152 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Mar. 7, 



that point, and he wound up very short with, " Look here, 



young man, you are too d young to learn me anything 



about bees ?" We marked him down a fraud, and went our 

 way. 



NATURAL vs. AnXIFICIALLY-REABED QUEENS. 



Question No. 18. — Are artificially-reared queens as good 

 as natural queens? 



Dr. Marshall — X have had some queens that were short- 

 lived, and sometimes I thought likely they were not reared 

 right. But as bees are subject to man, I think likely that just 

 as good queens are reared by the latest improved methods. 

 Queens sometimes get injured in the mails, and maynot lay 

 well. 



Mr. Bankston — I have a little experience in queen-rear- 

 ing, and I find that when we take an egg, or only a few hours' 

 old larva, to rear queens with, and place the cell-cups in 

 strong and prosperous colonies, there is no difference in the 

 length of life or vitality. I do not know so well about queens 

 being injured in the mails, as I have had queens sent me from 

 Italy by mail, and they would lay and do as well as any 

 queens. But some may get injured in transit. 



Mr. Lockhart — We have new queen-breeders springing 

 up every year, and they think they understood all about the 

 business when they do not, and rear queens that are short- 

 lived and an injury to the honey-producer and queen-rearer 

 also. I never had but one man say I reared queens that were 

 short-lived, and that was Mr. Quigley. He may have been 

 mistaken. I am of the opinion that queens properly reared, 

 either artificially or otherwise, are all right. 



Mr. Victor — All the queens I have ever gotten by mail 

 were good, and I do not know how they were reared. I do 

 not think they were injured any by being sent by mail. I am 

 no queen-breeder, therefore I have but little experience, as I 

 know it is a trade separate from honey-producing. 



Mr. Bankston — I know that some good queen-breeders 

 rear some sorry queens. I do myself, and I think I am get- 

 ting pretty good at it, but I am learning more and more every 

 year, and have been at it five years now. 



Mrs. Atchley — I am satisfied that short-lived queens are 

 caused more by the queen being reared from a larva too old, 

 than from any other cause, and I have given this matter 

 serious thought for the last few years. Just think of the 

 queen-breeder holding the reins of the honey-producer, and I 

 tell you there is room for serious thinking when the weight of 

 such responsibility is resting upon the breeder, as a lot of 

 poor queens may destroy the honey crop of the producer, and 

 bo a great loss to him. I would suggest that all queen-breed- 

 ers should be over particular in rearing and selling queens. I 

 have tested the matter of natural and artificial queens, and 

 find no difference, when the queens are properly reared. 



Mr. Theilmann — As I am no queen-breeder, I will not 

 attempt to say which is best, if any difference at all. But I 

 wish to say that while we are talking about queens, that I 

 have seen it mentioned that it injured queens to cage them 

 when they were in full laying condition. I had a good chance 

 to test that matter at the beginning of my honey-flow, and 

 while the queens were in full laying condition I killed all the 

 queens, except a few of the best ones, and these I caged for 

 20 days, and then turned them loose again, and they were 

 just as prolific as ever, and it did not injure them. 



Mrs. Atchley — Yes, it is said by Doolittle and others, that 

 queens are injured by being caged while they are in full lay- 

 ing plight, but I have also tested it, and find It does not hurt 

 them. 



Mr. Atchley — Laying queens, while they are full, need 

 food constantly, and will die very soon if caged alone or with- 

 out food ; but with plenty of food and bees, it will not hurt 

 them, in my opinion. 



Mr. Lockhart — That is about my opinion also. 



WORMS BOTUEBING BEES. 



Question No. 19. — Do moth-worms bother bees worse in 

 the South than in the North ? 



Mrs. Atchley— I have often said, when I lived in the 

 North, that a bee-keeper never had occasion to complain about 

 moths. But I must take it back now, as that is one of our 

 greatest drawbacks here in this extreme southern country. 

 They will increase faster than the bees, sometimes. 



Mr. Lord — I think some bees will keep the moth out bet- 

 ter than others. I noticed that a colony once would go out 

 Into an empty hive and destroy the moth In the combs. 



Mr. Theilmann— I find that moth-eggs are carried in by 

 the bees on pollen. I think the eggs are laid in the Howers, 

 and the bees gather them with the pollen. I cannot say 

 whether moths are worse in the South. 



CLOSING INCIDENTS OF THE MEETING. 



