62 First Annual Report 



APIARIAN EXPERIMENTS AT LANSING. 



When the meeting was again called to order, President Miller said that the 

 Secretary had informed him of the presence of Mr. }. H. Larrabbae, who has 

 charge of the apiarian experiments at the Agricultural College of Michigan, 

 and he (the Secretary) had suggested that perhaps Mr. Larrabee would like 

 to have bee-keepers tell him what experiments they would like to have him 

 try. For one thing the President would like to learn what Mr. L. had 

 already done. 



J . H . Larrabee — We have made some experiments to determine how 

 many pounds of honey are consumed in secreting one pound of wax. We 

 have also decided not to experiment further in planting for honey. 



J. A. Green — Why have vou so decided? 



y . H . Larrabee — It takes too manv acres of plants to do any good . We 

 had eight acres of rape near the apiary, but it seemed to furnish no honey . 



O. O. Poppleton — Practical bee-keepers decided long ago that it did 

 not pay to plant for honey alone . But an experiment of even eight acres of 

 rape for one year is not conclusive . Some years the fields are white with 

 the bloom of clover yet no honey is secured. 



President Miller— I think it would be well if the results of these experi- 

 ments could be given monthly. Many who read them might thereby get 

 helphil hints, or might be able to help the experimentor in a similar manner. 

 Perhaps the Secretary of Agriculture might not like to have Mr . Larrabee 

 "give away" this matter m advance of his report to the Government, but 

 I presume the Secretary does but little reading of the bee-periodicals, and 

 probably would know nothing of the matter. 



J. H. Larrabee — It is Dr. C. V. Riley to whom I report. I presume 

 he reads bee- literature more or less. It is quite likely he would not object 

 to my giving in advance to the bee-periodicals the results of my experiments . 

 It would certainly do no harm to ask him . 



Upon motion of J . A . Green the Secretary was instructed to write to 

 Dr. Riley and ask permission for Mr. Larrabee to publish in advance, in 

 the bee-periodicals, the results of experiments when he thought best to 

 do so. 



CONTRACTION OF THE BROOD-NEST IN WINTERING. 



In reply to a question C P. Dadant said he did not contract unless the 

 combs were empty, or the colony weak. His hives contain nine Quinby 

 frames. If the bees occupy seven combs he would not remove any. 



A.I. Root — I do not advocate eight frame hives, but you know the boys 

 do. They say that taking off the upper story contracts sufficiently for 

 winter. 



President Miiler — I have about concluded that the man who uses eight 

 frame hives must feed the bees in the fall or spring— perhaps both. 





