BEE KEEPERS. 441 



runs many risks. In transferring he is liable to get the combs in such a shape as 

 to be worthless to him. It would be much more profitable to the new beginner to 

 go and buy his bees ready to go to work. But for practical bee keepers it would 

 be better to buy in box hives and use such combs as are fit to go into the hives. 

 Drone combs and ill-shaped combs should not go in, but be made into wax. I 

 would recommend them to buy the bees ready for work, if they can get them cheap. 



Mr. Anderson. I got Mr. Kennedy to assist me in transferring six hives. I did 

 not know much about transferring, hence I sought the assistance of Mr. Kennedy. 

 I do not know which was most valuable to me, the hives or the day's experience. 

 There is another point in which beginners are liable to commit an error: We may 

 invest our money in what we don't want. He had better know what he is doing 

 before he goes into the business. I have not sufficient experience to speak with 

 much authority, but every beginner ought to transfer bees in order to induce his 

 neighbors to get theirs out of those box hives and not starve them to death. For 

 this reason it is best for every beginner to transfer bees, but always get some good 

 bee man to be with you in your first attempts at transferring. 



Convention adjourned until 7 o'clock p. M. 



EVENING SESSION. 

 Convention met at 7 o'clock, with President Scholl in the chair. 



BEST RACE OF BEES. 



Mr. Anderson. Mr. Allen, I believe, on queen rearing, thinks the best cross pos- 

 sible is the cross between the Italian and Holy Land bees, crossing virgin Italian 

 queens with the Holy Land drones. I have some excellent Italian queens by 

 crossing with the Holy Land bees. Would you advise me to make that cross? 



Mr. Muth. Yes, make that cross. We like a bee that is gentle and industrious. 

 I have the Cyprean and Holy Land. The Egyptian is a cross that I do not want. 

 I want some that I am not afraid of and look pretty. I like the Italian queen 

 crossed with the Cyprean drone. They are almost as gentle as the Italian. The 

 Italian is very prolific, as much so as any. It is quick motioned au'd nice indeed. 

 You will always find the black bees getting out first to gather the nectar. The 

 Italians don't go out in unpleasant weather, but when a certain time comes the 

 Italian will make up. I prefer an Italian colony. Prof. Wiley was wrong when 

 he said when the bees are irritated they produced more of the formic acid. Irrita- 

 tion has nothing to do with it. The formic acid comes from the honey sack of the 

 bee and not the sting. 



President Scholl. Irritate a colony of bees and they will throw out their sting, 

 leaving a drop of poison. 



Mr. Muth. You can smell the formic acid before they sting. 



Secretary Daugherty. The Italian is the model for me, and I have ceased hunt- 

 ing after other kinds. If others can find anything better I will leave them. I 



