1S95. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



21 



September report was In, it was not thought necessary to send 

 out the October series. 



I have corresponded with the proper authorities at the 

 University of Illinois regarding the experiment station for 

 bee-keepers, and have twice had encouraging answers — that 

 something would in all probability be done to give our interest 

 a place in the station. I believe that with the proper steps, 

 taken in the right way, something will yet be done for us. 



Jas. a. Stone, Sec. 



The question-box was then taken up, as follows: 



Bees Flying: in Confinement. 



Jas. Poindexter asked for information as to letting bees 

 fly while in confinement. 



Chas. Becker advised letting the bees out while in the 

 cellar, by opening the cellar door, and they all seemed to go 

 back to their own hives. On one occasion his cellar was alive 

 with bees all over the outside of the hives, and some of them 

 had found holes to get out of the cellar; so he opened the door 

 and let them have their own way. At night they all went 

 back, and into the hives. 



Sec. Stone — Did not your bees fight, and leave a great lot 

 of dead bees around the entrance to the cellar or the hives ? 



Mr. Becker — No; they all seemed to go into their own 

 hives. 



Geo. F. Bobbins — The fact that Mr. Becker's bees did not 

 fight, is no proof that they all found their own hives. Bees 

 will not fight unless the conditions are such that they will 

 suspect one another of being robbers or intruders. Bees rec- 

 ognize robbers mainly by actions, but if actions or circum- 

 stances are such that they may not suspect strange bees of 

 being robbers, or if the inmates are very much excited, those 

 bees will not be molested. I have for some years practiced 

 moving a hive off some distance, to allow a neighboring hive 

 to catch all the field-bees. I can set a newly-hived swarm on 

 almost any stand in the apiary, and I have by moving the old 

 colony away, strengthened weak colonies by the same means. 

 S. N. Black — When bees are packed closely in a cellar, 

 they get the scent of one another so that if they get lost they 

 go into any hive and are at home. 



Are Bees Governed by Color or Location ? 



Mr. Poindexter — Do bees go to their hive by color or 

 location ? 



Mr. Becker — Bees go for location, and not for color or 

 looks of the hive. 



Mr. Poindexter -I am satisfied that my bees have gone to 

 the wrong hives. I placed them in the orchard where the 

 trees were all alike — the same number of hives under each 

 tree, and have known them to go to the next row north or 

 south of their own hive. 



Sec. Stone — I once had an occurrence that satisfied me 

 beyond a doubt that bees went altogether by location. Near 

 the middle of the day, while many of the bees were out at 

 work, I resolved to make a test of the amount of honey gath- 

 ered each day by one of my best colonies. In placing the 

 scales under the hive, it raised it about four inches higher 

 than before — having a wood-colored board at the same level 

 where the alighting-board of a white hive had been before. 

 As the bees came in from the fieid they alighted on the board 

 that was where the alighting-board of the hive had been, till 

 there were several quarts of bees gathered there ; and they 

 were a day or two getting righted — that is, to find their hive 

 just four inches higher than it had been. Since that day I 

 only paint my hives one color — while. 



Mr. Becker — I had an experience just like that. 

 The convention then adjourned until 1:30 p.m., when it 

 was again called to order, by Vice-Pres. S. N. Black. 



W. J. Finch, Jr. — I understand that the Secretary has 

 several essays, sent in by persons who could not attend. 

 Would it not be well to hear one of them now ? 



The Secretary then read the following essay by Mrs. L. 

 Harrison, of Peoria, entitled. 



How Can the Bee-Keepers of Illinois In- 

 crease the Honey-Flow? 



In looking backward during the last decade, in the State 

 of Illinois, we find that honey-plants have decreased in an 

 alarming ratio. The severe cold winters, an(i prolonged sum- 

 mer drouths, have descroyed the orchards on the rich, black 

 prairie soils. In many localities fruit-trees have disappeared 

 — their dead trunks have been taken to the woodpile, and the 

 places that once knew them, know them no more forever. 



Fruit-bloom was a very important factor in rearing young 

 bees to gather the white clover harvest. Experiments should 



be made, to ascertain if possible what kind of fruit-trees take 

 kindly to rich, alluvial soils, to furnish both fruit and honey. 

 Small fruits, especially the raspberry, should be cultivated; 

 bets gather delicious nectar from its bloom, for the period of 

 three weeks, and its refreshing fruit, if not cut short by 

 drouths, is ripening for a like period. 



