310 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



September 



colony. These squares are cut into 

 four lesser squares by other lines and 

 each lesser square is devoted to cer- 

 tain things about the colony so that 

 a notation in that square pertains 

 always to one thing. 



The signs and abbreviations used 

 have been developed through e.xperi- 

 ence, and the signs are those intelli- 

 gible to everyone. Arithmetical signs 

 are very convenient. Plus (-|-) 

 means add; minus; ( — ) means take 

 away; divide (-:-) means literally 

 divide. The interrogation mark (?) 

 means investigate the conditions of 

 the part designated by the square in 

 which it is placed. The arrow head 

 (>) signifies "to" or "from;" if a 

 number is put at the point of the ar- 

 row it means that something has 

 been moved to that number; if the 

 nuiTiber is at the opening of the ar- 

 row head it means the thing "came 

 from" that number. A slanting line 

 (\) cancels a record. A circle (O) 

 means the stand is vacant. A check 

 mark (v') means all is correct in the 

 department where it is placed. If it 

 is in the center of the four squares it 

 means that everything pertaining to 

 that colony is as it should be. The 

 question mark in the same place 

 means investigate everything about 

 that colony. 



Abbreviation of words confused for 

 a time until certain ones were 

 dropped entirely and others substi- 

 tuted. The following have been 

 found satisfactory: "dq" means de- 

 queen, "re" means requeen, "and" 

 means superseded, "sdg" means su- 

 perseding, "cl" means cell, "v" means 

 virgin, "Ig" means laying, "msg" 

 means missing, "swm" means swarm 

 or "swd" means swarmed. 



An "x" placed in the crop square 

 means an extracting super, while a 

 "c" in the same place means a comb 

 honey super. A capital "E" on the 

 line between the brood square and 

 the crop square means an escape- 

 board there, while a zigzag line in 

 the same place means a queen ex- 

 cluder; This zigzag line and the 



arrow head are the only two signs 

 that are not at a glance intelligible 

 to anyone. Whether a sign means a 

 thing has been done or is to be done 

 depends on where it is, whether in a 

 dated or an undated column. In the 

 case of a swarm it is a little different, 

 because the colony on a new stand 

 may be a swarm or a colony on an 

 old one inay have cast a swarm. 



There is another factor of great 

 importance, and it calls for the per- 

 sonal element, i. e.. your estimate of 

 colony size. Personally, I keep in 

 mind four sizes of colonies, "1" is the 

 best it can be for the time of year, 

 "2" is the next best. Number "1," at 

 the approach of the surplus flow, 

 would be ready for comb-honey su- 

 pers, while a "2" would only do for 

 extracted honey. A "3" would be 

 big enough to do something on a 

 later flow, or might pay for a little 

 re-enforcing from a weak colony. An 

 "N" stands for a nucleus. 



If a colony is not looked at no rec- 

 ord is made and the previous record 

 stands. If running out apiaries, or if 

 the apiary is some distance from the 

 shop or store room, a glance down 

 the first undated column will tell just 

 what must be taken to the yard, and 

 extra trips and lost time will be 

 avoided. 



At first the record book sometimes 

 gets left at home, but after one or 

 two such experiences it becomes as 

 much one's companion as the vehi- 

 cle which carries him back and forth. 

 My own loose leaf records are kept 

 in wooden covers, painted a bright 

 red, so they never blow around or 

 get out of sight. 



ALAMEDA COUNTY MEET 



The Alameda County Beekeepers' 

 Association was formed in April, 1919, 

 C. W. Hartman and Ralph B. Calkins 

 being the principal organizers, and 

 since that time has held monthly 

 meetings at the Hotel Oakland, one 

 of the most popular hotels about San 

 Francisco Bay. Although no previ- 

 ous report of the meetings of the as- 



sociation has been made, there is no 

 question but that we have one of the 

 best attended and enthusiastic asso- 

 ciations, composed principally of 

 "Backyard Beekeepers," in the coun- 

 try. At present writing we have 103 

 enrolled members and send notices of 

 meetings to more than 200 beekeepers, 

 most of whom are located in Alameda 

 County. 



The accompanying picture is of a 

 group in attendance at a field meet at 

 the residence of the President of the 

 Association, Mr. C. W. Hartman, re- 

 ceiving practical instruction in the 

 hiving of a swarm which was accom- 

 modating enough to come out during 

 the course of the meet. This field day 

 was the final activity of a convention 

 recently held by the association in co- 

 operation with the University of Cali- 

 fornia, covering afternoons and eve- 

 nings of three days, and intended 

 principally for beginners. Competent 

 speakers handled subjects of general 

 interest and very good results were 

 obtained, the most important of which 

 being a considerably increased appro- 

 priation to the department devoted to 

 tieekeeping in the University. Mr. 

 Willis Lynch, President of the State 

 Exchange, being in attendance at the 

 convention, took the opportunity of 

 approaching Dean Thomas Forsj'the 

 Hunt in regard to enlarging the scope 

 of the department, and due largely to 

 the enthusiasm in evidence at the 

 meetings, the Dean, we are glad to 

 say, has granted the increase. We be- 

 lieve that if other associations were 

 to co-operate more closely with the 

 State Universities it would be produc- 

 tive of similar results. 



The last monthly meeting was held 

 on June 4, Rev. George W. Phillips, 

 nationally, or we might say interna- 

 tionally, known as the sometime man- 

 ager of the A. I. Root Company's api- 

 aries, being the principal speaker. Dr. 

 Phillips is a magnetic and exception- 

 ally interesting lecturer, and the an- 

 nouncement of a talk by him is al- 

 ways a drawing card. 



Much interest was manifested in 

 the story of another member of how 

 he made an extractor out of an old 

 barrel and the gearing of a chainless 

 bicycle. 



NEW ORGANIZATION 



At a meeting of the beekeepers of 

 Lucas County, Ohio, at Toledo, on 

 August 4, the following officers were 

 elected for the ensuing year: 



President — Dr. Geo. H. Jones: 



Vice President— Albert W. Just. 



Treasurer — Charles Milroy. 



Secretary— R. C. Marsh. 



This is a new organization, there 

 having been no previous organiza- 

 tion for this county. A great deal of 

 interest was manifested and a rapid 

 growth is predicted for the industry 

 in this section. 



I'or further information address R. 

 C. Marsh, Secretary, R. F. D. No. 4, 

 Toledo, Ohio. 



Taking down a sw^rni at the Alameda County. California, beekeepers' field meeting. 



NEBRASKA BEEKEEPERS TO 

 MEET 



\ meeting of the Nebraska Honey 

 Producers' Association is to be held 

 at the State Fair on Thursday morn- 