At this time Dr. Marshall had to leave, tendered his 

 thanks, and expressed his gratitude for the honor conferred 

 upon him by appointing him chairman, and said the meeting 

 had been a source of great pleasure to him. He appointed 

 W. R. Graham to preside over the further proceedings of the 

 meeting, and after a hearty hand-shake by all, he departed. 



Willie Atchley was now called upon to exhibit his queen- 

 rearing fixtures, and go through the course of rearing queens. 

 This he did, showing how queens could be reared, dipping 

 cells, grafting and moving the cells, and gave a full lesson 

 from first to last, which excited the curiosity of all present. 

 A card was read from Dr. Miller as follows : 



Mes. Atchlev : — I thank you for your invitation to your 

 bee-meeting, but how could you expect me to go off so far 

 when I've spent all my money for sugar ? My ! wouldn't I 

 like to be there. All the Texas bee-keepers I have met , are a 

 whole-souled lot. There was Judge Andrews, and later Dr. 

 Lay, then last year I met Friend Graham and Mrs. Sherman. 

 Say, give my best wishes to the whole crowd, please. 



Marengo, 111. C. C. Miller. 



The following came from the editor of the American Bee 

 Journal : 



Mrs. Atchley: — Kindly remember me to all the conven- 

 tion, and tell them that I wish them a Happy New Year, with 

 lots of honey in 1895. George W. York. 



Chicago, 111., Dec. 20, 1894. 



It was then moved that we organize a South Texas Bee- 

 Keepers' Association. This met with a hearty second, and all 

 seemed " in for it." With W. R. Graham in ihe chair, the 

 names of all were taken that wished to become members. 

 They are as follows : 



B.J. Atchley 

 Jennie Atchley 

 Amanda Atchley 

 vrillie Ateliley 

 Charlie Atchley 

 Napoleon Atchlej' 

 Ives Atchley 

 TboB. York Atchley 

 C. B. Bankpton 

 Page Bankston 

 ]saac Bankston 

 W. O. Victor 

 F. A. Lockhart 



W. R. Graham 



M. R. Graham 



Mrs. Masrgle Graham 



S. D. Hanna 



Henry Hanna 



Fred (Jooke 



Mrs Bell B. Raymond 



Miss Ella C. Howard 



Frank Hickson 



C. Theilmann 



W. C. Gathright 



A. S. Osborne 



Mrs. A. S. Osborne 



J. M. McKenzie 

 Airs. J. M. MeKenzie 

 James McKenzie 

 George McKenzie 

 Miss Lelah McKenzie 

 Gertrude McKenzie 

 O. H. Stevens 

 T. J. Skagg-s 

 Max Brauei 

 Mrs. Max Brauer 

 Miss Hettie Thettord 

 Mies Belle Thetford 

 Miss Annie Thetford 



It was decided that we elect by ballot the officers for the 

 next year, which resulted as follows: President, E. J. Atch- 

 ley; Vice-President, S. D. Hanna; Secretary, F. A. Lock- 

 hart; Treasurer, W. 0. Victor; and General Solicitor, Mrs. 

 Jennie Atchley. 



Two places were put in nomination for holding the next 

 meeting. Beeville and Wharton were named, and the choice 

 resulted in Wharton getting the next meeting. 



A collection was taken for the purpose of having the 

 minutes printed in pamphlet form. "The Secretary was or- 

 dered to have 200 copies printed. 



The convention all arose to extend their thanks and grati- 

 tude to Mr. and Mrs. Atchley, and all their family, for their 

 kind hospitality. Such a thing wis never known at a bee- 

 convention, that a beef, a hog and a sheep, as well as a large 

 number of turkeys, were barbecued, and the whole assembly 

 fed and taken care of by one family, and plenty left to feed as 

 many more. What you did miss by not being at this con- 

 vention ! 



The convention was asked to rise and join with Miss 

 Hettie Thetford, the organist, in singing "God Be With You 

 Till We Meet Again." Then, with a good old-fashioned hand- 

 shaking the convention adjourned to meet at Wharton, Tex., 

 June 10, 1895. F. A. Lockhart, Sec. 



CONDUCTED BY 



UR. C C. MILLER, ATAREA'GO, ILL. 



[Questions may be mailed to the Bee Journal, or to Dr. Miller direct.l 



management for Increase and Surplus Honey. 



I have 10 colonies in the 2-story 8-frame dovetail hive, 

 apparently in good condition, that I wish to run for comb 

 honey the coming season. We have a light honey-flow com- 

 mencing in April and lasting until October, but our main flow 

 is from basswood in July and heart's-ease in September. How 



