AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



769 



this explanation : When I wrote the 

 book I had practiced, for several years, 

 the plan of hiving swarms on starters 

 only. 



VVith the exception of the last year I 

 had used only the Langstroth hive, 

 contracting it to five frames when hiving 

 swarms. This gave the bees but small 

 space in which to build combs. They 

 could start only a few — five — and all 

 were begun, grew, and were completed 

 at the same time. All grew alike. There 

 was no bulging nor Crookedness. 

 Occasionally there was some drone-comb, 

 but not very much, unless the queen 

 was old. 



The last year I used the new Heddon 

 hive. This worked nicely, so far as 

 results were concerned, but as I have 

 since handled those combs, and the 

 combs subsequently built in these hives, 

 I find that many of the outside ones are 

 imperfect. Having eight, instead of five 

 frames in which to work, the bees some- 

 times neglect the outside ones until the 

 center combs were more or less com- 

 pleted, and the result was that the 

 outside combs were not always built 

 straight within the frames. 



When such men as Joshua Bull, R. L. 

 Taylor, H. R. Boardman and J. A. 

 Green have experimented largely with 

 the plan of hiving swarms upon starters 

 only, and they say that it cannot be 

 depended upon for securing perfect 

 combs, we may well consider the question 

 of hiving our swarms on full sheets of 

 foundation. Perfect brood-combs we 

 must have. 



Mr. Boardman has told us how we can 

 manage, by cutting out imperfect drone- 

 comb and using it in the sections. He 

 has also told us that we can unite our 

 swarms, in the Fall, with the old 

 colonies, and then sort over the combs, 

 melting the imperfect ones into wax. 

 Still further, he has told us how to have 

 perfect combs built by feeding the bees 

 sugar in the Fall. 



But everyboody will not adopt these 

 methods. Well, they will have to choose 

 between these and some imperfect 

 combs, and the use of foundation. I 

 still believe — in fact, I hnoiv — that it is 

 an advantage, so far as the securing of 

 surplus is concerned, to allow bees to 

 build their own combs in the brood-nest 

 when plenty of comb or foundation is 

 given them in the supers, and about the 

 only objection that can be urged against 

 the practice, is that it cannot be 

 depended upon to furnish perfect combs 

 under all circumstances. 



Perhaps the greatest advantage to be 

 secured from the use of foundation, is 



the rapidity with which it enables bees 

 to furnish storage room when honey is 

 coming in rapidly. Some bee-keepers 

 assert that they can so manage that no 

 honey will be lost, or, at least, not 

 enough to pay for the expense of foun- 

 dation, if the bees are allowed to build 

 their own combs, even for storage. 

 While I have no disposition to dispute 

 such assertions, I am well satisfied that 

 for the great mass of bee-keepers, 

 foundation in the supers is used at a 

 profit. — Read at the Toledo Convention. 



Vermont Bee-Keepers' Eeanion. 



MISS MARCIA A. DOUGLAS. 



By invitation from President V. V. 

 Blackmer, of Orwell, the Vermont Bee- 

 Keepers' Association held a reunion at 

 his residence, on Tuesday, May 19. 

 The day was delightful, and in due time 

 the guests began to arrive from all 

 directions, until between 20 and 30 

 were present. The towns of Orwell, 

 Shoreham, Addison, Leicester, Brandon, 

 Benson, and West Haven being repre- 

 sented. 



All seemed in good humor, and their 

 faces wreathed in smiles, having left at 

 home the ordinary routine of care and 

 toil for a day of social enjoyment and 

 a picnic. Before dinner the time was 

 spent in forming and renewing acquaint- 

 ances. 



Now gathered in knots in cool shady spots 

 The delights of reunion begin ; 

 Some talk of their health, some how to get 



wealth, 

 While others long yarns they do spin. 



At a little past 1 p.m., "mine host" 

 announced that dinner was ready, and 

 invited the company to repair to the 

 honey-house where a table had been 

 spread and loaded with an abundance 

 and variety of tempting food. 



H. L. Leonard, of Brandon, returned 

 thanks. 



The waiters were very efficient, and 

 each guest gave evidence of his appre- 

 ciation by actions which speak louder 

 than words. Between the " dinner and 

 supper " — both of which the man at the 

 head of the table declared he was 

 eating — and at other intervals, jokes 

 and merriment had full sway. 



During the afternoon President Black- 

 mer called to order an informal 

 convention, and gave a brief address of 

 welcome, to which several gentlemen 

 happily responded. 



