36 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Jan. 17, 



bee was not found a native of the American continent, but was 

 introduced by the early settlers. The black race of bees is 

 supposed to have been the first introduced, and that it was not 

 until comparatively recent years that the Italians made an 

 appearance — a supposition I am somewhat inclined to doubt, 

 from noticing bees kept by mountaineers in southwest Vir- 

 ginia, which I would think are not of the black or German 

 race. Some of these mountaineers claim French ancestry. 



The blacks belong to more northern Europe— the Italians 

 to southern ; the former being the hardiest race. Nature's 

 provision fitting them to survive amidst surroundings which 

 would be fatal to the Italians if left solely to Nature's care. 



It is, I believe, generally conceded by scientists that a 

 greater amount of energy is necessary to produce dark color 

 than bright ones. The climate of America widely differs, by 

 reason of latitude, sea influences, topographical and other 

 causes. In locations where the climate and flora most resem- 

 ble tlie climate and flora of the continent where Nature pro- 

 duced the black bee— there is this bee best adapted to succeed. 

 The same applies to the Italians. Suum cxaqxie,—^' let each 

 have its own." Biltmore, N. C. 



Hive-Makitig and Other Matters. 



BY W. K. MORRISON. 



Some recent articles in the American Bee Journal arrested 

 my attention, particularly those bearing on hive-making and 

 honey-producing flora- important matters, surely, all will say. 



To begin, I have many objections to the " dovetailed " 

 hive, one of these being its name, for it is not a dovetailed ar- 

 rangement in any sense. Then why call it such ? I will not, 

 however, enter into this matter at present, contenting myself 

 with presenting what seems better. I herewith show a true 



dovetail that would make a very much stronger box than 

 usual, and more, would last longer, too — something to be 

 greatly desired by all the fraternity of bee-masters. 



Lately I tried a plan of running the frame shoulder clear 

 through to the outside, so that the frames may be caught 

 without putting one's fingers inside the hive. The great 

 trouble has been that swelling and shrinking of the frame 

 ends caused trouble. Even the genial Dr. Miller might try 

 my method. I take a hickory division-board, and on it per- 

 pendicularly a half-inch thick strip is nailed, then this is 

 nailed on the hive side, fastening it through the strip only. 

 This makes a half-inch space between the side and divsion- 

 board. Being nailed only at the center the board is free to 

 take up the extreme expansion of a dozen closed-end frames. 

 In fact, the board is only a spring. This plan necessitates a 

 bee-space in the roof, but this will also be found an advan- 

 tage, as the bees do not stick it fast, as is usual with other 

 roofs. 



On the bottom-board I shall use a strip of wood with 

 notches in it for an entrance, so the hive may be inverted 

 without the danger of the frames falling. If some of the hive- 

 factories would adopt the suggestion of Mr. F. L. Thompson- 

 increasing the frame depth to 11% inches— they would un- 

 doubtedly gain business thereby. 



SOMETHING ABOUT HONE\'-YIELDERS. 



My impression is that the question of floriculture for 

 honey-production is far from settled. I suspect few bee-keep- 

 ers know the possibilities of alfalfa as a forage plant for live 

 stock and bees. It could be niade to largely supplant the 

 corn-plant in many sections. One need not plant much of it 



enough to demonstrate its useful qualities would be sutti- 



cient. It is very likely we could get some good forage plants 

 from Europe, if we tried. Spanish-broom might prove a de- 

 sirable acquisition for us, seeing it is so valuable to trans- 

 Atlantic bee-men. It would probably be self-sowing, and if so 

 we want it. A good stand of heather, too, would be helpful 

 to us who have no fall crop at present. Mr. Benton might 

 tell of his experience with the broom. The French also grow 

 some plants for scent-making and other purposes, which could 

 be grown In connection with our Industry. We might raise a 



subscription and send our Prof. Cook over the ocean to see 

 about sui-h things for us. He would earn his pay, we all 

 know. Perhaps he has earned it already. 



The Russians cultivate sunflowers extensively, and why 

 not we ? The cotton-seed factories are crying for more ma- 

 terial all the while, and very likely would take all the sun- 

 flower seed procurable. Poland and Portugal are each famous 

 as honey-producing countries, and I have never seen a proper 

 explanation of their success. 



The present agitation for good roads will in after years 

 be beneficial to us, for the highways will be shaded by linden 

 and similar trees if we but ask it. Not long since The Eagle, 

 of this city, had a series of letters from eminent authorities 

 on trees, and the linden was awarded first place by most of 

 them — the Russian kind being considered the better. If our 

 efforts succeed in inducing the American farmer to abandon 

 his immense fields of corn for something more profitable and 

 less laborious, we have not labored in vain. 



Brooklyn, N. Y. 



Report of the Illinois State Convention. 



BY .IAS. A. STONE. 

 [Continued from page 21, last week.] 



Mr. Becker — My bees have worked a good deal at the 

 cider-mill, and I would like to know whether it would be well 

 to winter them in the cellar or not? 



The general opinion was that bees did not store anything 

 when working at cider-mills. 



Mr.Robbins moved that the code of rules for judging houey 

 at Fairs (on page 80 of Second Annual Report) be made a 

 special order for 10 a.m. the next day. Mr. Becker moved as 

 a substitute (which carried) that the question be taken up 

 now. A motion was made to amend the code of rules, but it 

 was lost. 



The convention then adjourned to 9 a.m. the following 

 day. 



THE SECOND DAY''8 SESSION. 



The convention was called to order by Vice-Pres. J. Q. 

 Smith, and the order taken up where it was left oS the pre- 

 vious day. 



Mr. Black moved that the code of rules for judging honey 

 at Fairs (page 80 of the Second Annual Report) be adopted. 

 Carried. 



Sec. Stone moved that the chairman appoint a standing 

 committee of three to have charge of all matters relating to 

 the State Fair and State Board of Agriculture. Carried. 

 Messrs. Stone, Finch and Robbins were appointed. 



Mr. Robbins moved that the Executive Committee of this 

 Association (which is composed of the President, Treasurer 

 and Secretary) be the legislative committee. Carried. 



It was moved that the committee on State Fair matters 

 have charge of the correspondence with the University au- 

 thorities regarding an experimental station for bee-keepers. 

 Carried. 



Mr. Jas. Poindexter then read the following essay, on 



S-warmins: and Prevention of Increase. 



There can be but little question in many localities as to 

 the utility of keeping ail the working force of bees in one hive 

 together during the main honey-flows, when it can be done 

 without interrupting too much the work of the bees, and the 

 manipulation of frames and hives not too great to be profit- 

 able. Through the methods I have practiced for the preven- 

 tion of increase, I have found not only a larger yield of honey, 

 but that such colonies were usually in better condition for 

 winter, and required less attention during the balance of the 

 year. My first work before the swarming season begins, is to 

 see that all queens have one wing clipped. Then operate in 

 view of two things, viz.: First, that different strains of bees 

 vary in amount of swarming. Second, that while there is 

 plenty of empty cells inside the brood-nest, but very little 

 swarming will occur. Those colonies which gather the most 

 honey and show the least disposition to swarm, are selected to 

 rear queens from to replace those in hives where the bees are 

 less inclined to stay at home and attend strictly to business. 



In producing extracted honey, swarming is kept in check 

 by putting empty combs in the brood-chamber, or like that in 

 working for comb honey, by giving plenty of surplus room, 

 which keeps the brood-chamber from being crowded. 



If some colonies still persist and swarm after these ac- 

 commodations, the queen is caged, and placed under the 

 ii lighting-board, when the swarm soon returns, and at the end 

 of seven days she is released in the hive. Usually this stops 



