If there is an abundance of honey it 

 may be done now, but it requires skill. 

 A better time is the spring, when it is 

 comparatively easy and nearly always 

 successful. 



How Large should a Hive Be ? 



A. B. Ilerr thought the lower story 

 ought to be of about 2,000 cubic inches 

 inside capacity. These dimensions have 

 given him good results. 



J. H. Mellinger advocated the use of 

 a hive of 1,728 inches capacity. 



I. G. Martin has Langstrottfs hive, 

 which is of about 1,700 inches capacity. 

 He believes you get more honey out of 

 such hives. 



J. H. Mellinger thought it depended 

 far more on the queen and bees than it 

 did on the size of the hive. 



Elias Hershey believed a hive a foot 

 square is the best of all sizes ; the bees 

 can better take care of themselves in it. 



L. Fleckenstien, after trying many 

 kinds, has now a hive a little larger 

 than a foot square. 



T. Thurlow believed a brood-chamber 

 of 2.000 cubic inches is entirely too 

 large. In such a case more honev is 

 stored there than will winter two colo- 

 nies and very little in the boxes. 



Average Yields. 



It was asked what the average yield 

 of honey was in this county per colony. 

 Elias Hershey one season averaged 53 

 lbs. This year his average will not be 

 over 25 lbs. I. G. Martin said his 

 highest average was 48 lbs. Last year 

 it was only 35, while this season it will 

 not exceed 25 lbs. 



There being no further business, the 

 meeting adjourned to meet again on the 

 second Monday of November. 



N. E. Wisconsin Convention. 



This Convention was held at Waupun, 

 Wis., on May 4, 1880. Meeting called 

 to order by the retiring President II. P. 

 Sayles, of Hartford, whose address was 

 listened to with great interest. 



Officers for the following year : 



President— A. A. Winslow, of New 

 Holstein.* 



Secretary and Treasurer— Mrs. Fran- 

 ces Dunham, of Depere. 



Vice Presidents— G. H. Pierce, of 

 \\ mooski ; T. E. Turner, of Sussex ; 

 Geo. S. Church, of Neenah ; Jas. Forn- 

 crook,of Watertown. 



Reports on wintering were called for: 

 , Pres. Winslow in 1876 lost 18 colonies; 

 m 1877, lost 45 ; in 1878. lost 30 ; in 1879, 

 lost 57. The loss of queens was very 

 great ; the bees were all alive at the be- 

 ginning of spring, but having no queens 



of course died. Winters on summer 

 stands well packed with chaff. 



Mr. Bales packed 20, lost none. 



Mr. Stephens buried his bees in a 

 soil-pen, packed with straw and dirt; 

 lost none. 



Mr. Bourne put 25 colonies in cellar; 

 lost none. 



Mr. Guenther wintered 700; lost 11. 

 Wintered on the same plan he has 

 already given to this Association last 

 year, viz : with wool quilts, and no 

 direct draft, and strict attention to fall 

 management. Some were in damp and 

 some in dry places ; all came out well. 

 The losses being from taking out too 

 early in the spring. They all had 

 quilts over the frames; some cotton, 

 but most wool, which is decidedly best. 

 A colony protected with quilt made of 

 %, lb. of wool will consume 4 lbs. less 

 honey than one with }£ lb. of wool. 



Mr. Hodgson thinks the condition of 

 the bees in the fall is the main thing. 

 Those put in the best condition, come 

 out best. His house. 18 inch walls, 

 filled with shavings proved a failure ; 

 lost 25 colonies out of 100. 



Mr. Pfeffer lost 30 out of 430. 



Mr. Germain has taken much 

 pleasure in his bees, has tried every 

 way, and has always lost. Built a 

 splendid cellar, walls 18 inches, laid in 

 liuie and mortar ; put 48 colonies in ; 

 took caps off and laid pieces of rag- 

 carpet over frames ; put in Nov. 4 ; set 

 on shelves ; lost quantities on the floor ; 

 had plenty of honey but dwindled verv 

 badly. 



Mr. Guenther says spring dwindling is 

 very easy to prevent. Bees should 

 be looked over September 1st, and if 

 not rearing brood in abundance should 

 be fed; 9 lbs. of honey if fed judiciously 

 will rear 3 frames of brood. The only 

 loss he can report is from a man who 

 did not feed at that time. Reports 

 emphatically that spring dwindling is 

 due to fall management. Twenty-four 

 pounds of honey is an abundance to 

 winter on ; a wool quilt over frames ; an 

 inch auger hole above the entrance, so 

 that they can have air; even if the 

 lower entrance is clogged with dead 

 bees. They should not be disturbed. 

 Gives them a fly in March and put 

 them back till settled weather. Puts 

 his bees into winter-quarters November 

 1st. Four days after giving them a fly 

 gives them water, about }4 pint in an 

 inverted bottle, with a piece cut from 

 the side of the cork and a rag inserted. 

 His bees continue to rear brood from 

 that time till they are set out. Averages 

 220 to 250 lbs. of extracted honey ; which 

 pays him best. Some colonies gave 300 

 pounds. 



