exact size to fit nicely when laid upon 

 the frames over the bees. We have 

 formerly used cluck, and some sheets 

 cut from an old ingrain carpet, but they 

 were so covered with propolis that the 

 moisture could not escape; but the mat- 

 ting is porous and yet will conline the 

 bees below. Above the matting is 

 placed a cushion, of about six inches in 

 thickness, filled with chaff. We have 

 learned by experience, that the best 

 material for this purpose should be thin 

 and open, yet strong enough to hold the 

 chaff. Old coffee sacks answer the pur- 

 pose well, but they are more expensive 

 than muslin, as they cannot be made so 

 readily on the machine. The sack for 

 the cushion should be sewed up. and 

 then the corners sewed across diago- 

 nally in such a way that the cushion will 

 be square sided when completed. The 

 idea may be obtained by pushing in the 

 corner of a pillow. These cushions 

 if cared for will last many years. We 

 give a free circulation of air above the 

 cushions, and contract the entrance — 

 care is given that there shall not be any 

 cold draughts through the hive. 



We have several small colonies, that 

 we have confined to the frames they can 

 cover, by means of division boards, fill- 

 ing up tiie space between the board and 

 hive with some warm material — these 

 baby colonies are often our very best, 

 the following season. 



Peoria, 111. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Origin of the Albino Bees. 



S. VALENTINE. 



During the past season I have re- 

 ceived many letters asking information 

 in reference to the origin of Albino 

 bees. As it is considerable trouble to 

 answer each individually, I desire to 

 answer through the Bee Journal. 



First, the Albino bee has been pro 

 duced by crossing the light Italians. In 

 July, 1876, 1 bought an 'Imported queen 

 from Mr. Willman, of Pennsylvania, 

 from which I produced Albino bees. I 

 made a cross with some beautiful, large, 

 bright drones from a home-bred mother 

 (of what we termed Argo stock) and in 

 August, 1877, I had several grand- 

 daughters of the Imported queen that 

 produced about % Albino workers. 

 Those bees were the most vigorous I 

 ever saw and yet were very gentle. I 

 noticed in carrying dead bees from the 

 hive they generally dropped them from 

 4 to 6 feet, whilst others carried them 

 only from 1 to 2 feet distant. 



My curiosity was aroused and I paid 

 Mr. Pike a visit to see his Albinos, and 



I bought a queen of him (though she 

 did not produce pure Albinos], I crossed 

 again with her and then bred them 

 pure, and I have succeeded beyond my 

 expectation ; having had them pure 

 during the last two seasons and am 

 proud to say that they are still improv- 

 ing. As honey gatherers they compete 

 with the best, and as to beauty and 

 docility or gentleness I feel safe in say- 

 ing the world cannot surpass them. 

 This is the origin of my downy and 

 white-banded bees. 



I received a Holy Land queen in 

 September, whose progeny are much 

 like Albinos. The queens and workers 

 are very active (I fear they may not be 

 as pleasant to handle). As I received 

 her too late to make any test, I cannot 

 say anything detinite. I have several 

 daughters of the Holy queen now lay- 

 ing, that mated with Albino drones, 

 when they are tested I will report. I 

 think it would be well if all the queen 

 breeders that are experimenting on the 

 new bee would report often and com- 

 pare results. If they prove to be better 

 than those we now have, the sooner we 

 know it the better ; and on the other 

 hand if not as good, we cannot know it 

 too soon. 



Double Pipe Creek, Md., Nov. 4, 1880. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



The Bee-Keepers' Conventions. 



JAMES HEDDON 



While I regret very much that I could 

 not attend either of the main Conven- 

 tions of the season — no, not even the 

 North-Western, at Chicago, only 100 

 miles away — I do rejoice that we have 

 the means of knowing what " the boys" 

 were about there. 



First, in regard to the first discussion 

 of the Chicago Convention on over- 

 stocking. Most of the opinions given 

 were of a mixed, "' don't know" charac- 

 ter. I believe them perfectly candid, 

 for they coincide with my own exactly. 

 The few that did have any settled opin- 

 ions, mainly were on the side of the 

 hopeful. I am sorry that they failed to 

 give us any evidence of their belief that 

 very many colonies can be kept in one 

 locality with about the same profit as a 

 small number. 



The point, just where a locality is 

 over-stocked and it becomes necessary 

 for the producer to move off a part of 

 his stock to a second apiary, is one of vi- 

 tal importance to the main honey produ- 

 cers of this country. Can we not get 

 some practical information upon this 

 subject ? 



Let us skip over to Cincinnati. 



