530 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



be put, is to feed it to the bees in the 

 Spring. 



The subject of the source of honey- 

 dew was thoroughly discussed by the 

 members present. Several theories were 

 advanced, but it was generally agreed 

 that the flow of honey-dew, this year, 

 was caused by the aphides. 



Mr. Robbins reported his honey-dew 

 to be of a light color. He thought that 

 perhaps the difference in the quality of 

 the honey-dew was to be accounted for 

 by the age of the insect, and the*kind of 

 leaf from which it came. 



In discussing the subject of selling the 

 honey-dew, President England said he 

 thought that if the honey-dew was to be 

 sold at all, it would be much the best 

 plan to sell it direct to the consumer, 

 because in that way we have a better 

 chance to explain its source and quality. 



After some further discussion of the 

 subject, a recess was taken until 1:30 

 p.m. 



AFTEKNOON SESSION. 



The convention was called to order at 

 1:30 p.m., by President England. 



Mr. Jas. A. Stone, chairman of the 

 Committee on Fair Exhibits, reported 

 that the requests of the committee had 

 been cheerfully complied with, and that 

 premiums amounting in the aggregate 

 to more than $100, had been granted 

 by the Sangamon Fair Association. Mr. 

 Stone thought that larger premiums 

 would be given next year. 



The next business in order was the 

 election of officers for the ensuing year, 

 with the following result : 



President, P. J. England, of Fancy 

 Prairie. 



Vice-Presidents, Jas. A. Stone, of 

 Bradfordtown, and A. N. Draper, of 

 Upper Alton. 



Secretary, C. E. Yocom, of Sherman. 



Treasurer, G. F. Robbins, of Mechan- 

 icsburg. 



Mr. Robbins was chosen to deliver an 

 address of welcome to the Illinois State 

 Bee-Keepers' Association at its next 

 annual meeting, in behalf of the Capital 

 Bee-Keepers' Association. 



A discussion arose as to the benefits 

 to be derived from fair exhibits. Mr. 

 Cooper thought they were of great ad- 

 vantage as advertising mediums. 



Mr. Robbins considered that their 

 greatest object was to educate the people 

 on the subject of bee-culture. 



The members reported that Winter 

 stores were very scarce, and that much 

 feeding would have to be done in order 

 to carry the bees through the Winter. 



After some further business the con- 

 vention adjourned. 



Immediately after adjournment Mr. 

 Robbins stepped up to President Eng- 

 land, and, in a few well-chosen words, 

 presented him, on behalf of the mem- 

 bers of the Capital Bee-Keepers' Asso- 

 ciation, with an elegantly bound copy of 

 Langstroth Revised. 



Mr. England responded briefly, thank- 

 ing his fellow bee-keepers for their 

 kindness, and said he hoped to merit 

 their further good will. 



Fancy.Prairie, Ills. 



Stray Straws on Wintering. 



E. KRETCHMER. 



From the heading you, will readily 

 infer that this is not an essay on winter- 

 ing, but some disconnected ideas not 

 usually found in the text-books. 



That food is of the first importance, 

 no one will deny. Some years ago a 

 sorghum mill was located near me, which 

 made molasses quite late in the season, 

 and my bees stored large quantities of 

 the juice, which I deemed unfit or unsafe 

 for wintering. I therefore extracted the 

 honey from all except 10 colonies. I 

 then added to this extracted-honey and 

 sorghum juice 1 ounce of salicylic acid 

 and 1 ounce of bi-carbonate of soda for 

 each 100 pounds, then refilled the 

 combs, and returned them to the bees. 

 The 10 colonies not so treated died with 

 diarrhea, whilst all the others passed 

 through the Winter in good condition. 



UNITING BEES AND STORES. 



With the Langstroth frame hives it is 

 usual to place the brood-chamber of the 

 weakest colony above. In such combs 

 the honey is usually only in the upper 

 part, the bees are slow to carry it below, 

 at the same time they are compelled to 

 warm two brood-chambers. With the 

 alternating, or other horizontally sec- 

 tional brood-chamber hives, we find in 

 weak colonies their honey in the upper 

 stories only ; this we place between the 

 two brood-chamber sections of the hive 

 to which we desire to add the stores. 

 After the bees have thoroughly occupied 

 this section, we place it, bees and all, on 

 top, and the honey is speedily carried 

 below. 



WINTER PASSAGES. 



To make holes for winter passage 

 through the combs has been recom- 

 mended for years, but the tendency to 

 induce robbing, and the time and labor 



