226 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



often happens that a man has a good 

 sized apiary, and has some other busi- 

 ness. He is undecided whether to give 

 up everything else next season, and give 

 his whole time to his bees. He could 

 decide much more intelligently, if he 

 could know beforehand what clover in- 

 tended to do. Without doubt, other 

 things would come up to show the 

 desirability of foreknowledge as to this 

 matter. 



Now, the next thing is, is your theory 

 correct ? It looks reasonable. If a 

 number, at different points, and for a 

 series of years, will make observations, 

 we may know something definite about 

 it. It is worth the trouble. Indeed, if 

 enough observers would report for a sin- 

 gle year, we might have the thing pretty 

 well settled. I hope. Brother Draper, 

 that you and Prof. Cook may turn out to 

 have been good theorists. 



BEES NOT LOSING WEIGHT. 



On page 127 J. A. Pearcesays his bees 

 lost nothing in weight from the last of 

 September until the last of October, and 

 asks if it was hibernation. Hardly. 

 Did they gather nothing during that 

 time ? It would not take such a great 

 deal to supply their daily wants, and 

 there may have been, during the month 

 of October, sources unknown from 

 which they drew a considerable supply. 



Marengo, Ills. 



Veraont Bee-Keeiiers' ConTentlon, 



The Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association 

 met at the Addison House, Middlebury, 

 Vt., Jan. 28, 1891, and the meeting 

 was called to order by President V. V. 

 Blackmer, of Orwell. 



Secretary J. H. Larrabee being in 

 Michigan, Marcia A. Douglas was chosen 

 pro tern. Report of the previous meet- 

 ing was read, accepted, and adopted. 



The appointments of committees by 

 the President were as follows : 



On Nomination— R. H. Holmes, M. F. 

 Cram, and H. W. Scott. 



On Resolutions— Dr. F. Bond, J. G. 

 Barker, and E. Young. 



The first topic on the programme was 

 Planting for Honey, to be led by E. J. 

 Smith, of Addison. That gentleman 

 being absent, R. H. Holmes, of Shore- 

 ham, led the discussion, which was par- 

 ticipated in by Dr. F. Bond, of Cornwall; 

 M. F. Cram, of Braintree ; H. W. Scott, 

 of Barre ; Mrs. C. G. Allen, of Shelburne; 

 V. V. Blackmer. of Orwell ; Prof. H. M. 

 Seelv. of Middlebury ; T. H. Wheatley, 



of Burlington ; and W. G. Larrabee, of 

 Larrabee's Point. 



It was agreed that there is nothing 

 superior to Alsike clover, and that it 

 does not pay to plant exclusively for 

 honey-production. It is too cold in this 

 latitude for alfalfa to be grown success- 

 fully, and all plants are more vigorous 

 and flourish best in their special locality. 

 Buckwheat makes good winter stores, 

 but cross bees. 



The next subject. Artificial vs. Natural 

 Swarming, was also without its desig- 

 nated leader, and Dr. Bond was invited 

 by the President to take it up. He, with 

 V. V. Blackmer, M. F. Cram, and R. H. 

 Holmes, gave precedence to natura 

 swarming, and as little of that as pos- 

 sible. 



Spring Dwindling not appearing upon 

 the programme, it was suggested by Dr. 

 Bond that it have its place, as it is of 

 great importance just now to us all. He 

 attributes his losses last Spring to hav- 

 ing some hives fronting the South and 

 East. The bees were attracted out by 

 the sun, and the sudden changes and 

 cold winds chilled them to such an ex- 

 tent that they were unable to return. 

 Those fronting the North and West were 

 thrifty. R. H. Holmes considered his 

 loss the result of honey-dew stores ; V. 

 V. Blackmer to the unfavorable weather 

 during the Spring. 



Adjourned until 1:30 p.m. 



AFTEKNOON SESSION. 



T. H. Wheatley, of Burlington, pre- 

 sented an essay on, Bee-Culture at the 

 Experiment Stations. 



Prof. H. M. Seely, of Middlebury, fol- 

 lowed with an essay on, Some Agricult- 

 ural Problems. 



The topic next under consideration 

 was Vermont's Apiarian Exhibition at 

 the World's Fair in Chicago, in 1893. 

 To exhibit or not to exhibit — that's the 

 question. The cost was estimated, and 

 R. H. Holmes was appointed a commit- 

 tee to gather all possible information 

 regarding it, and to report at our next 

 annual meeting. 



Mr. Manum being absent, the question- 

 box was opened by the President, who 

 called for answers from different ones in 

 the convention, which led to interestins: 

 and instructive discussions. Increase, 

 Feeders, Spaces of Brood-Frames, Races 

 of Bees, and The Coming Honey-Crop, 

 were the principal topics. 



The Treasurer's report for the past 

 year was as follows : Balance on hand 

 from last year, $2.75 ; expenses for pro- 

 grammes, stamps and stationery, $6.40: 



