AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



605 



Report of the Capital Bee- 

 Keepers' Convention. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 

 BY C. E. YOCOM. 



The Capital Bee-Keepers' Association 

 met at Springfield, Ills., Oct. 4, 1892. 

 The convention was called to order by 

 the President, P. J. England, and the 

 regular order of business was attended 

 to. This being the day for election of 

 officers, James A. Stone moved that the 

 present officers be continued for another 

 year, which motion was carried. 



For some unaccountable reason, those 

 who were to prepare essays to be read, 

 were absent, but although there was not 

 so large an attendance as was expected, 

 some interesting matter was discussed, 

 and a general good time was had. 



PACKAGES FOR RETAILING EXTRACTED 

 HONEY. 



The question, " What is the best pack- 

 age for retailing extracted honey on the 

 regular market," was asked. The sub- 

 ject was discussed by the President, 

 James A. Stone, Geo. F. Robbins, Wm. 

 J. Conkling, and the Secretary, all of 

 whom recommended small packages 

 holding one pound, and not more than 

 two pounds each. 



Messrs. Conkling and Robbins each 

 exhibited a bee-feeder, both of which 

 possessed features of merit. 



The Executive Committee was in- 

 structed to call another meeting of the 

 Association in four to six weeks from 

 date. 



The convention then adjourned. 



Sherman, Tils. C. E. Yocom, Sec. 



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 Send us one new , subscriber for a year, 

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>t^*^f*a*ati 



Formic Acid — Its Origin, Uses 

 and Effects. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 

 BY 0. J. ROBINSON. 



In the sting of the bee, wasp, hornet, 

 etc., a minute drop of a transparent 

 liquid may be observed on the sting, and 

 is called " bee poison '-' (formic acid). It 

 penetrates the wound by the sting, and 

 causes the well-known effects. As will 

 be seen further on, it would be a great 

 mistake to assume that the only object 

 of this is to increase the effects of the 

 sting, that is, that it serves only to in- 

 jure. It has a far more important pur- 

 pose, namely, to prevent fermentation 

 and decomposition. 



The celebrated bee-master, Holz, re- 

 ported in his long experience with honey 

 that which came from " rancorous 

 swarms" (cross bees), had peculiar 

 properties. It always had a harsh taste, 

 and its smell was more or less like sting- 

 venom. How can the character of the 

 swarm affect the smell and taste of 

 honey ? 



We do know this much — when bees 

 are disturbed, they run out their stings, 

 on the point of which maybe seen a tiny 

 drop. This little drop, as we have men- 

 tioned, ft bee-poison, or true formic acid. 

 When the disturbance is over with, they 

 draw in their stings, but the little drop 

 of liquid does not go back with it, but is 

 wiped off by the comb, and eventually 

 gets mixed with the honey. This ex- 

 plains how honey from overly cross bees 

 must taste and smell sharper than from 

 peaceable bees. 



Excitable bees will rub off this little 

 drop of formic acid more frequently 

 than other bees ; perhaps a larger drop 

 is formed by nervous bees than by those 

 not nervous in so high a degree, and 

 thus it is that honey from nervous colo- 

 nies, that have been often disturbed, is 

 surcharged with formic acid. 



This acid is never absent in genuine 

 honey, but the amount differs, as before 



