THE AMERICAJSt BEE JOURNAL. 



27 



bee. I spoke of dividing, as practiced 

 by almost every one ; it is only the few 

 that give the divided part a queen or 

 cell. I would like to see ;ill of our 

 friends rear such perfect, hardy bees, 

 that they would all winter without 

 loss, no matter how they were kept, 

 only seeing that tliey had plenty of 

 good stores. I would not call any 

 system " safe and harmless'' that cost 

 me nearly one-half my bees. 

 Los Gates, Cal. 



Semi Tropic, California. 



Damage Done by Skunks to Bees. 



X. LEVERING. 



Aside from bruin, there is no 

 animal so detrimental to an apiary as 

 that higlily perfumed creature wear- 

 ing tlie euphonious name of "skunk." 

 Many apiarists are not aware of the 

 extent of damage done their bees at 

 tliis season of the year by tliese pest- 

 iferous creatures, who hang about the 

 apiary like hungry office-seekers 

 about tlie public crib and with as 

 great yearning for its contents. 



The evidence of their noctuinal 

 visits are very discernible about the 

 hive— marks of their claws about the 

 entrance and the eartli pawed out in 

 front, and not unfrequently effecting 

 a passage under the hive and tipping 

 it over upon its side — their object 

 being tliat of bees and honey. The 

 ingenuity displayed by these sagacious 

 animals is somewhat amusing. They 

 scratch upon the front of tlie hive or 

 knock at the door, as much as to say, 

 are you at liomeV The bees hearing 

 the alarm rush out to ascertain the 

 cause, vv'hen liis skunkship receives 

 thein on his bushy tail, which, wlien 

 well tilled, he slashes about in the 

 dirt for the purpose of disabling tlie 

 little defenders, and when he accom- 

 plishes this lie turns and devours 

 them, when another and like experi- 

 ment is made, and thus by repeated 

 tail manipulations the colony is soon 

 reduced in nuuiber until it becomes 

 an easy prey to the bee moth or dies 

 for want of sufficient numbers to 

 keep up tlie requisite heat in the hive. 



A friend recently informed me that 

 on visiting his apiary, he found 

 several hives tipped over on the sides, 

 and some of the frames containing 

 honey drawn out and the lioney de- 

 voured, which was evidently tlie work 

 of his skunkship's underminding op- 

 erations. 



I am often asked, " What is the 

 remedy V" I know of nothing better 

 than to kill the skunk — to wage a war 

 of extermination upon the invaders 

 with a little " cold pizen," which may 

 be administered in small pieces of 

 fresh meat placed near the entrance 

 of the hives, especially those bearing 

 the evidence of their depredations. 



At this season of the year bees are 

 often weak in stores, especially so this 

 season, and wlien weakened in num- 

 bers, vi'ill soon pass in their checks. 



Ore Fino, Cal. 



1^ Subscriptions may commence 

 witli the first number of any month in 

 the year. 



Local Convention Directory. 



1882. Time and Place of Meetino- 



Jan. 12, IS-Nebraska State, at Ashland, Neb. 



Caeo. M. Hawley, Sec., Lincoln, Neb. 



17, IS-N. W. ni. & S. W. Wis., at Freeport, 111. 

 Jonathan Stewart, Sec, RocU City. 111. 



17, 18— N. E. Wisconsin, at Berlin, Wis. 



T. E. Turner, Sec. pro tern. 



24, 25— Indiana State, at Indianapolia, Ind. 



25— Nortlieastern, at Ltica, N. Y. 



Geo. W. House. Sec. Fayetteville. N, Y. 



Feb. 1, 2— N. B.O. & N. W. P.i., at Jamestown. Pa. 

 W. D. Howells, Sec, Asbtabula. Ohio. 



April u— Eastern Michigan, at Detroit. Mich. 

 A- B. Weed, Sec, Detroit, Mich. 



25— Te.xas State, at McKinney, Texas. 



Wm. R. Howard, Sec 



26. 27— Western Michigan, at Grand Rapids. 

 Wm. M. S. Dodge, Sec, Coopersville. Mich. 



27— Kentucky Union, at Eminence. Ky. 

 G. W. Demaree, Sec, Christiansburg, Ky. 



May Cbamplain Valley, at Bristol, Vt. 



T. Brookins, Sec. 



25— Iowa Central, at Winterset. Iowa. 



Henry Wallace. Sec. 



iW In order to have this table complete. Secre- 

 taries are requested to forward full particulars of 

 time and place of future meetinRs.- Ed. 



Los Angeles County Convention. 



