THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



2-incli broiul fnime, with separators ; 

 three tiers of live sections each in 

 each frame, size, 3|x2 13-16 plump, x2. 

 The adoption of this size would neces- 

 sitate the changing of the separators, 

 placing 3 narrower ones in the place 

 of the 2 wider ones,would it not V For 

 sections of this size square, I tliink 

 Mr. F. has i inch too much. I thinlj 

 I see great advantage in having snch 

 a size section If with separators or H 

 without them. 



The second size he proposes is 4ix3| 

 plflmp, xl %. This section, I fear, is 

 too large a square,and necessitates too 

 much thinning to get the gross weight 

 down to one-balf pound. I tliink the 

 dimensions given will give us a sec- 

 tion of about 10 to 12 ounces. I have 

 just cut a paper model of my proposed 

 size, viz., 4ix2 7-IGxH without separa- 

 tors, and it looks quite out of propor- 

 tion ; it is too long and narrow, yet if 

 I knew that the bees would work as 

 satisfactorily (to themselves and our- 

 selves) in so narrow a space, I think I 

 can see more advantages in this than 

 any other form. If tliis should prove 

 too narroiv to suit the bees (and its 

 narrowness is advantageous in every 

 other respect), then I am in favor of 

 Mr. F.'s 3fx2 13-16 in the section, only 

 I want it 1* inches instead of " If with- 

 out separators," as he has it. This 

 size will have a few minor advantages 

 over any other mentioned, and, no 

 doubt, siiit the instincts of the bees 

 well. I think it will weigh the plump 

 one-half pound. I liope.in a few days, 

 to h:!ve the opportunity of talking 

 with one of our brightest apiarists, 

 one who has had experience in the 

 narrow section matter, and if he 

 favors the one point of the narrow- 

 ness, as mentioned above,I shall stand 

 firm for the 4ix2 7-16xIi, as the com- 

 ing one-half pound section. 



Do not confound the words, narrow 

 and thin. By thin, we mean that 

 which decides the thickness of the 

 comb. 



Let us hear the opinions of all who 

 think their experience has told them 

 something bearing i\]iim the subject, 

 and let your ideas of the best shape 

 work without any bias because of any 

 fixtures or pet theories you may have 

 on hand. * 



Ttie truth will soon come uppermost 

 and he who gets there first will have 

 the honor he justly deserves. 



Let us settle this, in theory, atonce, 

 so that we can resettle it in practice 

 during the season of 1,S83. 



Dowagiac, Mich., Dec. 19, 1882. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Eastern Indiana Convention. 



The bee- keepers of Eastern Indiana 

 met at Richmond, on the 20th of I)ec., 

 and organized an Association to be 

 known as " The Eastern Indiana Bee- 

 Keepers' Association." Dr. E. H. 

 Thurston was called to the cliair, and 

 stated the object of the meeting and 

 the advantages to bee-keepers and all 

 interested in bees and honey, of such 

 a bond of union. He appointed S. N. 

 Replogle, Hagerstown ; and William 

 Kitran and E. Parker, of Richmond, 



as a Committee on Constitution and 

 By-Laws. 



The officers for the year were elected 

 as follows : President, Dr. E. H. 

 Thurston, Hagerstown ; Vice Presi- 

 dent, Dr. L. C. Johnson, Fountain 

 City; Sec, M. G. Reynolds, Williams- 

 burg ; Treasurer, Jacob Norris, Rich- 

 mond, Ind. 



The Constitution and By-Laws re- 

 ported by committee after some dis- 

 cussion were adopted. Various topics 

 of interest were discussed, viz.: " The 

 Best Bees," " Which is the Most 

 Profitable, Comb or Extracted Hon- 

 ey ?" and " The Best Method of Win- 

 tering." 



S. N. Replogle said he formerly win- 

 tered his bees in a cellar (built for the 

 purpose), but now had his 72 colonies 

 all in chafE hives ; had tried both 

 methods for three years and found 

 that the chaff hives gave the best re- 

 sults. He did not think there could 

 be anything better. He said tliat the 

 2i acres of sweet clover, planted six 

 years ago, bloomed the second year, 

 and after the third year had continued 

 to bloom each year ; the bees worked 

 on it from morning till night; and 

 said that he should increase the acre- 

 age and advised all to try it. 



Adjourned to meet at Richmond, 

 on Wednesday, April 1, 1883. 



