





42dYEAR 



CHICAGO, ILL, SEPT, 18, 1902, 



No, 36. 



t Editorial Comments, i- | 



The Denver Convention was held as announced, Sept. 

 3, 4 and S. While it was not as largely attended as ex- 

 pected, it was a good meeting. The election of offi cers for 

 1903 resulted as follows : 



President— W. Z. Hutchinson, of Michigan. 

 Vice-President— Jas. U. Harris, of Colorado. 

 Secretary— George W. York, of Illinois. 



As soon as we can begin it, we will publish the report 

 of the convention in full in these columns. 



When to Cut Alfalfa.-M. A. Gill, in the Bee-Keepers 

 Review, thus earnestly enters a protest against the idea 

 that for best results in hay alfalfa should be cut before it 

 comes into bloom. He says : 



I say again that it is )wt a fact that alfalfa cut before 

 it comes into bloom makes the best hay ; and I know of 

 many careful, thoughtful farmers who were once led into 

 that practice, but who are now letting their alfalfa stand 

 until It reaches that certain stage when it contains, and 

 will retain, the most food-value. 



Some years ago the Experiment Station of New Mexico 

 carried on a series of experiments to find out at what stage 

 of development the alfalfa plant would make the most 

 pounds of the best hay. As I understand it, they made four 

 cuttings of the first crop. First, when about half grown • 

 again just before it came into bloom ; then while in full 

 bloom ; and again after it had gone to seed. 



They then took four bunches of steers and fed them the" 

 same number of pounds from the four diflferent cuttings 

 and weighed each bunch of steers every five days during 

 the experiment, which lasted some 60 days. 



He also thinks there is no danger that the alfalfa honey 

 crop of the future will be any less important than it is now. 



Number of Extracting=Combs Needed A wide differ- 

 ence prevails as to this in practice. A uses a single story 

 of extracting-combsfor each colony, extracting as often as 

 necessary. B adds stories as often as needed, and does not 

 extract a pound of honey till the season is over. If the 

 harvest is at all large, B invests a good deal in combs that 

 A saves— a saving that B considers very poor economy. A 

 must necessarily extract before all combs are sealed, for 

 after the combs are filled it will be some time before all of 

 the honey is ripened sufficiently, and most bee-keepers can 

 hardly compete with the bees in ripening honey. So stor- 

 ing will be hindered while awaiting the ripening and seal- 

 ing. Then, when the combs are extracted and returned, 

 there is some demoralization and no little delay ; for the 

 bees will not attempt to store in wet combs, and the combs 

 must all be licked dry before any storing is done. In B's 

 case there is no delay whatever. Before one story is filled 

 another is put under, the work goes on steadily, and the 



honey is thoroughly ripened, and of the best quality. B 

 considers himself well paid for the investment in extra 

 combs. 



If one has not a sufficient number of extra combs, it is 

 not a difficult thing to use frames filled with foundation, or 

 with starters. Some, however, will prefer to take a middle 

 ground. When the first story of combs is partly filled, let 

 another story of combs or foundation be placed under it. 

 Then extract the first story when it is completed, and re- 

 turn the wet combs on top. If the wet combs are placed 

 next to the brood-nest, the bees will not readily pass 

 through them to store in the story above until the wet 

 combs are cleaned dry. 



Even if only one story of extracting-combs is used, it is 

 probably not best to extract the whole story at once. When 

 half the combs are completed, extract them, putting the 

 wet combs back, not in the center of the super, but at the 

 sides. The center combs will be ready for extracting a 

 little sooner than if at the sides, and each time half the 

 combs are extracted the wet combs are to be placed at the 

 sides. The bees will thus be allowed to go right on storing 

 without interruption. Of course, it will make a good deal 

 more work than to have more combs. 



Mr. Abbott Retires from the General Managership 



We have received the following from Mr. Abbott for publi- 

 cation : 



Editor American Bee Journ.^i, :— In view of thegood 

 feeling and harmony which prevailed at the Denver Con- 

 vention, and being desirous of doing all I can to promote 

 the interests of the National Bee-Keepers' Association I 

 have concluded to retire from the General Managership for 

 the present. So far as mv future official relations to the 

 Association are concerned, I am perfectly willing to leave 

 this with the membership, as I have every confidence in the 

 good intentions of the bee-keepers of the United States and 

 believe that they will see to it that no injustice is done any 

 one. ■' 



During the time that I was actively engaged in the 

 work of General Manager, 83 memberships were received 

 and 40 of these were new members, if I am correct. My 

 short experience has shown me that there is a world of work 

 that a General Manager can do, all of which will tend to 

 promote the interests of every bee-keeper on the continent • 

 and, while I have not changed my mind in the least as to 

 the correctness of the stand I have taken, yet I feel that our 

 energies would much better be spent in promoting the in- 

 terests of our industry than in discussing in a harsh war 

 differences among ourselves. 



I think I have said before that personally I could co- 

 operate with any member of the Board in promoting the 

 interests of the Association, and in the future I shall be 

 just as ready and willing to do it as in the past. The Board 

 has an excellent and efficient Chairman, and I can see no 

 reason why the Association should not continue to grow 

 and be a great power for good. New fields are opening . 

 up every day. The Government of the United States is 

 showing an interest in our work, and is making it manifest 

 that it is willing to cooperate with us, so that all that is 

 needed now is a disposition to zvork on the part of the offi- 

 cers of the Association and the membership at large, and 

 great good can be accomplished in a very short time. What 



the world needs is more men and women who do things 



who are willing to work as well as to write and talk. 



