2 
THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
Beekeepers in the Australian Colonies to 
contribute towards the usefulness and con- 
tinuance of the “ Australian Beekeepers’ 
Journal.” 
PROCEEDINGS OP BEEKEEPERS’ 
SOCIETIES. 
Victorian Beekeepers' Chib. 
Several gentlemen interested in Bce-cultnrc, 
convened a meeting at the Duke of Rothsay 
Hotel, Elizabeth -street, Melbourne, and a num- 
ber of persons known to be interested in bee- 
keeping throughout the colony, we re invited 
by circularto attend, to consider the desirability 
of forming a Victorian Bee-keepers’ Society. 
The meeting was held on 24th Sept., when it 
was agreed to form a society, to he called the 
Victorian Beekeepers’ Club, the subscrip- 
tion to he ten shillings per annum for 
town, and five shillings for country members. 
At an adjourned meeting held at the same 
place, on 8tli October, there was a large atten- 
dance, and numerous applications for admis- 
sion to the Club. Three or four fundamental 
rules were provisionally adopted subject to 
revision after election of committee and office- 
bearers. It was agreed that the society 
should consist of members, associates and life- 
members, from which shall be elected annually 
a committee of seven members, they electing 
among themselves a president, vice-pre- 
president, secretary and treasurer. Town 
members to be those residing within 12 miles 
of the General Post Office. It was decided 
to hold the first ordinary meeting of the club 
at 8 p.m., on Friday, 16th October. 
The first meeting of the Victorian Bee- 
Keepers’ Club took place on Friday, at 8 p.m., 
the 16th instant, at the rooms of the Royal 
Society, at which about 24 members were 
present. Mr. Ellery was elected to the chair. 
The first business was the election by ballot 
of a provisional committee to hold office until 
the first meeting in January, 1886: and 
Messrs. Barton, Kitchen, Ellery, the Rev. 
J. Kennedy, Messrs. Jackson, Lloyd, and 
Maclaine, were elected. 
The Chairman called the attention of the 
meeting to some exhibits by Mr. Barton, con- 
sisting of a hive complete (the new British 
Beekeepers' Association Pattern), Edey’s 
swarm arrestor, queen cages, metal spacers 
for frames, &c. Mr. Lloyd exhibited a 
splendid Berlepsch frame of pure Ligurians 
and queen in glass hive. 
The question as to whether the club 
should adopt a standard frame to be 
generally recommended in the colony was 
raised, and a lengthy discussion ensued. 
Mr. Barton moved that the English standard 
frame be adopted, but Mr. Clarke and others 
advocated the true Langstroth, that is 17fin. 
by 9Un. with a 19in. top bar, for the reason 
it was already largely used in the colony, and 
had been found by long experience to he an 
excellent size. Objections were raised that 
owing to its large size the bees in weak stocks 
were more spread than in smaller frames, and 
that in the warm summers of Victoria combs 
would he apt to sag and drop if much loaded. 
The Chairman said he had been using 
Langstroth frames with a centre vertical bar, 
which not only strengthened the frame but 
distributed the weight of the comb, and that 
by using a wire for a brace from one 
upper corner of the frame, down and over the 
bottom of the central vertical bar, a very 
strong frame was secured. 
Mr, Clarke said he had used such frames 
which were thus made very strong — a trussed 
girder in fact. 
Mr. Barton stated that an apiarist had 
informed him that he found great advantage 
from a centre horizontal bar, The opinion 
was very strong among the members that a 
standard should be adopted. The Chairman 
said it was most vexatious to find variations in 
sizes of Langstroth frames and hives made 
in the colonies ; these were often small 
but sufficient to prevent exchanges of 
frames among hives. He had hives from New 
Zealand, South Australia, and Victoria, all 
differing a little, both in frames and boxes. 
There was, he said, only one true size for all 
these which should be rigidly adhered to. 
The further consideration of this question 
was postponed till next meeting. 
Questions were asked about where to 
obtain hives, bee appliances, books, &c., and 
several members gave information on these 
points. A member asked what was the best 
provision againts ants getting into hives. 
Messrs. Clarke, Kennedy, and Kitchen con- 
tended that ants did no harm to bees or 
honey if the stocks were strong, but they 
might become an annoyance if stocks were 
weak. Mr. Kitchen stated he had seen in 
Queensland, hives in splendid condition 
exactly over large ants’ nests, and lots of 
other nests about, and he could not ascertain, 
that the ants ever troubled the bees. 
Several members said they always placed 
their hives on the ground, and had found no 
inconvenience from ants, while many bees, 
they believed, were saved by being able to 
crawl into the hives when falling near the 
hives, tired or chilled. 
The date of the next meeting was fixed for 
Monday, 2nd November, at 8 p.m,, at a place to 
be afterwards fixed and notified by advertise- 
ment. 
