the best they can without it. 

 In this case, an upper room in some 

 outbuilding' is about the best place 

 that can be found. Any room with a 

 tight floor will do quite as well, of 

 course, provided it is not used for too 

 many other things, so that the supers 

 will be constantly more or less in the 

 way. Under these circumstances they 

 would probably be frequently jarred or 

 otherwise disturbed so that mice would 

 gain access, or the combs become 

 broken and damaged. 



First, leave all surplus combs in the 

 hive or super in which they belong. 

 See that the ends of all frames fit down 

 into the rabbets. Next, nail pieces of 

 lath, or other thin lumber, over all en- 

 trances; then pile the hives, one over 

 another, as high as convenient. Cover 

 the top hive carefully. If the floor is 

 not tight or smooth, boards should be 

 laid over it, on which to set the piles. 

 See that each hive or super sits evenly 

 over the one below it, and make sure 

 that no cracks or holes are left any- 

 where. Stored in this way in a suit- 

 able place all combs should come out 

 in the spring clean and whole. 



Few small bee-keepers value their 

 empty combs as highly as they should. 

 The old-time practise was to melt up 

 every scrap of comb not in actual use 

 for wax. But now no well-informed 

 bee-keeper would melt up a comb that 

 could be used again, as it is better un- 

 derstood how they are worth more in 

 the hive. 



It is estimated that from 10 to 20 

 pounds of honey are required to pro- 

 duce one of wax. Wax is simply the 

 fat of bees, and in order to produce it 

 an unusual amount of honey must be 

 consumed. The amount varies accord- 

 ing to conditions, just as the amount 

 of corn necessary to produce a pound 

 of tallow or lard varies under different 

 conditions.-Family Herald and Weekly 

 Star. 



Placing- Combs in the Extractor 



When the uncapped combs are put into the 

 cages of the extractor, they should be so 

 placed that the bottom-bars go around first, 

 for thus the honey is more easily thrown out, 

 as it leaves the cells in the direction of the 

 pitch given to them by the bees when they 

 are building their combs.— F. G. Herman, in 

 Michigan Farmer. 



This is a fine point few have thought 

 of. It is true in theory, but can not be 

 carried out in a reversible extractor, 

 where the combs go first one way and 

 then the other, unless the crauk is 

 turned backwards after the reversing. 



Ontario Crop Reports- 

 ing- 



-Swarm- 



The Ontario Department of Agriculture, 

 August Crop Bulletin, reports the following 

 on bees and honey: 



The season tas been rather a poor one for 

 the apiary. Swarming was uneven, and, on 

 the whole, unsatisfactory. Clover was a dis- 

 appointment; basswood was better, but only 

 fair; buckwheat promises well. The weather 

 was too wet for best results at the gathering 

 time, and it is estimated that the average 



yield per colony will be between 35 and 40 

 pounds. Bees are otherwise in a thrifty con- 

 dition. — Editorial in Canadian Bee Journal. 



The above will give an idea of the 

 Ontario Report, as given by the Gov- 

 ernment Crop Bulletin. As I men- 

 tioned in this department some time 

 ago, the conclusion that the excessive 

 rains in some sections injured the crop 

 is not logical, because medium dry and 

 very dry sections suffered, if anything, 



worse than where they had much rain. 

 The way the undue prominence 

 " swarming " is given in the Report, 

 fits in with the popular and question- 

 asking idea, is too good to let pass. 

 Because more advanced bee-keeping 

 looks on the most " regular " swarm- 

 ing, or any other kind, as "unsatis- 

 factory " and contrary to the best in- 

 terests of the bee-keeper. There is no 

 profit in natural swarming to any one. 



outhern 

 ^freedom 



Conducted by Louis H. Scholl, New Braunsfels, Tex. 



Preparing for Winter 



October is our last month, generally, 

 here in Texas and the South, in which 

 to care for our colonies for winter 

 quarters. There should be a good sup- 

 ply of honey for winter stores. All 

 weaklings should be united, this being 

 most easily done by simply setting one 

 weak colony on top of another weak 

 one, leaving it to the bees as to which 

 one will be the queen of the two. 



At the last examination the honey- 

 combs may be placed below and the 

 empty ones removed or set on top. In 

 our warmer climate this latter is hardly 

 necessary, especially if some honey 

 comes in. 



Bee-Keepers are Preparing for 

 the Fair 



The Eocal Committee plans to en- 

 tertain the National Association Nov. 

 8, 9, and 10. , 



Cent a Milk Rate On All Railroad 

 Lines. 



Such were the head-lines in the daily 

 papers of San Antonio after the ses- 

 sions of the Executive Committee, the 

 Committee on Finance, and the Com- 

 mittee on Arrangements and Enter- 

 tainment of the Texas Bee-Keepers' 

 Association, which met in this city re- 

 cently for the purpose of beginning 

 preparations for the entertainment of 

 the National Bee-Keepers' Convention, 

 Nov. 8, 9, and 10. The meeting was a 

 lively one, and many suggestions were 

 offered to make the stay of the visitors 

 a pleasant one. 



The National Convention will be 

 held during the time of the Interna- 

 tional Fair in San Antonio, "nd cheap 

 railroad fares have been obtained, a 

 cent a mile rate being given on all 

 lines from all parts of the State. There 

 will be a special day for the bee-keep- 

 ers, known as " Bee-Keepers' Day," 

 and the afternoon of the first day of 

 the convention, Nov. 8, will be spent 

 on the Fair grounds by the bee-keepers 

 of the convention. 



The bee-keepers' exhibits will be one 

 of the attractions there. Although 

 there was a shortage in the Texas 

 honey crop, it is believed that there 

 will be a creditable exhibit again this 

 year, of beekeepers' products. The 

 Fair Association's catalog contains 

 annually a splendid premium-list, and 

 it has appropriated a sum of about $350 

 in premiums. To the bee-keepers it 

 should be of especial interest this year 

 to donate anything that they may have 

 good enough to go on exhibition ; be- 

 sides, the premiums offered will pay 

 well for the trouble. 



The general arrangement of a pre- 

 liminary program has been decided 

 upon by the committee about as fol- 

 lows : 



There will be a Welcome address by 

 the President of the Texas Bee-Keep- 

 ers' Association, welcoming the visit- 

 ing bee-men to Texas ; followed by 

 another address of welcome to San 

 Antonio, the person to deliver the ad- 

 dress not having been decided upon. 

 The general program will be taken up 

 with routine business until noon of the 

 first day, the afternoon to be spent at 

 the Fair grounds. 



On the second day there will be 

 morning and afternoon sessions of the 

 convention until 4 o'clock, when there 

 will be a trolley ride through the city 

 free to the bee-keepers. At 6 to 8 p.m. 

 a Mexican supper will be served free 

 by the Texans to the National visitors. 

 Of course, there will be fun for the 

 Texans, for it is not believed that Dr. 

 Miller, and the host of them, have ever 

 enjoyed the pleasure of such a feast. 

 (Your humble reporter does not know 

 whether the " tender " visitors will be 

 handed bills of fare or not.) At 8 p.m. 

 a nierht session, including an address 

 by Judge Pascal, of San Antonio, on 

 "The Bee-Keeping Resources of Tex- 

 as." It was also suggested that ar- 

 rangements be made for stereopticon 

 views and moving-picture lecture for 

 this evening. 



The third day has been left entirely 

 open for sessions and the general pro- 

 gram, to the choice of the National 

 Bee-Keepers' Association. 



