284 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



with the best methods and implements 

 in any line of business of which he has 

 little or no practical knowledge. 

 Dowagiac, Mich. 



New York State Bee-Keepers' Conyention 



GEO. H. KNICKERBOCKEK. 



EVENING SESSION— JAN. 22, 1891, 



The Convention was called to order at 

 7:80 p.m., with Vice-President I. L. 

 Scofield in the chair. 



The proper thickness of comb founda- 

 tion, and is it advisable to use full sheets 

 or starters in brood-frames, was first 

 discussed. 



E. R. Root said it was a good deal 

 according to people's notion ; some think 

 they are sure of getting more honey by 

 using full sheets of foundation, and 

 others are equally sure that there is a 

 loss of wax, as the wax scales will be 

 secreted anyway. 



N. D. West— Use both full sheets and 

 starters ; it depends upon circumstances 

 and conditions. The bee-keeper must 

 watch these, and decide for himself 

 which is best. 



Abram Armhurst — I think it is best to 

 use a medium foundation, and not fill 

 the frames too full, so if it sags a little 

 it will not touch the bottom-bar. 



N. D. West— If I was going to increase 

 from 50 to 75 per cent., I would use but 

 little foundation, but with little or no 

 increase, I would use full sheets. For 

 hiving new swarms, I would use 5 

 frames, with starters, and box at once. 

 By the time those 5 frames are filled 

 with brood and honey, the swarming 

 season Is past, and when you add more 

 frames, use full sheets of foundation. If 

 the queen is a good one, she will deposit 

 eggs as fast as the bees build the comb. 

 I prefer to have them work slowly in the 

 combs below, as then the bees will carry 

 on work above and below at the same 

 time. If the swarm is early, spread the 

 frames when the 5 are full, and put 

 empty combs or full sheets of foundation 

 in the center. 



J. H. M. Cook— I find that in my 

 locality it is advisable to use full sheets. 



E. R. Root— My father made some ex- 

 periments a few years ago to determine 

 how much the bees added to the founda- 

 tion, and ascertained that when a sheet 

 was drawn out brood depth (% of an 

 inch), it was about 25 per cent, heavier 

 than the sheet of foundation. 



W. E. Clark— I use as thin foundation 

 as I can make for surplus boxes, and the 



thinner I can make it the better I like 

 it. I think a great deal depends upon 

 what the foundation is made of, about 

 the combs being wavy. I would not, by 

 any means, use starters in brood-frames 

 unless you are in a locality where there 

 is a good flow of Fall honey. 



Chas. Stewart — My experience is very 

 much the same as Mr. Clark's. I used 

 starters one year (they were about X 

 the depth of the frames), and the bees 

 did nicely in the boxes, but when it came 

 time to put them in shape for Winter, I 

 found that they had but little to winter 

 on. Their combs were built but little 

 farther down than the starters of foun- 

 dation. 



Thos. Pierce — I am a friend of wired 

 frames and full sheets of foundation. 

 My frames are 10x15 inches inside. I 

 use 6 wires up and down, and do not 

 have any crooked combs. 



G. H. Ashby — ^^I have but one wired 

 frame that I know of, but I have a very 

 fine lot of combs. When your bees are 

 building comb, or drawing out founda- 

 tion, be sure that your hive is level from 

 side to side — if it pitches a little to the 

 front, it will do no harm. 



Chas. Stewart — I use the Quinby 

 frame, and have never used wired foun- 

 dation, or wired my frames. Have moved 

 my bees, and have had but few combs 

 break down. 



N. D. West — There is one point about 

 using foundation that has not been men- 

 tioned. It is always best to get the 

 queen to occupy the foundation the first 

 season. If not occupied then, the follow- 

 ing season, early in the Spring, the clus- 

 ter of bees will be divided about the 

 same as if there was a board in the hive. 



J. Van Deusen — Use wired foundation. 

 It is better, and much cheaper than to 

 bother to wire frames. 



I. L. Scofield — A year ago last Fall I 

 shipped 20 colonies of bees to Jamaica. 

 I selected all wired frames, and after 

 they arrived, the man wrote that many 

 of them were well filled with brood, and 

 that not one was cracked or broken. 



J. Van Deusen — I shear the wax from 

 the wire with a wooden shear that bends 

 them at right angles. Place your foun- 

 dation in the frame, and then run some 

 hot glue along the edge, at the same 

 time covering the ends of the wires. It 

 is done very quickly and nicely. I use 

 nothing but wax for sections, and glue 

 for frames. 



W. L. Coggshall — I use wired frames. 

 I have a board that will hold 3 or 4 

 frames, and after the wire is pressed 

 into the foundation, I take an iron spoon 

 that is bent up very small, so that the 