The Los Angeles County, Cal., Bee- 

 keepers" Association held their regu- 

 lar monthly meeting at the office of 

 C. N.Wilson, Los Angeles, ou Dec. 

 17, 1881. 



The President appointed F. E. L. 

 Marsh, Secretary pro tent. 



The minutes of the last meeting 

 were read and approved. 



The committee to take measures to 

 organize a State society reported 

 progress, and further time was given 

 to report on constitution and by-laws 

 for the State Association. 



On motion, Mr. D. S. Given, of 

 Illinois, inventor of the Given founda- 

 tion press, and Mr. J. Mclntyre, of 

 Canada, were elected honorary mem- 

 bers of the Los Angeles County Bee- 

 keepers' Association. The above- 

 named gentlemen being present, 

 stated that they were both here look- 

 ing for suitable places to go into the 

 bee business. 



C. N. Wilson was re-elected Presi- 

 dent, Robert Hall and Jesse Sutton 

 Vice-Presidents, F. E. L. Marsh, 

 Secretary, and J. E. Pleasants, Treas- 

 urer. 



On motion, the committee on State 

 association was increased to seven, 

 and the President appointed Wm. 

 Bathmussen, D. S. Given, J. H. Book 

 addititional members of said commit- 

 tee. 



The question of bees destroying 

 fruit was discussed at some length, 

 and the subject of disease amongst 

 bees, its cause and cure, was consider- 

 ed by F. E. Marsh and J. W. AVilson. 



Adjourned to meet at the same 

 place on January 21, 1882. 



F. E. L. Marsh, Sec, 



From Colorado Farmer. 



Colorado State Convention. 



Colorado is fast taking rank with the 

 older States of the Union in the mat- 

 ter of bee culture, and before another 

 decade there is no doubt of the fact 

 that this will be a most important in- 

 dustry in the State. 



This is especially gratifying, the 

 more so because of the fact that it has 

 only been a few years since there was 

 no bee culture of any consequence |in 

 the borders of the State. To have ac- 

 complislied the results as at present ex- 

 isting, in so short a space of time, is 

 a magnificent tribute to the energy 

 and progressive spirit of tlie people 

 of Colorado. Bee culture is fast be- 

 coming recognized as an important 

 factor in the commerce of the country, 

 and if properly fostered and encour- 

 aged in the West, will soon grow to 

 large proportions. Heretofore there 

 has been no organized effort to pro- 

 mote the interests of bee culture in 

 Colorado, and tliis fact has tended to 

 retard its growth and expansion. In 

 spite of this drawback, however, great 

 strides have been made in the way of 

 advancement, but those more directly 

 interested liave been seriously consid- 

 ering, for some time past, tlie organ- 

 ization of a State Society, like those in 

 existence in older States in the East, 

 so th.at, by concerted action, there 

 might be more rapid advancement and 

 progress. This feeling at last as- 

 sumed definite shape, which resulted 

 in a call for all those interested in l>ee 

 culture in Colorado, to meet at Denver 

 on December 1.5, for the purpose of 

 perfecting a State organization. 



Valentine Devinney was chosen as 

 temporary Chairman and Robert L. 

 James as temporary Secretary. The 

 constitution of the National Bee-keep- 

 er's Association was adopted to gov- 

 ern the State society. The name, 

 " Colorado Bee-keepers' Association " 

 was adopted. 



D. S. Grimes was elected President 

 by acclamation. Mr. Grimes made a 

 brief speech, thanking the Association 

 for the honor conferred upon him. He 

 said that Colorado had long been noted 

 for having the best bread and butter, 

 now the State is to take a forward step 

 and have the best honey. 



The following Vice-Presidents were 

 then elected: Arapahoe county— J. L. 

 Peabody; Jefferson county — V. Devin- 

 ney ; Douglas county — G. Stoner. The 

 election of otlier Vice-Presidents was 

 postponed until the last day of the 

 meeting. 



Robert L. James was chosen as See- 

 cretary by acclamation. 



Mrs. Olive Wright was elected 

 Treasurer by acclamation. 



V. Devinney, of Jefferson county, 

 and G. Stoner, of Douglas county, 

 were elected as an Executive commit- 

 tee, which, with the President. Treas- 

 urer and Secretary, constitute the full 

 board. 



The Secretary was instructed to se- 

 cure articles of incorporation, under 

 the laws of the State of Colorado. 



Met in the evening at 8 o'clock. 



A discussion arose about the value- 

 of charcoal and sawdust in tlie hive, 

 and charcoal seemed to be tlie favor- 



