deny, and what is to be done to remove 

 the evil, for such it is r Men will not 

 be coaxed, hired, or driven. It' there 

 is a sufficient number of practical, in- 

 telligent bee-keepers in this country, 

 who will stand side by side with each 

 other to put down this nefarious evil 

 and impediment to successful improve- 

 ment, then we can hope for success in 

 bringing the Italian honey bee to a high 

 state of cultivation, but not without. 

 It is folly in the extreme to talk and 

 write essays unless we can get men to 

 act. The Italian honey bee in its pu- 

 rity is good enough. All we want is 

 men with sufficient knowledge and en- 

 ergy to demonstrate and bring forth 

 their excellent qualities. When this 

 can be brought about, then we may ex- 

 pect that the Italian bee in its purity 

 may, and will be, classed as the best bee 

 of all the world. 

 Rome, Ga. 



Cortland Union, N. Y., Convention. 



A meeting of the Association was 

 held in Cortland, N. Y., Tuesday, Feb- 

 ruary 3, 1880. and a permanent organi- 

 zation effected. 



The constitution and by-laws, pre- 

 sented by the committee appointed for 

 that purpose at the last meeting, were 

 adopted. 



J. G. Bingham, the temporary presi- 

 dent, read a brief, pointed, practical 

 and encouraging article upon "The 

 objects of a Bee-Keepers' Association." 

 He spoke of the benefits which may be 

 derived by its members in becoming 

 acquainted with each other ; by relating 

 their successes and failures, others 

 might profit by the former and avoid 

 the latter; in short, it would be to the 

 mutual advantage of all. 



This was followed by some remarks 

 from different members, and a short 

 discussion of " the relative merits of 

 natural and artificial swarming." 



E. Corey had practiced the artificial 

 method for many years, and on the 

 whole had been satisfied with the results. 



A. L. Lansing had tried it, but for 

 some reason had not bee.ii very suc- 

 cessful. 



Others frankly admitted they were 

 acquainted only with natural swarming. 



D. F. Shattuck, of Homer, read a 

 paper on "Spring Management." He 

 gave some good hints regarding the 

 precautions to be observed, and the 

 methods to employ to prevent the loss 

 of weak colonies ; and to keep all in 

 good condition to enter upon the honey 

 harvest— the regulation of the number 

 of frames to the strength of the colony, 

 supplying artificial pollen, &c. 



191 



The Association proceeded to the 

 election of officers for the ensuing year, 

 with the following result : 



President. Chas. A. Pierce, of Tiux- 

 ton ; First Vice President, J. L. Gillett, 

 of Cortland ; Second Vice President, E. 

 B. Glazier, of Virgil ; Third Vice Presi- 

 dent, J. G. Bingham, of Solon; Hono- 

 rary Vice Presidents, G. M. Doolittle, 

 of Borodino; I. L. Schofield, of Che- 

 nango Bridge; Harvey Mason, of Fa- 

 bius; Oscar Courtney, of Marathon'; 

 Harvey Mellon, of McLean; Treasurer, 

 J. W. Cudworth, of McGrawville; 

 Secretary, C. M. Bean, of McGrawville. 



According to a resolution passed by 

 the Association, the Chair appointed 

 A. L. Lansing, of Truxton, and J. II. 

 Kennedy, of Little Rock, to act with 

 him as Executive Committee. The 

 next meeting of the association will be 

 held Tuesday, April 6, 1880, at Cort- 

 land. All interested are cordially 

 invited. C. M. Bean, Sec. 



Read before the North Eastern Convention. 



Increase— Clipping Queen's Wings. 



A. B. WEED. 



This subject is one of the most im- 

 portant with which the bee-keeper has 

 to do. It is one that he cannot dis- 

 regard and let the bees settle it for him, 

 because it is not likely that their choice 

 would coincide with his wishes, hence 

 the necessity of understanding how to 

 control the bees in this matter. 



In considering this subject we start 

 out on the presumption that bees have 

 no will of their own, but are controlled 

 by that almost indefinable something 

 which is called nature. 



It is nature that makes the conditions 

 which surround bees as well as other 

 animals in their wild or natural state, 

 and it is that which is called instinct, 

 that tells them how to conform to these 

 conditions. When under the control of 

 man, their instinct still prompts them 

 to accommodate themselves so far as it is 

 possible, to the circumstances by which 

 man surrounds them. 



Circumstances make the animal al- 

 most as much as they are said to make 

 the man. It is this word circumstance, 

 that is the key of animated nature. By 

 using it rightly we can control our sub- 

 ject; but if we use it in such a way as 

 to violate any of nature's laws, she will 

 resent our interference, and we, find 

 that we have defeated our own object 

 by disregarding prudence. 



"Thus, the conduct of bees at that 

 season of the year that we call swarm- 

 ing time, is controlled by certain laws or 

 conditions, which nature has estab- 



