'i'»T 



ILLINOIS STATE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION 



31 



suggest is that of using a leaf of the 

 "Journal" so arranged as to be easily 

 torn out and with nothing on the other 

 side ithat yiou would care to keep. On 

 this space 'to be iprinted the questions 

 which it is desired should be answered 

 in order to secure the data from which 

 the report may be imade. These could 

 be sent out at much less expense than 

 even a postal card Inquiry, and there 

 would be practically no expense in 

 sending them out, and they would go 

 to a much larger number of interested 

 people than if sent to only representa- 

 tive men. The information gathered in 

 this way would be from all over our 

 own country and from Canada as well. 

 I had thought I would try this plan 

 the coming spring. 



There was some further discussion 

 of the matter — ^as to the inquiries to be 

 made and the number of times during 

 the season that it would be advisable to 

 ask for information, the efficiency of 

 the present systems of correspondence 

 as used by the National Association, 

 the Orange Judd Farmer and the State 

 Board of Agriculture. 



The plan suggested by Mr. York met 

 with unanimous approval and it was 

 decided to leave the matter with him 

 to work out as suggested, and it is be- 

 lieved that in course of time the sys- 

 ^;eni will prove of great value to bee- 

 keepers. Questions will be iprinted on 

 the perforated leaf in the back of the 

 "American Bee Journal," which is to 

 he torn out and returned within a 

 specified time after the paper is re- 

 ceived. After this has been tried a 

 time or two, it may be found advis- 

 able to make a list of selected names, 

 of those 'who show their interest by 

 sending full reports, and who are lo- 

 cated so as to give the best general re- 

 sults. In this way not only the men 

 ^vho have large apiaries would be heard 

 from, but those who' are equally inter- 

 ested, but have .perhaps only a few col- 

 onies, and the interest and the benefit 

 would be more general. 



Mr. Baxter: Oould you not make the 

 experiment this fall? 



Mr. York: I could get reports for 

 the past season — whether there has 

 been a large increas'e since spring; 

 then in the January number could give 

 the results of this inquiry. I believe 

 that would be a good thing. 



Mr. Kluck: If you sell to the home 

 market you dare not report how large 

 your crop is. 



Mr. Dadant: I take exception to 



that. We set a price on our honey. If 

 they say they can get it for less from 

 other bee-keepers we say they may get 

 it. If bee-keepers will iset a. fair price, 

 based on the season and the supply, 

 they will get their price. 



Mr. Baxter: Everybody knows just 

 what I harvest. 



Mr. Kildow: At any place they know 

 what I have and I set Tny prices. If 

 they don't want to pay it they go 

 somewhere else. 



President Smith: Dr. Miller sets his 

 own price and pays no. attention to 

 what others do. 



Mr. York: He sells at Pittsburg. 



The question box was again called 

 for, the questions having been handed 

 to Mr. York, he read them. 



Question No. 1. 



Why doesn't a colony accept a queen 

 after having a drone laying queen? 



Mr. Dadant: They do. 



Mr. Sauer: Well, it has been my ex- 

 perience that they would not. Last 

 spring I tried to introduce two differ- 

 ent queens and they killed them. They 

 finally dwindled down so I just put 

 them into one hive. At the time I put 

 in the second queen they were pretty 

 scarce. 



Mr. Dadant: We never have had 

 that trouble when the old queen had 

 been removed. Are you isure there was 

 not an old queen still in the hive? I be- 

 lieve they must have had two queens 

 and there was one there yet. 



Mr. Sauer: I looked and could not 

 find any. And the bees were pretty 

 scarce by the time I looked the sec- 

 ond time. I felt sure there was no 

 queen there. 



Question No. 2. 



Is it the queen that causes a colony 

 to swarm or the bees that force the 

 queen out? 



Mr. Dadant: I believe it is mutual; 

 both want to swarm. 



Question No. 3. 



Why leave honey on the hives until 

 ripened by the bees? 



Mr. Kildow: If you are looking for 

 good honey — if you do not care for loss 

 — leave it on. 



Mr. Kluck: Honey that is sealed is 

 ripe. 



Mr. York: A great deal was said on 

 this subject at the National Convention 

 at Harrisburg. It was argued that 

 much injury was done by taking honey 

 from the hives before it is ripened. It 

 should be left until it is thoroughly 

 ripened. ■. 



