Is Careful Breeding Necessary? H. S. Bowman-Careful breeding is necessary in order to secure the best results. Mr. Kuebler-I want well-bred Italians, for they protect themselves better, and gather more honey. G. Jacobs-My 40 colonies are hybrids, and I like them better than pure Italians. H. Stewart-Go where you will, and you will find advocates of scrub cattle and scrub horses, but he who breeds for the higher points, reaps his reward. A premium was given for a machine that would put together one-piece sections the best and quickest. C. Kuebler won the first, and W. S. Rice the second. Adjourned until 1 p.m. AFTERNOON SESSION. The meeting was called to order by President Kimble. A letter was read from the State Secretary, asking the co-operation of the Eastern Iowa beekeepers in securing an appropriation for an exhibit at the World's Fair. Three delegates were appointed to attend the next annual meeting of the State association. They were H. S. Bowman, Frank Coverdale, and Wm. Kimble. The election of officers then took place, and resulted as follows: President-H. S. Bowman, Maquoketa, Iowa. Vice-President-Henry Stewart, Prophetstown, Ills. Secretary-Frank Coverdale, Welton, Iowa. Treasurer-L. J. Pierce, DeWitt, Iowa. Maquoketa was chosen as the place to hold the next meeting at the call of the President. FRANK COVERDALE, Sec. Welton, Iowa. Automatic Hiver, Bee-Escape, Etc. MRS. L. HARRISON. As I was returning from the Chicago Bee Convention I saw a tall man, clothed in fur, enter the car. I took him to be B. Taylor, of Forestville, Minn., but I was not sure, as there was so little of him to be seen on account of the fur. But the temptation of having an intelligent bee-keeper to talk with overcome my timidity, and leaving my seat I went to where he sat and found that I had been correct in my surmises. I stood in the aisle talking for awhile, when I saw by the eye of the conductor that I was obstructing the passageway, as I am somewhat bulky, and anticipated him by leaving. We soon succeeded in finding a seat together, and the time flew faster than we passed the telegraph poles, as we talked bees, hives, etc., "for when pleasure and profit can be combined, time runs swift and the heart is glad." Mr. Taylor said that he had been a bee-keeper for forty-five years, that his enthusiasm was yearly on the increase, and that if he did not make anything from them for ten years he would keep on. AUTOMATIC HIVER. Mr. Taylor's countenance beamed with delight as he reached for a small hand-satchel and opened it. I imagined that he carried some pets in there, and was not disappointed. He thought that it was the best part of a convention to have hives and fixtures brought there so that a comparison could be made, and their good and bad points discussed. He handed me a photograph, cabinet size, and I soon saw that it did not contain his pleasant shadow, but that of a hive with an automatic hiver attachment. I will not try to describe this hiver, as I may not be able to describe it intelligibly to my readers, but will try to explain the principle of it: All self-hivers that I ever heard about before, conducted the bees by a passageway into a hive placed by the side of a colony, but Mr. Taylor said that as the queen and bees fly upward, his passageway is constructed so that the bees follow this inclination and go upward. This passageway is of the width of the hive, and as tall again. On the top of this towering way a light box, with two sides of wire gauze, is fastened with Van Deusen clasps. There is a strong draught of air out of the hive while the bees are swarming, and this is utilized to close a door in the passageway, which shuts the bees in, and they go up into the hiver with the queen. Those that flew out before the door closed would gather on the outside of the wire gauze. What a bonanza this hiver would be for the women—put on a hiver, knead the bread, mind the baby, and cook the good man's dinner, without fear of the bees going to the woods. No need of hurry to hive them, either. They can be put into the cellar for forty-eight hours, and when hived there will be no danger of their turning up their nose and escaping to the woods-emigrating West. If this hiver never comes into general use, the inventor has had a deal of comfort and satisfaction in manufacturing it in his shop, where he has many tools and fine machinery. BEE-ESCAPES. I was not at all surprised when Mr. Taylor put his hand into the satchel and brought out a bee-escape-the British call them "super-cleaners." My partner in the stings and sweets in the honey business, says that he does not see how we can keep house without them, though we have had no opportunity of testing their good qualities since the crop was harvested. I wish my readers could see this one; it is a tin tunnel with an inclined brass walk through the middle, and when the bee gets to the end of it she jumps off. It is like the spring-board that boys have to dive into the water. When the bee wishes to return the end of the spring-board is in her way, and prevents her doing so. I have quite a museum of bee-escapes, but I am suffering for more. I have some that stand up and some that lie down, and some in the shape of a star. When I have an opportunity of trying them, I will tell you which pleases me best. QUEEN-CELL PROTECTORS. "What is this, mamma?" said an eightyear-old, as she exhibited her forefinger covered with a spiral cone made of wire. "Oh, that's mamma's! You must not touch it. "Mr. Taylor gave it to me. It is a queen-cell protector. The cell is put into it, and the bee cannot bite into the sides of it to destroy the queen; and when she is old enough she comes out of the little hole into the hive. That little handle of wire can keep it from falling down between the combs, or can be stuck into one."