AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



669 



when it would go for another load. Thus 

 it will be seen that any entrance leading 

 directly to the surplus arrangement (as 

 was quite generally used years ago, and 

 is now used by a few), is of no use, but 

 on the contrary a positive damage, as in 

 cool nights it causes the bees to leave 

 the boxes or sections, from allowing too 

 much cool air to enter them. 



To secure the best results, we should 

 acquaint ourselves with all the minutia 

 of the work of our pets ; then we will 

 know whether what we propose will 

 bring us the best results, or prove a dis- 

 advantage to us in securing the most 

 honey and money for our labor. 



Borodino, N. Y. 



liBorlance of Yoimi, Vigorons Qneens, 



E. L. PRATT. 



It is very important that every colony 

 in the apiary should have a young and 

 vigorous queen at its head, for on the 

 queen depends the best results in bee- 

 keeping. 



I am not an advocate of killing queens 

 at two years, or even three years of age, 

 if they are doing good work. 



The bees will generally attend to the 

 superseding business ; but t]iey cannot 

 always be depended upon. Therefore, a 

 record of each queen should be kept on 

 each hive, so that one can know the 

 exact age of each queen, when examin- 

 ing the hives at any time. 



If bees tolerate a slow-laying queen, 

 and are loth to supersede her, one has 

 only to refer to his record for the why 

 and wherefore. If such a colony is 

 found, there should be no delay on the part 

 of the apiarist in supplying a. new queen. 



The simplest and most natural man- 

 ner of changing the queen is to slip in a 

 cell from one of the best colonies in the 

 apiary 25 hours after the old queen has 

 been taken away. 



If none but the best drones are allowed 

 to fly during the mating season, all the 

 young queens will meet with selected 

 stock. This can be accomplished by the 

 use of a trap having perforated metal 

 large enough to pass a queen, yet small 

 enough to exclude the drones. 



It is important to introduce queens 

 from a distance at least once a year. By 

 breeding in new blood occasionally, the 

 standard of the bees will be gradually 

 raised, if the breeder of the queens has 

 good stock, and is an experienced man* 

 in this particular branch of our industry. 



Beverly, Mass. 



Missouri State Bee-KeoDers' Association, 



W. S. DORN BLASER. 



The Missouri State Bee-Keepers' Asso- 

 ciation held their fourth annual conven- 

 tion in Boonville, Mo., April 9 and 10, 

 1891. 



MORNING SESSION. 



The convention was called to order at 

 9:30 a.m., on Thursday, April 9, Presi- 

 dent R. B. Leahy in the chair. 



On roll call, 12 of the 88 old mem- 

 bers answered to their names. 



New members— J. B. Stanclift, An- 

 drew McNish, L. Z. Angest, Mrs. J. G. 

 Banning (honorary), Brookfield ; John 

 Conser, J. M. Mason, Sedalia. 



The appointment of committees was, 

 on motion, postponed until 3 p.m. 



The Secretary's report was read, and, 

 on motion, received, and his account 

 allowed. 



The following essay by E. R. Garrett, 

 of Appleton City, was read : 



Sbould Bees be Taxed? 



Yes, and the heavier the better for the 

 practical apiarist. This is a subject of 

 great importance, as money is the cen- 

 ter of every occupation in life. There is 

 nothing worth having that can be had 

 without this most powerful of all earthly 

 interests. 



I was forcibly impressed with this 

 thought by a question asked in Olean- 

 ings of Jan. 15. There seems to be 

 selfishness about this thing. The api- 

 arist would seek help from the Govern- 

 ment, and, from the answer, I infer that 

 the Government is seeking its own in- 

 terest. Is it possible that our favorite 

 pursuit is one upon which our Govern- 

 ment has no claim ? It claims an interest 

 in our horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, etc., 

 but places no value upon the bee. And 

 when we ask its consideration of this 

 industry, it treats the subject with 

 lightness, as I judge from the remarks 

 of "Rambler" and Mr. Heddon. 



Now, I do not propose to treat this 

 subject wholly upon philanthropic prin- 

 ciples, but upon principles of self-inter- 

 est. Every year the assessor comes to us 

 with his list. He wishes to know our 

 worth in personal property; how many 

 head of cattle, horses, etc., we have, 

 and then, wishing to be as liberal as 

 possible, he asks if there is any other 

 personal property not mentioned in his 

 list. Our conscience smites us, as we 

 evade a direct answer ; for by common 

 law bees are taxable property, but by 



