THE AMERICAJN BEE JOURNAL. 



119 



are such self-evident truths that it 

 needs no experiment to know them. 



I will not mention the many other 

 improvements in manipulation, for 

 which the new hive is especially 

 adapted, and which cannot be carried 

 out with suspended frames, or any 

 others unless arranged substantially 

 as Mr. II. has them. 



In the grand march of progress, Mr. 

 Heddon has taken a Ions stride in 

 advance of us all, and, like all others 

 who get "ahead of the crowd," he 

 will be the target for a volley of 

 criticism, sarcasm and ridicule from 

 the elbowing mass in the rear. 



Furnessville,~o Ind. 



Maine State Conveutioii, 



The Maine State Bee-Keepers' As- 

 sociation met in convention at Skow- 

 hegan. Me., at ] p.m., on Jan. 19, 

 1880, I'resident J. B. Mason in the 

 chair, who gave his annual address. 



An essay was read by Isaac Hutch- 

 ins, upon" the " Coming Bee." Mr. 

 Hutchius advocated a cross between 

 the German and Italian races, for the 

 " coming bee." 



F. O. Additon read an essay en- 

 titled, " Of what practical benetit are 

 the improvements in bee-keeping, and 

 to what extent may bee-keeping be 

 carried V" 



An essay was read by L. F. Abbott, 

 of the Lewiston Journal, entitled 

 " Pure Honey." 



Are drones of any use, other than 

 for fertilizing queens V 



Various opinions were expressed — 

 some thinking that they may help in 

 evaporating and sealing the honey ; 

 also in keeping up the warmth of the 

 hive. Others tliought that they were 

 of no use other than tor fertilizing 

 queens. 



Is stimulative feeding in the spring 

 desirable V 



All favored it. It was decided that 

 feeding should begin as soon as pollen 

 comes in freely, and to feed inside the 

 hive. 



Are the yellow bees an improvement 

 over the blacks V 



It was decided that they were. 



How can we best develop a home 

 market for our honey V 



Many related their experience in 

 developing a home market ; the 

 essential points being to carefully 

 grade the honey, and for the bee- 

 keeper to place his name upon every 

 package sold; to educate the people 

 to eating honey, and if necessary to 

 introduce it; that is to say, take it 

 from house to house. 



In what way can swarming be best 

 controlled V 



Each bee-keeper seemed to have a 

 method of his own to control swarm- 

 ing ; but it was the general opinion 

 that all after-swarming should be 

 checked. 



To what extent should comb foun- 

 dation be used V 



It was decided best to use full sheets 

 in the brood-chamber, and that all 

 frames should be wired. 



It was resolved that bee-keepers 

 should sow Alsike clover for its honev 



and forage, and recommend it to 

 farmers for hay. 



Mr. Ooruforth said he could produce 

 extracted honey for 15 cents per 

 pound, easier than he could produce 

 comb honey for 2.5 cents ; and that he 

 could sell" ten pounds of extracted 

 honey wlien he could sell one of comb 

 lioney, at their relative prices. 



The following officers were elected 

 for the ensuing year : President, 

 James B. Mason ; Secretary, Isaac 

 Hutchins; Treasurer, W. H. JSTorton. 



Jonathan Pike, John Reynolds, and 

 F. F. Graves were to make arrange- 

 ments with the State Agricultural 

 Society for an exhibit of bees, honey, 

 and apiarian implements at the next 

 State Fair. 



J. B. Mason, Isaac Hutchins and L. 

 F. Abbott were to arrange for the 

 next meeting at Mechanic Falls, in 

 January, 1887. 



F. O. Additon, W. H. Norton and 

 F. F. Graves were to use and decide 

 upon the merits of the difterent re- 

 versible frame attachments. 



Wm. Hoyt, Sec. 



Last year we had a very poor honey 

 season in this part of Illinois, as every 

 one fully knows. Last spring I deter- 

 mined to work 30 colonies of my home 

 apiary for extracted honey, and all the 

 others for increase. I began to work 

 early with the bees, so as to get them 

 as strong as possible for white clover 

 bloom. By the middle of May the 

 most of tlie 30 colonies worked for 

 extracted honey had their 10 frames 

 (18 inches long and 10^^ deep) almost 

 covered with worker brood ; and by 

 the middle of July I had extracted 

 2,47.5 pounds of as fine white clover 

 honey as was ever gathered— or an 

 average of 823>^ pounds per colony ; 

 while my neighboring bee-keepers, 

 with 8-frame Langstroth hives, had 

 scarcely anything — not enough, in 

 fact, to make it worth the trouble to 

 take it from the hives. 



