are known of breeders who have sold 

 impurely tested queens as untested, but 

 this is dishonorable, and the guilt of 

 such a one should be excused none the 

 less by the plea that good queens can- 

 not be furnished at that price. If there 

 be a disposition to deal unjustly, the 

 opportunity to do so is as great for 

 those who sell tested queens only, as 

 for him who deals in the untested as 

 well ; and for this reason there is great 

 variation among Italians of pure breed ; 

 rendering it difficult to decide as to pu- 

 rity, and, as there is neither court nor 

 jury to make decision, they are to be 

 considered as pure because they cost $3 

 each, and the producer says they are 

 pure. Probably % of all the queens 

 bought during the past season were the 

 untested and the unwarranted, and 

 whatever may be said against them, the 

 low price at which they are sold for profit, 

 and the readiness with which they can 

 be furnished when queens are most 

 needed (swarming time) will keep up a 

 demand. 

 Kendallville, Ind. 



Ashtabula County, 0., Convention. 



The bee-keepers of Ashtabula and 

 adjoining'counties met at Andover, O., 

 on Feb. 25, and organized a society by 

 the adoption of a Constitution and By- 

 Laws, and electing the following officers 

 for the coming year : 



M. E. Mason, Andover, President. 



C. L. Payne, Eagleville, Vice Pres't. 



W. D. Howells, Jefferson, Secretary. 



C. E. Harmon, Andover, Treasurer. 



Mr. T. G. Newman, of Chicago, was 

 present by request, and was heartily 

 welcomed by those present. 



The following questions for discussion 

 were presented : 



" The artificial production of queens. 

 Does experience of scientific bee-keep- 

 ers prove that they are as i - eliable as 

 those reared by natural swarming ?" 



Mr. Newman spoke at some length 

 on the question, condemning the rear- 

 ing of inferior queens, and said that 

 the stock must be improved by select- 

 ing the best to breed from. 



-. '"Is it desirable to use a 2-story hive 

 for the production of surplus honey ?" 



Mr. Buslmell thought the less ma- 

 chinery about bees the better. 



Mr. Trunkey— If the frame was shal- 

 low it would be better to use a 2-story 

 hive. 



Mr. Belden— Found that the honey in 

 the lower tier was not as nice honey as 

 that obtained in the upper story of 2- 

 story hives. 



Mr. Newman — Two-story hives, if 



rightly managed, are much better than 

 1-story ones. They admit of getting 

 honey in the most marketable shape. 



3. "Is it advisable to use comb foun- 

 dation ?" 



One member found the use of wireto 

 strengthen the foundation very service- 

 able. 



Mr. Newman said that comb founda- 

 tion was very desirable in building up 

 colonies; but its use in surplus boxes 

 must be not more than a starter, unless 

 the thin foundation made by Messrs. 

 Van Deusen be used. That had been 

 used with success by some, but he was 

 not yet prepared to indorse its use for 

 comb honey. Another season would 

 perhaps demonstrate whether it will do 

 to use full sheets of it or not. 



4. " What is the best method of pre- 

 paring bees for winter ?" 



M. E. Mason gave his experience as 

 follows : He had 40 colonies, and put 

 them in a cellar prepared for them ; 

 took them out for two airing flights. 

 After the first flight they showed signs 

 of dysentery. Left 20 colonies outdoors 

 in chaffed hives. Two colonies were left 

 in a cellar all winter without a flight, 

 and wintered in a splendid condition. 



Mr. Newman advised every one to 

 try different ways and learn from ex- 

 perience the better plan. He has his 

 prepared in four different ways this 

 winter. But what would prove good 

 this winter might never do again as the 

 winter is so open. 



5. " In what shape shall we put up our 

 honey for market V" 



Mr. Newman said that comb honey 

 should be produced in small sections: 

 the 2 principal sizes being 4 1 4 \4 1 4 and 

 53^x6j| inches outside. Extracted 

 honey must be ripe before extracting, 

 and should be shipped to market in 

 small kegs containing from 100 to 200 

 lbs. each. 



Moved and seconded that the next 

 convention meet on the first Tuesday 

 in February, 1881 , holding 2 days. Car- 

 ried. 



Moved and seconded that Mr. New- 

 man be made an honorary member of 

 this Association. Carried. 



On calling for statistics, after a part 

 of the audience had left, the following 

 result was obtained : 



No. of colonies spring 1S79 92 



No. of colonies fall 1S7<> 206 



Extracted honej obtained 1S79, lbs — 



Comb honey obtained, lbs 1,816 



Wax. lbs ■ » 



Average price for extracted honey 1254c 



Average price for comb N>c 



One person reported that he had ob- 

 tained more than 12-5 lbs of honey from 

 1 colony. 



