468 



colonies that do their work the most 

 thoroughly — our best ones. 



We cannot rear best queens by giving 

 the cells, as soon as sealed, to small nu- 

 clei to hatch, that cannot keep up the 

 necessary heat to fully develop them ; 

 but must hatch them in full colonies. 

 They should be fertilized in full colo- 

 nies, as they will fly out sooner than 

 from weak ones, and the sooner they are 

 fertilized, the more prolific they will be. 



To get best drones, we must rear them 

 from our best queens, near the center of 

 the brood nest, so that they will have all 

 the care and heat necessary. 



Colonies of best bees give robbers the 

 "cold shoulder." Such colonies work 

 here in California in our poorest and 

 dryest seasons, during all the fall, keep- 

 ing their hives full of brood and honey, 

 and not trying to rob others ; while 

 common ones are growing lighter, try- 

 ing to force themselves into other hives, 

 and many of them starving. Such best 

 colonies will winter in cold climates, 

 almost any way, without spring dwind- 

 ling ; in such colonies the age of the 

 queens will be from 3 to 4 years, instead 

 of the short life which is the rule with 

 common ones. Who will give us the 

 best business bees V 



S. S. Butler, M. D. 



Los Gatos, Cal., Aug. 25, 1880. 



E. J. Oatman was of opinion that 

 queens would fertilize as soon from nu- 

 clei as from full colonies. 



President Miller and others held the 

 same opinion. 



E. J. Oatman had purchased 2 Pales- 

 tine queens ; 1 died ; the survivor is 

 very prolific ; aside from prolificacy, Mr. 

 Oatman could give no opinion of their 

 merits. 



I. R. Good has a " holy" queen, which 

 is the most prolific queen he ever saw. 



George Thompson has one, with the 

 same characteristic. 



I. R. Good said he had reared about 

 40 queens from his Palestine queen, and 

 all were nearly perfect duplicates of the 

 mother queen. 



E. J. Oatman stated his queen did not 

 duplicate. 



In response to a question as to which 

 is best for the amateur — artificial or 

 natural swarming— the Convention by 

 vote recommended artificial swarming. 



A test question being submitted, the 

 Convention unanimously disapproved of 

 wired foundation sheets ; a vote being 

 then called for upon the desirability of 

 foundation wired in frames, it was de- 

 cided in the negative. 



President Miller inquired the best 

 method for finding queens in full colo- 

 nies ; he had frequently experienced 



trouble from their rapidly passing from 

 one comb to another. 



Several speakers recommended com- 

 mencing the search on a center comb. 



The following communication was re- 

 ceived and read : 



To the Bee-Keepers of the Northwest, in 

 District Convention assembled, the Mich- 

 igan Bee- Keepers' 1 Association sends 

 greeting: 



May your salutations be honeyed, 

 your deliberations candied, and waxing 

 warm in debate may your foundation 

 not sag, but support firmly and spread 

 freely the bee-bread of fraternal sym- 

 pathy and brotherly love. 



T. E. Bingham, Sec'y. 



On motion, the Convention adjourned 

 subject to the call of the Executive 

 Committee. C. C. Miller, Pres. 



C. C. COFFINBERRY, Sec. 



LaCrosse Bee-Keepers' Convention. 



The Northwestern (Wis.) Bee-Keep- 

 ers' Convention was held at LaCrosse, 

 Wis., Tuesday, Sept. 14. 1880. 



The meeting was called to order by 

 the President, John A. Zalser, at 10 a.m. 

 After reading and approving the min- 

 utes, a constitution and by-laws were 

 adopted, and the following officers elect- 

 ed for the ensuing year : 



Preside) it— James Manchester. 

 Vice President— E. Markel. 

 Secretary— L. H. Pammel, Jr. 

 Treasurer— John A. Zalser. 



B. F. Bryant of LaCrosse, then deliv- 

 ered the following 



Opening Address: 



The honey bee has been the com- 

 panion and servant of man from the 

 very earliest times, accompanying his 

 wanderings and ministering to his com- 

 fort and enjoyment. Scarcely tamer 

 now than in its wildest state, it bears 

 the yoke of servitude more lightly than 

 any other creature, and is beholding to 

 man for hardly any thing but shelter. 

 Obedient only to its instincts and 

 habits, no servant was ever more faith- 

 ful and trusty. Incapable of instruc- 

 tion it is in some respects the most in- 

 telligent of the beast or insect creation. 

 Capable of being the subject of owner- 

 ship, and of a bargain and sale, its mas- 

 ter could hardly be made responsible for 

 its acts. 



The honey bee is a great trespasser, 

 and has no respect for fences and 

 boundary lines. It gathers its food 

 wherever it pleases and enriches its 

 owner out of other peoples' property 