M. G. Retkolds, Sec. • 



For the American Bee JoumaL 



Another Step in Advance. 



DR. H. BESSE. 



In my opinion, bee culture should, 

 in its present advanced condition, b.e 

 reduced to a science founded upon 

 knowledge, comprehension, under- 

 standing, and a collection of the gen- 

 eral principles anci leading truths 

 relating to apiculture. 



It is expected that all advanced api- 

 arists are prepared to do their work 

 scientifically and in order, but this 

 " advanced step " would stimulate and 

 prepare young men, and those begin- 

 iiing tlie business, to qualify them- 

 selves, so that they would be prepared 

 to readily enter into tlie labors of a 

 large apiary at once. To be qualified 

 for this they should be " graduates " in 

 bee culture in all its branches ; and in 

 order to secure such honors tliey should 

 possess the following qualifications, 

 at least, and furnish good evidence of 

 the same — to wit : a good character in 

 all respects and an experience of at 

 least one year in all the manipulations 

 of tlie apiary ; for all of which they 

 should furnish certificates from some 

 well-known apiarist, stating their 

 qualifications and adaptability to the 

 business. 



After passing a satisfactory exami- 

 nation before a Board, that should be 

 appointed by the North American Bee- 

 Xeepers'Society, they should receive a 

 diploma, signed and sealed by tlie 

 president and secretary, as well as the 

 judges that examined the applicants. 

 Such a diploma would be a first-class 

 recommendation in any part of the 

 world, and any apiarist would feel safe 

 to employ and trust such a graduate. 

 I repeat that none should so graduate 



except those that have earned their 

 degrees by honest toil, study and ex- 

 perience in the apiary, and of snch 

 qualities as to do iionor to the " North 

 American Apiarian College." 



This institution should be a corpor- 

 ate body, to give it stability and per- 

 manence, with power to act in a judi- 

 cious manner. Applicants for honors 

 should attend the sessions of tlie North 

 American Bee-Keepers' Society, and 

 be examined during such meetings. 



All graduates should pay, say $10 or 

 more, and be constituted life members 

 of the society. 



All present rriembers of said society 

 that could pass an examination ana 

 comply with the above rules, should 

 be graduated, and then our profession 

 would rank second to none as to re- 

 spectability. Now, let us talk this 

 matter up, through the Bee Journal, 

 and see what can be done at the next 

 meeting of the North American Bee- 

 Keepers' Convention. My object in 

 writing these few scattering thoughts 

 is to get the subject into more compe- 

 tent liands, and thus assist in my fee- 

 ble manner to elevate to a still higher 

 standard our beloved calling. 



Delaware, Ohio. 



Prairie Farmer. 



Management of Bees in Winter. 



MRS. L. HARBISON. 



We think it is best not to disturb 

 bees in cold weather ; provision them 

 in fall with an abundance of stores to 

 last until warm weather ; protect them 

 against cold, according to the climate 

 they are in, and then let them alone; 

 both bees and their master resting. 

 These industrious little insects, that 

 have toiled so faithfully all summer, 

 should have all the good honey they 

 want to eat. 



Many bee-keepers found out to their 

 sorrow, that it " didn't pay " to rob 

 bees of their winter provisions, and 

 substitute a diet of glucose. They 

 saved their honey, but the bees were 

 nonest. Some advocate removing the 

 honey from the hives in the faU, and 

 then feed a syrup made from coffee 

 and sugar, until they have a suffici- 

 ency for winter. This may be neces- 

 sary when the honey flow is cut off by 

 early frost, and bees work on the re- 

 fuse of cider and sugar-cane mills, 

 as this substance is not honey and 

 sours when unsealed, breeding disease 

 and death ; but, when bees have noth- 

 ing but good honey in their hives, let 

 them enjoy it, for it is the food their 

 Creator provides for them. 



Many small after-swarms perish 

 during winter with starvation. All 

 such colonies have young queens, and 

 might be the very best their owner 

 had, the next season, if provided with 

 food. It, through oversight or neg- 

 glect, any such swarms have not been 

 provided for, they might yet be saved, 

 if living, by inserting alongside of 

 the cluster, frames of honey. If this 

 cannot be done (as all bees are not in 

 frame hives), a food composed of lioney 

 and sugar made as follows might be 

 given : Good sugar and honey are 

 mixed together thoroughly until it ia 



