THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



277 



the spring. In that case they should be 

 fed. Sugar candy he thought a very good 

 food, but honey was the best. In the 

 spring there was usually many disagreea- 

 ble days — during sueh days it would be 

 bestto'leed all a little. He i)repared his 

 bees for winter by putting cotton, mote 

 and seed on the top of the liive, which af- 

 forded them suflicient ventilation, and ab- 

 sorbed all dampness and prevented a cold 

 draft through the upi)er part of the hive. 



The above is but a j)oor brief of the 

 Doctor's remarks. He said he intended 

 talking on several other points pertaining 

 to bee-culture, but found that he had al- 

 ready taken up too much time. At the 

 close of Dr. Boyd's remarks, Mr David 

 Staples made a few remarks. He dillered 

 with the Doctor about uj^ward ventilation, 

 he did not want any in his hives — thought 

 paper the best absorbent to use. He ex- 

 tended Ills remarks at some length on his 

 system of Rarey-iug bees, as Rarey did an- 

 imals. He introduced queens bj' shaking 

 them from the frames and subduing 

 them, until they become perfect!}^ quiet 

 and peaceable. He then dropped the 

 queen among them and let them re-enter 

 the hive together. Mr. Staples said he 

 had been working for some days in sor- 

 ghum, and had noticed that his bees 

 worked very freely on the stumps of the 

 cane. The species of sorghum that he 

 had cultivated was what was known as the 

 red-top variety. In cooking the syrup 

 the bees rapidly took up any that was 

 dropped. He had examined his hives 

 and found that they contained pure sor- 

 ghum syrup. He intended trying an ex- 

 periment with a half dozen hives by ex- 

 tracting the honey and feeding them on 

 sorghum and thought it might be a cheap 

 winter food. It had been tried North — 

 knew that it would not do there, but 

 thought it might do South. Mr. Staples 

 continued his remarks to some length on 

 feeding — as a stimulant to bees he always 

 used sour syrup, as they would not store 

 it in their cells. 



Mr. J. J. Jones differed with Mr. Staples, 

 and said his bees would not eat sorghum. 

 In reply to a question as to the best pre- 

 ventive of ants it was decided to be diluted 

 salt. 



The subject selected for discussion at 

 the next meeting was " Feeding bees — its 

 mode, object and result " and also "Queen 

 rearing." 



Wm. J. Andrews offered the follow- 

 ing resolution which was unanimously 

 adopted. 



Resolved, That all the Bee-keepers of 

 Maury county be invited to each meeting 

 of this societ}', but only those who pay 

 the society fee, and sign the constitution 

 to be entitled to a vote or to participate in 

 the business of the society. 



W. J. Andrews stated to the society 

 that Mr. Horsly had informed him that 



he would be glad to have any communica- 

 tions from any of the members on the 

 subject of bees, which would be of a lo- 

 cal nature. 



It was moved and adopted that Mr. 

 David Staples, be reejuested to deliver a 

 lecture at the next meeting, and in the 

 event of his being unable to be present that 

 S. I). McLean should do so. 



The society tlun adjourned to meet 

 again the first Saturday in January,, 1876. 

 Wm. J. Anduews, 



Secretary & Treasurer. 



— m I m 



For the American BeeJournah 

 The Southern Kentucky Bee-Keeper'» 

 Association. 



The Association met at Burksville, Ky., 

 on Wednesday, Sept. 15th, 1875; officers 

 present: Dr. N. P. Allen, President, 

 H. W. Sanders, Secretary, R. A. Alexander, 

 Assistant Secretary. 



The President called the meeting to 

 order. Prayer was offered by Mr. R.. % . 

 A. Alexander, of Warren county. ». '. 



On motion the calling of the roll was- ;i|BL,. 

 postponed. The proceedings of last ^^. 

 meeting were read by Assistant Secretary 

 R. A. Alexander. On motion the same 

 were unanimously adopted. 



The following named persons became- 

 members of the Society: — 



Jas. H. Richie, Burksville, Ky., T. H. 

 Hancock, Burksville, Ky., Geo. N. Allen, 

 Grider,Kv ,Ed. B Pace, Marrowbone, Ky,, 

 F. C. Baker, Burksville, Ky., J. G. Allen, 

 Grider, Ky., Mrs. Jane E. Allen, Grider,. 

 Ky., Miss. M. L. Allen, Grider, Ky., Mrs. 

 Lucy Hancock, Burksville, Ky., H. C. 

 Baker, Columbia, Ky., DanielE. Baker, 

 Burksville, Ky., J. B. Allen, Grider, Kv., 

 Mrs. H. M. Richie, Burkesville, Ky., Mrs. 

 Josie Dunn, Burksville, Ky., Mrs. Lou 

 Pace, Marrowbone, Ky., Mrs. Bettie 

 Cheek, Burksville, Ky., R. M. Cheek, 

 Burksville, Ky., Jas. A. Gilmer, Burks- 

 ville, Ky., M. G. Akin, Grider, Ky., 

 E. Amnions, Burksville, Ky. 



President Allen made an instructive and 

 interesting address which was favorably 

 received. 



A communication was read from Mr. 

 Frank Benton, of Knoxville, Tenn. ; and 

 the Secretary was requested to return the 

 sincere thanks of tLis Association to Mr. 

 Benton, for the veiy valuable information 

 contained in this paper. 



Deferred business. The third question 

 for debate, left over at the last meeting, 

 was then taken up:— "What is the best 

 vegetable to cultivate for bees to gather 

 honey from ?" 



Mr. Cheek said, he thought buck^ 

 wheat the* best, as it could be sown so 

 that it would bloom in July and August, 

 and furnish rich pasture for our bees 

 when there was noae to be had from other- 

 sources. 



