370 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



dear. We wish to hear from 

 friends, south and west, on 

 point. — E. G. B. 



our 

 this 



The 1915 National Convention 



Just as we go to press an unoffic- 

 ial report says Denver, Colorado, 

 has been selected by the Board 

 of D'irectors as the most suitable 

 city to hold the 1915 convention. 



Denver — the most suitable city 

 for the 1915 convention for the 

 reason it is located near the center 

 of the greatest honey producing 

 area in the U. S. From crop re- 

 port 1914. Every road leads to 

 Denver. The Editor expects to 

 take one of them. Will you be 



there too? Write the REVIEW of- 

 fice. 



Field Notes From Michigan 



Queenless Colonies 



Ev FKAXK ERIC MILLEN B. Sc. A., East Lansing, 3Iichigan 



It would be hard to estimate the 

 percent of colonies lost during the 

 fall and winter through queenless- 

 ness. Some seasons I am sure that 

 loss is very considerable. It will 

 prove a good investment for bee- 

 Keepers to go through their apiaries 

 and look for queenless colonies. The 

 man who goes through his yard 

 regularly detects these colonies at 

 once, but those who do not look 

 into the brood chamber but once or 

 twice during the season may not 

 notice these queenless colonies un- 

 til they have dwindled badly. 



It should not be necessary to state 

 that a colony will do better with a 

 young vigorous queen. A queen 

 tliat is past her prime will seldom 

 allow a colony to go into winter 

 quarters in good condition. A poor 

 queen reminds me of scrub stock, 

 a man does not expect to raise high 

 grade progeny from scrubs, yet 

 apparently many beekeepers are 

 trying to get good colonies, when 

 they have no foundation. Improve 

 your bees by securing good queens 

 then try and, raise stock from the 

 best you have. You cannot do any 

 harm that way and you may do 

 much good. 



Use of Water 



Unless one has measured, in some 

 way, the amount of water bees use 

 during the season, from spring 'till 

 fall, they would be astonished at the 

 amount taken in. The pond shown 

 here illustrates a useful and very 

 economical kind for bees. An old 

 iron wheel is set in a bed of con- 

 crete with a layer of cement round 



the inside, finished off with a ce- 

 ment wash. A number cf bricks 

 and broken pices of concrete are 

 placed on the floor, this prevents the 

 bees getting drowned, and allows 

 more space for the bees to get a 

 drink. A pipe leading from the 

 pump fills the pond. 



The pond was made because bees 

 were so numerous round the well, 

 that the ladies were often unable to 

 get water. New although the pond 

 IS not more than five feet from the 

 well, the bees visit the pond al- 

 most entirely. 



I have been in few yards this 

 summer where there was as much 

 brood m the hives as I found here, 

 the fresh water, always there, seem- 

 ed to stimulate the bees to a mark- 

 ed degree, and it is certain that this 

 beekeeper will have his hives filled 

 with young bees to commence the 

 winter. 



No doubt most bees find water, 

 but if they have to go far away 

 they must waste time. With a pond 

 right close to the apiary, there is 



