762 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



about 20 pounds per colony, of well- 

 filled sections of white honey— all 

 linden. 



The fall crop was very light, owing 

 to the continued drouth. I think that 

 the honey crop of Iowa can safely be 

 put as low as one-fourth, and per- 

 haps it is even worse than that. The 

 effect which this condition of things 

 has had on prices is very marked. I 

 can sell comb honey easier this year 

 at 20 cents per pound than last year 

 at 12 cents. Now it goes off quick, 

 while last year it was a drug in the 

 market. 



I have noticed more bees working 

 on red clover this year than ever be- 

 fore. The reason of this is, that on 

 account of the drouth the clover heads 

 were much smaller than usual, and 

 the bees could reach the nectar. But 

 mine did not get enough to make any 

 show in the hives. 



Eugene Secor. 



Forest City, 5 Iowa. 



FROM PENNSYLVANIA. 



This state had an exceedingly light 

 crop of spring honey, and in certain 

 sections an almost total failure. Late 

 in the fall there was an exceedingly 

 heavy flow of honey, apparently from 

 asters, of which there was a profuse 

 bloom. In some parts this fall, honey 

 was abundant enough to admit of 

 extracting, while leaving the colonies 

 ample for winter. Owing to this flow 

 of honey so late in the season, it is 

 expected that bees will go into winter 

 quarters strong and amply provided 

 with both young bees and provisions. 



During the winter of 1886-87, this 

 market was flooded with California 

 honey at ridiculously low prices. 

 Grocers retailed honey as low as 8 

 cents per pound, and the consumption 

 of honey was thereby greatly stimu- 

 lated, and many who never touched 

 honey before, ate and enjoyed it. 

 While the supply of California honey 

 at low prices lasted, all was well, but 

 now that honey is scarce, and higher 

 prices asked, grocers will not buy un- 

 less forced, and then in small quan- 

 tities. 



The public in this city having 

 tasted honey from California that 

 they pronounce good, are averse to 

 paying enhanced prices for honey 

 produced east of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, and in this market at least, 

 California honey is, and will remain, 

 a formidable competitor of all East- 

 ern extracted honeys. 



Our Philadelphia Bee-Keepers' As- 

 sociation tendered a reception in one 

 of the historic spots of this city, viz : 

 "Carpenter's Hall," to our distin- 



guished visitor, the Hon. Thos. W. 

 owan and lady, of England. Mr. 

 Cowan kindly exhibited his micro- 

 scope, and many had an opportunity 

 to inspect and study the anatomy and 

 physiology of the bee, such as was 

 never previously afforded them. 



At our annual State Pair held in 

 this city, it has been my aim to make 

 the bees and honey an attractive fea- 

 ture. I inJiicsd several bee men to 

 ship lioiii'v for exhibition and sale, 

 and the results were very satisfac- 

 tory. 1 had upwards of four tons of 

 honey staged, and on the ground, the 



greater part of which was put into 

 consumption almost immediately. 



This market is at present fully sup- 

 plied with honey, taking into consid- 

 eration the probable sales at en- 

 hanced prices. We have had no cold 

 weather yet. Arthur Todd. 



Philadelphia, o- Pa. 



FROM GEORGIA. 



The honey crop has been below an 

 average in this State. About May 1, 

 for about two weeks, there was a tine 

 flow from the poplar or tulip tree, 

 which grows abundantly along all our 

 water-courses ; but a drouth came on 

 and the flow ceased. Prom then until 

 Sept. 1, bees barely gathered enough 

 for their own use. Since September 

 they have gathered enough honey 

 from asters, goldenrod, etc., to carry 

 them through the winter. 



Apiculture is every year becoming 

 more developed in our State. The 

 honey is put up in better shape for 

 sale, and consequently commands a 

 better price. 



For the benefit of Northern bee- 

 keepers who may intend to locate in 

 the South, I will observe that api- 

 aries, in order to be profitable in our 

 State, must be located along the 

 water-courses, where the only reliable 

 forage abounds. Of all our Southern 

 forage, I esteem the tulip-tree as the 

 most reliable and certain, taking one 

 year with another. 



J. P. H. Brown. 



Augusta,o Ga. 



ITROM INDIANA. 



The present condition of bees in 

 general is very good, and they will 

 begin the winter "with all the condi- 

 tions favorable, strong in bees, and 

 an abundance of well-ripened honey. 



