180 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



March 20, 1902. 



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Convention Proceedings. 



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Report of the Michigan Bee-Keepers' Convention. 



BY JAS. A. DARTj SEC. 



iCoutinued from pape 165.) 

 ''BUILDING UP COLONIES IX SPRING FOR THE HONEY CROP." 



Mr. Chapman sa3'S he puts away more bees than he 

 expects to winter. He unites in the spring, taking two 

 light colonies, puts on one queen-excluder, then puts the 

 Other colony on top, removing the queen from the top one. 

 He says there is not much use in uniting three or more 

 weak colonies ; it is no better than each one separate. 



Mr. Hutchinson agrees in this. He spreads brood later, 

 but only as they can furnish proper heat. 



Mr. Kitson says those colonies that have the most honey 

 over winter work best in the spring. 



Mr. Hutchinson in earlier days practiced stimulative 

 feeding, but if left with sealed brood they will do better. 



!Mr. Coveyou advises in a cold snap in spring to sprinkle 

 sweetened water in the front of the hive to save the 

 bees going out and getting chilled. He uses an atomizer 

 in the evening. 



Mr. Kirkpatrick sees that the covers are tight, and that 

 no heat escapes. 



It was suggested that some one use an empty comb filled 

 with water, or use a sponge for water in spring. 



Mr. Hilton and Mr. Hutchinson suggested that in feed- 

 ing one can put the syrup outside near the apiary, and after 

 the first daj' it is safe from robbing. 



COMB HONEY OR EXTR.\CTED ? 



"Which is the more profitable, working for comb honey 

 or for extracted?" 



Mr. Kitson says extracted is the most profitable, as the 

 nights are too cold so far north to build comb. 



Mr. Pinnell says there is more money in extracted at 

 8 cents than comb at 14 cents so far north ; and counting 

 ■extra work it is much more profitable. He says this year 

 lie run 20 colonies for extracted and 30 for comb, and got 

 more money out of the 20 at 8 cents than the 30 at 14 cents. 



Mr. Chapman says he got almost as much comb honey 

 as extracted, but the weather was warm. He says in three- 

 fourths of the years there is more money in producing ex- 

 tracted honey ; the expense is no more for comb, as pack- 

 ages cost less ; but he suggested that with a local trade the 

 cans can be returned. 



Mrs. Morrow says this past was the best year she has 

 ever seen for selling honey. 



Mr. Smith thinks the locality determines. He is in the 

 coldest place in northern Michigan, and can't do well work- 

 ing for comb honey. 



TOO MUCH POLLEN IN THE BROOD-NEST. 



"Are we ever troubled with too much pollen in the brood- 

 nest?" 



Mr. Smith says it may bother the bees, but it does not 

 bother him. 



Mr. Chapman advises putting comb containing too much 

 pollen in the center of a good brood-nest, the pollen will 

 disappear. 



SECOND DAY— Jan. 2. 



Pres. Hilton, having contracted a hard cold, left for 

 home, and the meeting was called to order by W. Z. Hutch- 

 inson. 



CLIPPING THE queen's WINGS. 



"Does the clipping the queen's wings shorten her life?" 



Mr. Chapman shortens her life himself, and does not 

 try to see how long she will live ; also Mr. Kirkpatrick. 

 Mr. Coveyou says he sees no difference, and others agreed. 



E. E. Brown says he had a clipped queen live six years. 



"How do you clip the wings?" was asked. 



Mr. Kitson holds the queen by the wings op one side, 

 and clips both wings on the other side. 



Mr. Chapman, Mr. Kirkpatrick, and i\Ir. Pinnell, pick 

 the queen up by the thorax. 



Mr. Coveyou clips just at the time of fruit-bloom, when 

 laying freely, and when workers are out gathering. He 

 takes hold of the legs and wings on one side. 



Mr. Smith advises clipping earlier in the spring; and 

 holds the queen by the thorax. 



Mr. Hutchinson picks her up by tlie wings on both sides, 

 and then clips one wing. 



Mr. Bartlett uses a queen-clipping device. 



SH.\LL0VV FRAMES VS. STANDARD IN EXTRACTING. 



"In the production of extracted honey what preference 

 has shallow frame over standard Langstroth?" 



i\i.r. Coveyou says if any advantage it is that one can 

 uncap with one stroke, and might get more uniform color 

 of honey. 



Mr. Chapman sees no advantage. 



Mr. Smith prefers the Heddon frame (shallow), for 

 the same reason given by Mr. Coveyou. 



Mr. Kirkpatrick likes the Langstroth frame as there 

 are less frames to handle. 



Mr. Brown says he can handle two shallow frames 

 quicker than one Langstroth, and bees go up quicker in the 

 spring. He thinks deep frames make the honey darker. He 

 iisis one frame less than the super's size, as g in a lo-frame 

 super. 



Mr. Chapman starts the bees up in 15 minutes after 

 putting on the super. He puts a frame of brood in the super 

 and waits until the bees are ready to go up. He extracts 

 when two-thirds capped, and thinks 7 frames .in an 8- 

 frame super is too wide. He likes 9 in a lo-frame super, 

 and wants 14 to 20 frames of brood, thus making the queen 

 do all she can in one year ; then he kills her. 



Mr. Kirkpatrick thinks there is a disadvantage in the 

 shallow frames. He can't bait bees up. He uses 7 frames 

 in an 8-frame super. 



Mr. Coveyou doesn't like to put the brood up, as it 

 makes darker honey above. 



Mr. Chapman thinks it is a waste to force the queen 

 to fill the top and corners of frames with brood. He gets 

 better results with 50 strong colonies than 100 less populous. 



Mr. Pinnell thinks all frames in the yard should be 

 of the same size. 



BEST DEPTH ■ FOR BROOD-FRAMES — QUEENS. 



"What depth frames are best for the brood-chamber in 

 this region?" 



Mr. Coveyou has two sizes — the Langstroth for old hives 

 and the shallow for swarms. 



"Is the queen most valuable before one year old, or 

 afterward ?" 



Mr. Coveyou says she is best the second year. 



Mr. Dart says he finds queens as good the second as the 

 first year. 



"How is it best to find a queen in a populous colony?" 



Mr. Chapman looks till he finds her, in the middle of 

 day, in July. 



Mr. Hicks asked why he hunts in July. 



Mr. Chapman said because he hunts them up to kill them 

 except in the very best colonies. He thinks drones are as 

 important as queens, and uses the best queens for rearing 

 drones. 



BEST BEES FOR THE NORTH. 



"What is the best bee for the North — Italians, Blacks, or 

 Carniolans?" 



Mr. Kitson says the Carniolans are more gentle. 



Mr. Chapman gave the Carniolans good trial, but gave 

 them up. He says they are the hardiest bees, but <hey rear 

 drones anyway ; will tear out comb and make drone-cells ; 

 also swarm too much. 



Mr. Kitson says Carniolans build up quickly in spring. 



Mr. Coveyou says Carniolans are good lo get up an 

 apiary quickly ; then change to Italians. 



General experience : Carniolans swarm too much. 



Mr. Hutchinson says Carniolans build up quickly but swarm 

 too much ; he doesn't think them more gentle. 



INBREEDING OF BEES. 



Mr. Smith has inbred for 20 years, and takes no stock 

 in the talk against it. 



Mr. Hutchinson says there is not much danger, as 

 there are so manv bees in the country, 



