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American Bee Journal 



DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO BEE CULTURE. 



Vol.. X. 



CHICAGO, MARCH, 1374. 



No. 3. 



Central Iowa Bee-Keepers' Association. 



Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Jan. 21, 1«74. 



The tliii-d annual meeting of tliis associa- 

 tion, was called to order l>y D. W. Thayer, of 

 Vinton, its President, and the following 

 officers Averc elected by ballot: 



D. W. Thayer, Vinton, President. 



D. E. Blakeslee, Anamosa, 1st Vice-Presi- 

 'dent. 



Thos. Hare, Marion, '2nd Vice-President. 



J. M. May, Cedar Rapids, Secretary and 

 Treasurer. 



W. H. Furman, Cedar Rapids, Asst. Secre- 

 tary. 



On motion of J.M.]\Iay, the following res- 

 olution was unanimously adopted: 



Resolved, that the thanks of this Associa- 

 tion are hereby tendered to Dr. A. B. Mason, 

 -of Waterloo, for his interest in its prosperity, 

 and for his faithfulness as its Secretary ; also 

 that we learn with deep and sincere regret of 

 his loss by tire, and tender to him our sym- 

 pathy; also, that this resolution be recorded 

 •in the minutes of this Association and a 

 <;opy sent to Dr. Mason. 



The President appointed Messrs. 'Blakeslee, 

 Furman, and Newcomb, to prepare subjects 

 for discussion during the sessions of this meet- 

 ing. 



During the absence of the Committee, Dr. 

 J. Oren of Laporte city, raised the question 

 as to the condition the hive of bees is left in 

 when the honey extractor has been used. 



Mr. Furman stated that he had used the ex- 

 tractor three years and found it advantageous 

 — could make more profit from honey extract- 

 ed from the comb than by box honey, though 

 sold at less price per lb., and when properly 

 used, the brood-comb was unimpaired and 

 the stock of bi'es would lie quite as vigorous 

 as those when the extractor was not used. 



Dr. Oren thought when the extractor was 

 used the best honey was thrown from the 

 comb, and as the bees had only lately made 

 poor honey, he thought tliat was one cause of 

 the losses of bees in 187;j. 



Dr. Blakeslee and Mr. Hunt expressed the 

 ■opinion that it made no difference whether or 

 not the extractor was used. 



Mr. Hare claimed that the loss of bees iu 

 1872 and 1873 was due to the very cold win- 

 ter, and unfavorable spring. 



Mr. Hunt recommended a "clamp" as the 

 means of securing the safety of bees. 



In answer to an inquiry, the President ex- 

 plained that a clanq) means an excavation in 

 the ground about 8 or 10 feet square, across 

 the top of which is placed timbers. On the 

 timbers hives are placed in a pyramid form 

 with a space, like a chimney, in the center 

 for ventilation, communicating from the ex- 

 cavation, to the air at the top of the pyramid. 

 On this pyramid, poles, scantling or boards 

 are placed in a roof form, and on this a coat- 

 ing of straw 4 to 6 inches, and on the straw 

 about 8 inches of earth is placed to make a 

 roof. 



The President gave his experience of win- 

 tering bees in cellars well ventilated. He 

 spoke also of his uniform success in the use 

 of the extractor. 



Dr. Oren qualified his previous remarks on 

 the extractor, by saying that he was not whol- 

 ly opposed to it, though he did not use it. 



Convention adjourned until 9 o'clock the 

 following day. 



SECOND DAT. 



The President in the chair. The Secretary 

 read a letter from Mrs. Tupper of the Nation- 

 al Bee Journal stating that she would be un- 

 able to lecture before the Convention as an- 

 nounced, on account of a failure of the trains 

 to make connection. Her communication 

 contained the suggestion that the Central and 

 State Societies consolidate, also an invitation 

 to the Association to hold its next meeting at 

 Des Moines. Ordered placed on file for fur- 

 ther consideration. 



The business committee reported the fol- 

 lowing questions for discussion : 



1. What are the benefits of the honey ex- 

 tractor in the apiary V 



2. What is the test of pure honey '? 



3. What benefits are derived from feeding 

 bees in autumn '? 



4. Is the Italian superior to the native or 

 common bee 1 



5. What is the best method of dividing 

 swarms witli a view to increasing the stocks ? 

 and is it desirable to divide them ':* 



