both on side and top, allowing them to build 

 the comb on side and filling them with 

 honey at top. 



Mr. Mellen thought it made some differ- 

 ence in the colony ; some would work bet- 

 ter on side and some on top. He further 

 said bees would work in boxes sooner if in 

 confined space ; for this reason the division 

 board was often useful ; thought an extrac- 

 tor necessary if bee-keepers had only 5 col- 

 onies. 



M. C. Bean inquired what was best depth 

 for frames. 



Mr. Kennedy considered 12 inches none 

 too shallow— used that depth. 



Mr. Mellen said deeper was better, if any- 

 thing. 



Pres't Pierce had begun with Laugstroth 

 and increased it to a foot ; thought shallow 

 frame would do as well in warmer climate. 



Mr. Mellen said, in answer to a question, 

 that wintering in houses was being aban- 

 doned. It was better to use chaff hives. 



Mr. Chapman asked Pres't Pierce the con- 

 dition of his bees, etc. Pres't Pierce stated 

 he used hive with space of about 3,000 cubic 

 inches— 18x14x12 ; liked large hive and could 

 easily make it smaller. Those wintered in 

 chaff were in good condition. Last year he 

 used wired foundation ; put in 4 frames for 

 the young swarms ; the other 5 frames he 

 supplied when needed. It was not a good 

 plan to put in the 9 frames at one time ; bees 

 were apt to make holes in foundation. In 

 less than 24 hours by this method eggs were 

 laid in the cells. Would not use the wired 

 foundation again ; thought it could be made 

 to answer without the wires. 



Mr. Bean had used the Novelty hive, 

 18x14x10 inches, and found they had done 

 well in it. 



Pres't Pierce wished some information as 

 to which was more profitably produced, box 

 honey or extracted. 



W. L. Coggshall had extracted several 

 years, and put in boxes but one. As far as 

 he had tested the two methods, he preferred 

 extracting. Last year 25 colonies produced 

 an average of 3G lbs. of box honey ; 50 pro- 

 duced an average of 82 lbs. of extracted. 

 Used firkins, barrels and cans to put ex- 

 tracted honey in. By extracting honey he 

 nearly did away with swarming; used the 

 2-story Kidder hive. Used chaff to winter 

 in ; took dry-goods boxes and placed around 

 hive, with 1 inch and upward space for chaff. 

 By this means could winter in Langstroth 

 as well as in Kidder hives. 



Mr. Kennedy used regular chaff hive ; was 

 as good in summer as in winter— cooler in 

 summer and warmer in winter. 



E. B. Glazier wished to know whether it 

 was best to Italianize, and the general opin- 

 ion with regard to it. 



Pres't Pierce said there was much differ- 

 ence in the breed. His experience had been 

 that the dark, leather-colored Italians were 

 better than the light colored ones. 



In order to make each better acquainted 

 with what others were doing in bee-keep- 

 ing, the members present stated the number 

 of colonies they had at beginning of win- 

 ter, the number now, and the manner of 

 wintering. 



On motion of Mr. Kennedy, it was re- 

 solved that we extend a vote of thanks to 



D. F. Shattuck, whose labors had started 

 the Association. 



The next meeting will occur on Tuesday, 

 July 27, at 10 a. m.; the subject for discus- 

 sion will be " The Best Method of Obtain- 

 ing Surplus Honey." J. H. Kennedy to open, 

 A. G. Chapman alternate. Pres't Pierce also 

 requested the members to make experi- 

 ments in mating queens in confinement, and 

 report success at next meeting. 



C. M. Bean, Sec. 



Rock River Valley, 111. 



The Kock River Valley Association met 

 at Davis Junction, 111., on Tuesday, May 18, 

 1380, Pres't A. Rice in the chair. 



The report of the Secretary was read and 

 approved. 



In response to the question, " How were 

 our bees wintered, and how much loss was 

 sustained ?" the following reports were 

 made : 



Fall. Loss. 



H.H.Everton 28 2 Packed in chaff. 



G.G.Fraiser 28 8 Cellar. 



J.C.Evans 13 4 



J. A.Atwood 7 4 Out-door. 



O. J. Cummings 16 7 Bee house. 



H.W. Lee 216 1 Cellar. 



Mr. Whitlesy 60 3 



G.Lyman 14 3 



Jas. Mason 25 2 



J. Woodman 260 50 



Mr. Lewis 13 6 



Geo. & D. A. Fuller 65 10 



A.Rice 50 25 " 



H. H. Everton had weighed 8 hives on 

 Nov. 1, and again about April 1, in order to 

 ascertain how much honey had been con- 

 sumed in winter. The figures were as fol- 

 lows, the first figures being the weight in the 

 fall, and the latter the weight in the spring, 

 the average consumption being 15% lbs. of 

 honey : 72, 55—57, 44—66, 53—66, 51—60, 41— 

 60, 41—52, 41—60, 47. 



By request Mr. T. G. Newman, who had 

 been invited to be present, gave an interest- 

 ing description of his travels in Europe last 

 summer, and of the state of bee culture in 

 the different countries he visited. 



The Convention then adjourned for din- 

 ner. Upon reassembling, Mr. Newman gave 

 an interesting address on the desirable 

 points in bees ; showing the points of ex- 

 cellence to be found in the Italians, and the 

 desirableness of improvement in the race, 

 by careful and constant selection. Though 

 this address occupied over an hour, the 

 speaker was listened to with profound at- 

 tention, and was interrupted only by the 

 applause of the audience. As Mr. Newman 

 spoke extemporaneously, and the Secretary 

 is unable to write short hand, he could not 

 report the address, and desires Mr. Newman 

 to insert it in this report if possible. 



[We would do so, but are so much 

 crowded with convention matter this month 

 we must defer it to some future time.— Ed.] 



After an intermission of 10 minutes, the 

 Convention considered the subject of time 

 and place of holding the next meeting. A 

 committee was appointed to recommend 

 the best time and place. 



Mr. Newman was then called upon to ad- 

 dress the Convention on the benefits of or- 



