Other bee-keepers were reported as 

 having done about the same as those 

 who reported personally, liev. S. S. 

 Henry, of Hinkletovvn, began with 2 

 colonies last spring and by natural in- 

 crease now has 7 colonies. lie increased 

 their numbers largely, but the conse- 

 quence was he got hardly any honey. 



C. Sensenig, of Earl township, began 

 the season with 4 colonies, which in- 

 creased to 16, but he got no honey. 



Another bee-keeper was reported as 

 having taken 327 lbs. of honey from 15 

 colonies ; one of these yielded 55 lbs. 



I. G.Martin, of Earl township, started 

 into the honey season with 20 colonies. 

 These have increased to 30. From 

 these he has taken 060 lbs. of honey of 

 excellent quality. His colonies are 

 amply supplied with honey for the win- 

 ter's consumption. He will put them 

 into winter quarters on the summer 

 stands, as is his usual custom, with a 

 protection of chaff. 



Mr. Martin presented the following 

 interesting paper: 



Hints to Beginners. 



In writing a few remarks upon bee- 

 culture I wish to state in the outset that 

 I shall not perhaps present anything 

 new to many of the members, but I 

 will offer a few hints to beginners. 

 The old opinion which ought by this 

 time to be entirely exploded, that bees 

 will take care of themselves and bring 

 us large returns for little or no invest- 

 ment of capital or labor, is still a 

 stumbling block to prosperous bee- 

 keeping. Added to this are the mis- 

 representations of unscrupulous dealers 

 whose advertisements are sure to mis- 

 lead the uninformed. 



None of us like to tell of our failures 

 or of bad years before the public, and 

 consequently the reports in the papers 

 usually show only the bright side and 

 large yields. Ignorance of the business 

 then is the fault of a large proportion 

 of ill success. What then is essential 

 is a thorough knowledge of the busi- 

 ness—plenty of application and hard 

 work. Much useful information may 

 be obtained by reading the best words 

 and papers on the subject, but actual 

 practice in the apiary is indispensable. 

 Many persons are naturally unfit for 

 the business from carelessness and in- 

 accuracy about their work. I know of 

 no out-door work where so much 

 depends on the right thing being done 

 at the right time and in the right way. 



Avoid the common blunder of rush- 

 ing into bee-keeping just after there 

 have been one or two good seasons. 

 The fact is that an extra good yield is 

 usually followed by a very moderate or 



poor one. Beginners should purchase 

 but a small number of colonies at first, 

 and the bees will increase as fast as 

 their knowledge will increase. Buy al- 

 ways the best that can be found, even 

 if they cost more ; for it will often pay 

 you the first season. Spring is the best 

 time to buy, for then they are through 

 the winter and you have not much risk, 

 and they will then soon be a profit to 

 you. Use some good movable-frame 

 hive, for with the box-hive the best re- 

 sults cannot be obtained. 



A very great hindrance to handling 

 the bees is the fear of stings. Every 

 beginner should supply himself or her- 

 self with a good bee-veil, which will 

 protect the face, and a good bellows 

 smoker is as necessary for the bee- 

 keeper as a plow is for a farmer. The 

 extractor for removing the honey from 

 the combs without injuring them, is a 

 very important implement, for then you 

 can use the combs again, and it will in- 

 crease your yield of honey. 



Use comb foundation for the brood- 

 chamber, for it will insure all worker- 

 comb, which is of great importance. A 

 piece of drone-comb 2 inches square, 

 in the center of the brood-chamber, is 

 a small thing, yet it is a space in which 

 every 21 days 200 worker bees might be 

 raised, and in which they will raise a 

 lot of drones, which are not producers, 

 but consumers of honey. 



I have but mentioned some of the 

 necessary fixtures of a first-class apiary, 

 without which success cannot be ob- 

 tained. But do not make the mistake 

 of thinking that if you get these fix- 

 tures you are sure of success. They 

 are only aids and it will take work and 

 knowledge yet to get the full benefit of 

 your work. 



The merit of the Italian bee are 

 thoroughly established among enlight- 

 ened bee-keepers. I cannot now men- 

 tion all their points of superiority, but 

 I would advise all beginners to buy the 

 Italians. 



Comb Foundation. 



The following letter was addressed to 

 the chairman of the Association : 



Sprout Brook, N. V., Nov. t;. 1879. 

 Presuming nil appliances tending to advance the 

 interests of the bee-keeping community will he 

 welcomed at vour meeting, wo send yon samples of 

 flat-bottom comb foundation for distribution to your 

 members. We have used the thin foundation this 

 season in surplus boxes full sized sheets one six- 

 teenth of an inch from the sides, and from one- 

 qnarter to one-eighth of an inch from the bottom, 

 adding thereby largely to the yield of honey, and 

 also to its market value. The wired-foundation has 

 also been used with good satisfaction during the past 

 season. J. Van Dkcskn & Sons. 



There oeing no further business, the 

 Society adjourned. The meeting was 

 very pleasant and interesting, and it 

 seems a pity that bee-keepers take so 

 little interest in such gatherings. 