-Prairie Farmer. Peoria, Ills. Indiana State Convention. E. H. COLLINS. The Indiana State Bee-Keepers' Association has now been in active existence more than a decade. It was at first organized during the excitement over the introduction of Italian bees. When this was well accomplished, the bee-keepers continued the meetings for the educational and social advantages they afforded. It is always a happy experience for those directly interested in any occupation to meet and talk. The attendance and interest at these meetings has been increased for the last year or two. The programme is now nearly completed for the convention to be held in the Agricultural Room at the State House, at Indianapolis, on Jan. 8, 1892, at 1 p.m. So far as arranged, it is as follows: 1. Business. 2. Voluntary reports of experience in the apiary during the past Summer. 3. A year among the bees. (a.) Spring, Ora Knowlton, New Brunswick. (b.) Summer, Joseph Myers, Gray. (c.) Fall, G. P. Wilson, Toll Gate. (d.) Winter, David Scott, Bloomsdale. 4. The anatomy of the honey-bee, illustrated, E. H. Collins. 5. Getting bees out of the sections, illustrated, J. T. Dinsmore. 6. Plans and suggestions for Summer meetings of local societies, Mrs. Dr. Herr, Westfield. 7. Winter protection, Chas. F. Muth, Cincinnati, O. beginners, Geo. C. 8. A talk to Thompson, Southport. 9. Hindrance to bee-culture, Walter S. Pouder, Indianapolis. 10. Should the State Board furnish a stenographer for the general State societies? Discussion. There will be on exhibition many conveniences and interesting specimens to instruct the bee-keeper. E. H. COLLINS, Pres. Preparing Bees for Winter. J. E. POND. My experience covers over twenty years of time, and has been drawn from a constant series of experiments, the result being that I do not fear cold of itself, and that if the bees can be kept dry they will safely withstand any reasonable degree of Winter weather. The sole secret, in my opinion, being, ample stores and freedom from moisture. I have always wintered bees on summerstands, in all sorts of hives, single and doubled-walled, chaff, etc., and have not met, during the whole time I have had bees, with 1 per cent of loss, and, in fact, the only losses I have ever met with were my own fault, and owing to the want of sufficient stores to carry them through. My experience teaches me that a large entrance is a necessity; that ventilation should be downward, and when a hive is so prepared that little, if any, moisture is retained, the bees are perfectly safe as far as cold is concerned. My Winter preparation consists simply in giving from one to two inches of space between top of frames and the cover or mat; that is, I use only a piece of burlap, or old carpet, to confine the bees, at the top leaving not less than one inch of space between the mat and top of frames. On top of the mat I pack loosely five or six inches of forest leaves, or their equivalent. This method of preparation, with ample stores, and a large entrance, carries my bees through safely all the time. If I am asked why, I should say the excess of moisture is carried off at the top of the hive; the ventilation is downward through the entrance, and this excess of moisture cannot be collected. This is not theory; it is practice. It is not an pecially by farmers, and those who allow the bees to "shift for themselves." Should the coming Winter prove a severe one, those who have placed their affections in the thin shells without packing, will be among the chief mourners next April. The honey-dew was, after all, a "blessing in disguise," for without it we would have had to feed in July, or lose our bees. The trouble was, that there was little else to be had. It kept up brood-rearing, and the young bees gathered the Winter stores.-Plowman. Milan, Ills. improved experiment, but a matter that North American Bee-Keepers' Association. has been tested over and over again, with like results in every case. I prefer double-walled hives, as they do give protection to a large extent, but I Winter bees in single-walled hives, with the temperature 150 to 200 below zero. Complexity has always been at war with simplicity, but when all learn that simplicity is king, then they will begin to accomplish great results.