" He who would live at ease. 

 Should cultivate both fruit and bees." 



Locust trees, especially the honey-locust, yield ranch 

 honey and make good wind-breaks. Wild cherry yields bitter 

 honey, but it can be utilized in rearing brood. Dan-de-li-ons 

 are not to be despised, for they yield much pollen and some 

 honey ; this season they have bloomed twice — spring and fall. 

 It is now the last of October, and they are still blooming, and 

 bees are carrying water and rearing brood. 



White clover, what the Indians call "the white man's 

 foot," should not be left to care for itself, but have fostering 

 care. In many localities in Illinois it has become almost ex- 

 tinct ; seed should be scattered in pastures and meadows, that 

 its modest bloom may again be seen, and delicious nectar 

 gathered— fit food for gods and men. The honey has a world- 

 wide reputation, and no superior. May it again appear upon 

 our tables and in our markets ! 



Alsike or Swedish clover — trifolium hybrida— is first 

 cousin to the white and red, and is coming into favor for hay 

 and pasture. Fortunate is the beekeeper who is located near 

 fields of it. Its growth should be encouraged by all lovers of 

 the busy bee. 



Sweet clover blooms all summer and late in autumn, until 

 the ground freezes. Its blooming occupies the interim be- 

 tween white clover and fall flowers. The white variety— 

 melilotus alba— grows from three to six feet high ; it grows 

 up rank and green in very early spring, and fowls are very 

 fond of it. Stock do not take naturally to it, but acquire a 

 taste for it. It is said to make very good hay, and sweet 

 scented when dry, and should be cut when young, before the 

 stalks become woody. 



Melilotus officinalis has yellow flowers, blooms a month 

 earlier than the white, and grows from two to three feet high. 

 These clovers have fallen into bad company, being classed 

 among the noxious weeds of Illinois, but they do not merit 

 such treatment. It takes kindly to poor, gravelly embank- 

 ments, keeping them from gullying and washing away, and by 

 its deep roots lightens and fertilizes the soil. In localities 

 where the honey-flow was meager, when these clovers were 

 introduced a marked change was soon apparent. By yielding 

 honey during drouths, brood-rearing was stimulated, and a 

 large force of workers were reared to take advantage of the 

 fall bloom. 



On our rich prairie lands, before the advent of tiling, 

 bees found rich pasture in wet places; but now these are 

 drained, and subject to the plow and reaper, and the bees 

 have only a few flowers protected by hedges and fences. Along 

 the water-courses, where the land was subject to overflow, 

 which left as it receded a rich deposit, promoting the growth 

 of fall flowers, it is being drained and leveed, which cuts off 

 a honey supply from this source. 



What are we going to do about it? It would appear to 

 be wisdom to take the subject of bee-pasturage under careful 

 consideration. While it may be true that it does not pay to 

 raise a crop for honey alone, it would be well to plant those 

 that have a dual value. And there are others who cannot 

 plant a crop of any kind, yet they could increase their bee- 

 pasturage by judiciously sowing the seeds of honey-plants in 

 all waste places within flight of their bees. The bee-keepers 

 of California are re-seeding lauds where the sage has been de- 

 stroyed by fire. Mrs. L. Harrison. 



After the reading of Mrs. Harrison's essay, Mr. Black 

 asked, " Does any one know of any plant that would pay to 

 grow for honev alone ?" • u t 



No decided opinions were giving on this question, but 

 some thought that sweet clover would come nearest to tilling 

 the need in that direction. The Secretary remarked that dur- 

 ing his stay at the World's B'air he took a trip to Compton, in 

 Lee county, to E. Miller's, and at that time (Aug. 8) Mr. 

 Miller had three barrels of extracted honey and :i,300 pounds 

 of comb honev from 35 colonies of bees, and there was noth- 

 ing for them io gather honey from but sweet clover, on the 

 highways, which were lined with it, besides seven acres which 

 Mr. Miller had sown for the bees. Mr. Miller's opinion was 

 that his bees had gathered nearly all the honey from the sweet 

 clover, as there was but little whiteclover, and there had been 

 no linden. , 



An essay by Thomas G. Newman was then read by tne 

 .Secretary, entitled. "Bees in Other Climes and Other Days. 

 [See this essay on page 2S.— Ku.l (CoocttideiJ Jicxt week.) 



