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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



A short time ago, I was astonished to 

 hear a nurseryman, who is also a limited 

 fruit grower, tell some farmers, that 

 some varieties of plums, in order to save 

 them from destruction by the curculio, 

 would have to be sprayed while in bloom. 

 I, then and there, remarked that this 

 would be destruction to the bees, and 

 should not be tolerated. I have the same 

 varieties of plums to which he referred. 

 They bloom about every year. From 

 close observation during their bloom, 

 and immediately thereafter, I never 

 found any of the embryo, or small plums, 

 injured by insects, until several days 

 after the blossoms had fallen. 



The spraying of vines, fruit trees, etc., 

 is being highly recommended by fruit 

 growers, who have experimented in that 

 line. The doctrine is strongly advocated 

 by a great many Horticultural journals. 

 Consequently, we may expect that a 

 great many, throughout the country, 

 will be using these poisonous mixtures, 

 applying them indiscriminately ; there- 

 fore, the necessity for a Law, that will 

 not only protect bee culture directly, but 

 also the fruit grower (sprayer) indirectly. 

 I would earnestly request Bee-Keepers 

 to try to prevail upon their Representa- 

 tives and Senators to pass an Act to 

 guard against this evil. 



A common saying is, "An ounce o^ 

 prevention is worth a ton of cure. "there" 

 fore, let the remedy be applied now. 

 Unless bees were kept by near neighbors. 

 I would keep at least half-a-dozen colo- 

 nies for the direct benefit to my frui+, 

 crops, even if I were getting no surpuj, 

 honey from them. 



Owing to the uncertainty of honey 

 crops, caused by unfavorable seasons 

 generally, and other obstacles that we 

 find in the way of our pursuit, it becomes 

 necessary to take great precaution in 

 every step in bee culture. 



The weather not being very cold, nor 

 too warm, so far this Winter has been 

 favorable for bees, in this locality. The 

 white clover, from which we generally 

 get our surplus, if we have any, is well 

 set, and looks promising for the coming 

 season. 



It gives me pleasure, in perusing the 

 columns of the American Bee Journal, 

 t3 learn that a prominent apiarist and 

 correspondent, who formerly was antag- 

 onistic to out-door wintering, has changed 

 front. 



At least two qualities are requisite in 

 a good bee-hive: first, protection to the 

 bees, both in Winter and Summer; 

 second, being easy, or handy to manipu- 

 late ; and, I might also add, that the 

 cost thereof be reasonably low. The 



readers will find a description of such a 

 hive in Vol. 25, page 60, of this Jour- 

 nal. I make my own hives, but have 

 none to sell. Although being a strong 

 advocate for wintering bees on the 

 summer-stand, in our latitude, I do not 

 wish to be understood that much farther 

 north I might be advocating the same 

 doctrine. 

 New Philadelphia, Ohio, Jan. 5, 1891. 



MicMpn State Conyentioii, 



GEORGE E. HILTON. 



The 25th annual meeting of the Michi- 

 gan State Bee-Keepers' Association was 

 held at the Normandie Hotel, Detroit, 

 on Jan. 1, 1891. The meeting was 

 called to order at 10 a.m., by the Presi- 

 dent, A. J. Cook, who read a letter of 

 explanation and regret from Secretary 

 Cutting, who was unable to attend. It 

 was then moved by Dr. A. B. Mason, and 

 seconded by James Heddon, and voted, 

 that Assistant-Secretary Geo. E. Hilton 

 be elected Secretary. 



The President then appointed the fol- 

 lowing committees : 



On Exhibits — Dr. A. B. Mason, A. O. 

 Quick, and R. D. Parker. 



On Resolutions — Byron Walker, A. 

 W. Fisher, and B. Knight. 



On the Columbian Exposition — M. 

 H. Hunt, A. I. Root, and R. F. Holter- 

 mann. 



On Legislation — A. J. Cook, W. Z. 

 Hutchinson, and Geo. E. Hilton. 



The first thing was an essay on 

 "The best all-purpose queens, and the 

 best manner of rearing them," by W. Z. 

 Hutchinson. Mr. Hutchinson not hav- 

 ing arrived, the discussion was opened 

 by James Heddon, who spoke of his first 

 efforts to put hybrid queens upon the 

 market, and the Winter losses in his 

 locality, and then described his method 

 of controlling fertilization by selecting 

 combs from dead colonies. The drone- 

 comb was culled out and given to 

 selected colonies, after depriving the 

 others of all drone-comb. He would not 

 bring Cyprian or Syrian blood into his 

 yard, until he knew more about such 

 bees than he does now. 



Mr. Moore asked, "What is the differ- 

 ence in the progeny of a black queen 

 mated with a black drone, and the same 

 mated with an Italian drone ?" 



Mr. Heddon preferred the bees from 

 a black or brown queen crossed with an 

 Italian drone. 