-American Bee-Keeper. North Attleboro, Mass. Some Seasonable Hints. C. H. DIBBERN. The successful bee-keeper can find plenty of work to do now, that will greatly lessen the work when the busy time comes again. Now is a good time to work in the shop, by the side of a warm stove, and overhaul the empty hives and cases, and put all in good repair for another season. It is a capital time now to make up the sections for next season, put in the foundation, and store them away where mice and rats cannot get at them. They will be very handy next June. If some of the supers have a good deal of burr-comb sticking to them, see if the bee-spaces are not faulty. If your hives or fixtures need painting, now is as good a time as any to do it. If you will hunt up work now, it will "not hunt you so persistently next Spring. That all sections filled with honey-dew had better be put in cases by themselves, and used to stimulate the bees next Spring. Many bees will be lost the coming Winter by the "starvation plan," es W. Z. HUTCHINSON. President's Address. The labors and experiences of another season are ended, and its lessons largely learned. A bee-keeper of my acquaintance devotes this part of the year to a careful comparison of the main points in the season's experience with those of previous years. The facts are then still fresh in mind, and the conclusions are useful. In proof that he is eminently successful in his business, I might mention his name but for fear of his modest presence with us. So we, in Convention assembled, may compare our varied experiences during the season just closed, and, on doubtful points, gather wisdom more rapidly and cheaply than to work it out in our own bee-yards. With so large a crop in one part of our country that the markets are surfeited, while much of the remaining portion is begging for choice comb-honey, it may be that we shall learn a useful lesson on the distribution of our products. What are the hindrances to a better distribution of honey? 1. Our method of marketing, which hurries it off to market without waiting to learn where it is needed. 2. Freight rates are too high, and what is worse, honey is handled carelessly by railroad men, making it difficult to reach distant markets. After signing a release and loading nd unloading his own honey, the beeeeper is charged double the rates he ught to pay by these servants of the eople. A recent ruling, which compelled the hipper to cover the glass, that has been sed for a score of years, chiefly to ecure more careful handling, is a fair ample of the treatment we receive. This Association should vigorously proest against this unwarranted interfernce with our rights, and a committee hould be appointed to work diligently ntil reduced rates and better treatment re secured. We have had such a comittee in our State Association, but we eed a united effort throughout the counry. 3. Lack of uniformity of packages and rading is a barrier to a proper distribuion. What is accepted in one market is ot in another. Put up the honey to neet the demands of the market 'to vhich it is sent, has been the advice. This sounds too much like the cry of the ensational or Sunday newspaper man, vho says "we publish what the people lemand," and the paper gets down lower nd lower all the time. The people are ot always the best judges of their leeds, and often have to be educated. Starting with the two-pound box, glassed, we have successfully met and atered to the demand for one-pound ections, glassed and unglassed, full weights and light weights, paper cartons nd pasteboard boxes, wood and mica ides, thick (2-inch) boxes and thin Joxes, 1%, 1% down to 1%-inch, square Doxes and tall boxes, until there is the greatest diversity in packages, and it is lifficult for a dealer to duplicate an rder for any quality, unless it is from he same consignment. The producer las wasted his substance in continual changes, and, like the sensational editor, as been but a puppet to a senseless denand. We should adopt a standard, and if plassed honey looks better, carries beter and keeps better, why not gradully enlarge the production of this kind, nd, if possible, educate the consumer to uy honey in the standard box, or ion." 66 sec I have this year had calls for glassed oney from the West, and yearly the lemand for this kind is increasing in the East. In the reduction of duty on sugar, no ee-keeper, to my knowledge, was conulted, and fearing that, in the conemplated treaty between this country ind Spain we might again be over looked, I consider it my duty as an elected representative of the bee-keeping interests of this country, to address a protest early in the year to the State Department against the free admission of honey from Cuba. A copy of the letter is here appended: STARKVILLE, May 14, 1891. Hon. James G. Blaine, State Department, Washington, D. C. MR. SECRETARY:-Information reaches me that this country and Spain will probably agree upon a treaty of reciprocity. With such probabilities ahead, I desire to be informed, as representative of the bee-keeping industry, whether honey is upon the free list. If so, I wish at this early day to enter an emphatic protest against any change in the tariff. The contemplated removal of the duty on honey in the Spanish American treaty a few years since was met by a most emphatic protest from the 300,000 beekeepers of the United States of America. Much better reason have they now for protesting, since the great reduction in the price of cane-sugar, the chief competitor of liquid or strained honey. The removal of the duty on foreign sugar was followed by a bounty to our domestic sugar producers, even to the producers of maple-sugar, which is chiefly an article of luxury, and not a competitor of cane-sugar in the manufactures as is "strained" honey. Our legislators, who so kindly remembered the sugar growers, entirely forget the honey producers, whose product is but sugar under another name. In the manufacture of certain products honey is superior to sugar, although not so much superior but that we shall have to lower present prices in many cases to avoid the substitution of the inferior and cheaper article. Now, to permit Cuban honey to enter free, and still further reduce prices, would be an act of injustice that could hardly be forgiven. In fact, it is questionable whether our industry could survive, unless it should be that limited branch of it devoted to the production of comb and liquid honey for table use. Cuba is probably the finest honey producing country in the world, and capable of producing on immense amount of honey. So superior is it in this respect that several of our most intelligent beekeepers have left all of the advantages of their native land to engage in the production of honey there. Our industry is still in its infancy, and while we already produce many million pounds of honey, it is capable of an expansion so great as to wholly eclipse the present production of sugar from the sugar-cane. Four contiguous counties have produced in one season over four million pounds of honey, and this represents but a fractional part of what might have been gathered. Knowing well the genuine interest you take in the welfare of the people of your country, I am confident that you will give this subject the attention its importance deserves. Should there be any points on which you desire additional information, command me at your pleasure. Yours, etc., P. H. ELWOOD, President of the North American BeeKeepers' Association; also President of the United States Honey Producers' Exchange, and President of the New York State Bee-Keepers' Association. The letter I received in reply is not at hand, but it stated that the subject should have the attention its importance seemed to demand. I am glad to say that the treaty makes no change in the present duty. As the hand of our legislators has once been laid heavily upon us, and may be again, I suggest that a standing "watch-dog" committee on legislation be appointed. Also, if you think best, this committee may be authorized to draft a bill regulating the use of arsenical poisons on fruits and vegetables, by spraying and other processes. That bill should be in suitable form for submission to the several State Legislatures. The Committee on Medals have completed their labors, suitable dies have been obtained, and medals stamped for distribution to affiliated societies, as called for in the Constitution. Much credit is due to Mr. Thomas G. Newman, who worked on this committee with his usual vigor and ability. A few extra medals to be awarded for meritorious inventions, discoveries and experiments, would help our society and pursuit. The original experiments made by Professor Cook, on Fertilization by the Honey-Bee, read at Washington, is worthy of a medal, but probably our awards should be conditioned on having the report first made to this Society. I hope Professor Cook has continued his experiments so as to include buckwheat, as farmers have but little idea of the great benefit they derive from the honeybee in the fertilization of this grain. A medal should be offered for the best essay for general distribution on "The use of Honey in the Arts and Manufactures." When we know that a single firm of bakers within a few months bought $13,000 worth of honey to use in their business, we are led to believe that its use might be largely extended. Manufacturers have learned that certain chemical processes take place with honey that do not with sugar. In medicine honey might often be substituted for syrup, to the benefit of the patient, as it is more easily digested, and in lung and throat diseases it is a valuable medicine. Formerly it was the custom of our secretaries to prepare a copy of our proceedings for the press, or a copy from which reporters could make extracts. I advise that we return to this custom. Reporters are not familiar with beekeeping, and while we sometimes have excellent reports, usually those published in our dailies are not creditable to either bee-men or to the papers that publish them. I therefore ask that our Secretary furnish a report for the press. We are pleased to have with us in this meeting many representative bee-keepers who have not met with us heretofore. Mr. Frank Benton, who has nearly compassed the world in search of new varieties of bees, and to whom bee-keepers are under lasting obligations, expected to be here, but is kept away by sickness. One whom we have been accustomed to meet at our State Conventions is not here-Mr. G. H. Ashby-whom we held in high esteem for his superior qualities of head and heart, will be sadly missed on the floor of this Convention. P. H. ELWOOD. A vote of thanks was given to the President for his able address. A recess was then taken, when the following members paid the annual dues: J. S. Barb, Oakfield, Ohio. B. Wells, Fostoria, Ohio. E. Calvert, Valley Junction, Iowa. F. A. Hayes, Farragut, Pa. P. H. Elwood, Starkville, N. Y. O. L. Hershiser, 24 W. Seneca street, Buffalo, N. Y. W. E. Clark, Oriskany, N. Y. R. McKnight, Owen Sound, Ontario. |