While the crop secured has been 

 very light, yet there is enough to pay 

 expenses in most well-managed api- 

 aries. Throughout the season bees 

 have done well for themselves. Their 

 failure to secure a surplus for their 

 owner is not altogether chargeable to 

 the drouth, but to atmospheric condi- 

 tions, for in this part of the State — 

 east central — the drouth did not begin 

 until July, and our honey season ends 

 by July 1 or July 10. 



Jonas Scholl. 



Lyon's Station,©* Ind. 



from VERMONT. 



Bees were confined in their hives 

 last winter for about five months, and 

 the mortality was very great, some 

 prominent apiarists losing as many as 

 25 per cent., and some even 40 per 

 cent. Many colonies that survived 

 were very weak and built up slowly. 



There was a scarcity of early honey; 

 fruit-bloom passed by hardly noticed 

 by the bees, and then came a season 

 of hot and dry weather which kept 

 back the clover till the very last of 

 June. Still bee-keepers were hope- 

 ful, because the previous season was 

 a failure, and one poor season seldom 

 follows another. Bees swarmed lively, 

 which was also considered a good 

 indication. 



Basswood promised well by budding 

 nncommonly full, It opened earlier 



than usual, but was deficient in nec- 

 tar, the bees only working on it early in 

 the morning and late in the afternoon. 



Those who expected a big crop got 

 a good many sections partly filled, 

 while those who were more careful, 

 only giving what room was actually 

 needed, got tbeir sections finished 

 when basswood bloom closed. Many 

 of the sections were filled with thin 

 combs, and had empty corners, which 

 made light weight, but otherwise the 

 quality of the honey was very good. 



I should say that the yield might be 

 one-third of what might be obtained 

 in a good year, though some report 

 more and "some less. In Addison 

 county the crop will aggregate from 

 90,000 to 100,000 pounds. 



E. O. TUTTLE. 



Charlotte,>o Vt. 



FROM QUEBEC, CANADA. 



The past season with us has been a 

 fair one for honey-gathering, particu- 

 larly where clay and heavy loams 

 predominate, notwithstanding the un- 

 precedented lack of rain, and the 

 rapid maturing of the flowers. In 

 some localities honey has been gath- 

 ered very late, the autumn being fine. 

 The losses the past winter have aver- 

 aged about 19)4 per cent., and the re- 

 ports indicate an average production 

 of 16J^ pounds of extracted honey, and 

 26 pounds of comb honey per colony, 

 spring count. H. P. Hunt. 



Seaton, Quebec. 



raiscellaueons Business. 



Mr. A. I. Root asked what could be 

 done to secure a proper classification 

 of freight as pertains to bee-hives, 

 honey, and' apiarian goods. 



After some discussion it was voted 

 that Mr. Thomas G. Newman be re- 

 quested to see what could be done in 

 this matter, and that he be instructed 

 to present a bill at the next annual 

 convention for whatever expenses 

 may be incurred. 



It was decided by vote to hold the 

 next convention at Toledo, O., the 

 time for the meeting to be fixed by 

 the executive board. 



Then the election of oflScers was 

 held, which resulted as follows : Pres- 

 ident, Dr. A. B. Mason, Auburndale, 

 O. ; Secretary, W. Z. Hutchinson, 

 Flint, Mich. ; and Treasurer, Mrs. L. 

 Harrison, Peoria, Ills. 



Vice-Presidents— Illinois, Dr. C. C. Miller, 

 Marengo : IncJIana. I. R. Good, Nappanee ; 

 Florida, G. W. Webster, Lake Helen ; Iowa, 

 Eugene Secor, Forest City : Michigan. W. B. 

 Gould, Fremont ; New York, G.M. Doolittle, 

 Borodino ; Ohio. Miss Deraa Bennett, Bed- 

 ford : Ontario, Canada, R. F. Holtermann, 

 Brantford ; Wisconsin, Franklin Wilcox, 

 MauBton ; Vermont. A. E. Manum, Bristol ; 

 Quebec, Canada, H. F. Hunt, Seaton. 



A unanimous vote of thanks was 

 tendered Mr. Thomas G. Newman for 

 his services in securing such a good 

 place for holding this convention, and 

 also for obtaining reduced rates at 

 the Commercial Hotel, etc.; and re-. 

 grets were also expressed that sick- 

 ness prevented him from attending 

 all the sessions of this convention. 



It was voted that the Secretary be 

 allowed $35 for his services. 



The committee to whom was re- 

 ferred the " new Constitution and By- 