Nauvoo,K) Ills., Feb. 12, 1886. 



lETor tne American Bee Journal. 



Prospects for tlie Coffliiig Season, etc, 



E. J. BAXTER. 



We had very cold weather again 

 week before last and last week— from 

 24° to 27^ below zero. The lirstS days 

 of this week were very warm, com- 

 paratively — 65^ in the shade at noon. 

 My bees had a splendid flight, and I 

 find that not one of my 230 colonies 

 has perished— possibly because they 

 all had pollen in great abundance last 

 fall when they were put into winter 

 quarters. White clover is abundant, 

 and looks vigorous ; it has been grow- 

 ing some under the snow. If nothing 

 happens to kill it out between now 

 and the opening of spring, the pos- 

 sihility is that we will have a crop of 

 white clover honey. 



I am making preparations to greatly 

 increase my apiaries the coming 

 summer. I work nearly all of my 

 apiaries for extracted honey, as I lind 

 that it pays me best. I will run only 

 one apiary, this year, for comb honey. 

 The great bulk of the increase of my 

 apiaries is made by division. Last 

 year I had only 12 natural swarms, 

 and I made 90 by division, all being 

 good and strong. I invariably use 

 full sheets of foundation in the brood- 

 frames, and if we have an average 

 honey season this year, I expect to 

 use at least 200 pounds of heavy foun- 

 dation. I now use full sheets of 

 foundation in all of my sections, and 

 surplus frames, also, and I tind, after 

 repeated experiments, that it pays 

 well. 



I have tried hives with deep frames, 

 and hives with shallo^o ones; large 

 hives and small hives— 8-frame Lang- 

 stroth, and my experiments and ob- 

 servations have taught me that large 

 hives with deep frames are the best 

 and the most profitable every time. I 

 could mention several facts to prove 

 this, but I will give only the follow- 

 ing one : 



Tlie Wisconsin State Convention. 



The Wisconsin State Bee-Keepers' 

 Association met in Madison, Wis., on 

 Feb. 4, 1886. President U. A. Hatch 

 delivered his annual address, which 

 brought out a discussion on " Winter- 

 ing Bees." 



Why is clover honey better for win- 

 tering bees than fall honey ¥ 



Mr. Elver— In the fall bees some- 

 times gather impure sweets from 

 grape-vines, cider-mills, etc., while 

 in clover time they find plenty of pure 

 honey, and that only. 



Frank McNay— I have found by ex- 

 perience that fall honey is as good as 

 any in my locality. 



F. Wilcox— Impure honey is not 

 good at any time or in any condition. 

 Fall honey is as good if not better, 

 because it is thicker than clover 

 honey, unless taken out and stored in 

 a damp cellar, when it would absorb 

 moisture and spoil. 



Is clover better than basswood 

 honey V Bees leave clover for bass- 

 wood. 



F. McNay— They go to the bass- 

 wood because they get honey faster. 



Mr. Elver— Basswood is as good as 

 clover. I think it a mistake to feed 

 sugar ; pure honey is good enough. 



Mr. France- 1 winter my bees on 

 basswood honey. I fed 600 pounds of 

 it on Aug. 1. I have 510 colonies, and 

 extract once a week when the yield is 

 sood. ^^^, 



Mr. McNay read an essay on Man- 

 aging bees forproducingcombhoney." 



F. Wilcox practices the tiering-up 

 plan. He does not remove the sec- 

 tions as soon as finished, as he thinks 

 that it ripens better and is not much 

 soiled if full cases are kept on top. 



Mr. Wilcox reported that the State 

 Board of Agriculture had agreed to 

 leave it with this Association to revise 

 the premium list of the apiarian de- 

 partment, and add 25 per cent, to the 

 amount allowed last year. The Presi- 

 dent and Secretary were authorized 

 to revise the list. 



Mr. France warned the members 

 against shipping honev to G. W. 

 House, of New York, as he was 

 irresponsible. 



