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manner in a limited space," and thinks he will be able to allow but one hundred square feet of space for each State exhibit.

It has somewhat dampened my ardor to think that our large and growing industry is likely to be assigned a back seat, as regards space in which to show itself. Why, the Colorado State BeeKeepers' Association has already applied to me for a thousand feet of space, and if Colorado needs that amount of space, what will be done with California, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, New York, and other large honey-producing States?

My idea is that the State Bee-Keepers' Associations of the different States making an exhibit should ask their State Boards of Commissioners for the Columbian Exposition to put the matter of preparing and making the exhibit in their hands,

and that the Associations appoint committees of one or more thoroughly competent persons to prepare and make the exhibit, and care for it during the Exposition. The Michigan, Ohio and Colorado State Associations have already appointed committees for this work.

The expense of preparing and making the exhibit should be provided for by the State Commissioners, in the same manner as that for other industries. It seems to me that no special appropriation should be asked for our especial benefit, but, as we represent one of the important industries of our respective States, we should not allow ourselves to be slighted or ignored.

As each State will have a building of its own in which to exhibit its special products, it will devolve upon the beekeepers of each State to prepare an exhibit there, as well as in the general exhibit of all the States.

I am not sure what will be the best plan for securing the honey, etc., for exhibition. I believe the Colorado Association has suggested, or asked, the bee-keepers of the State to put aside for the Exposition any especially fine honey they may secure during the coming season. As exhibits will have to be on the grounds by April 1,1893, it will be necessary to do whatever is done in the way of securing comb-honey in fanciful and attractive shapes during the coming season. If every bee-keeper can be induced to put aside the very finest of their crop, to be used at the Exposition, there will be a great abundance, and an individual interest will be secured in the success of the undertaking. Of course, it will be expected that each one will be remun

erated for what they may furnish. We cannot be expected to work for glory alone, but pride should be a large element in urging us to use our best efforts to make our specialty show off to the greatest advantage.

It seems quite desirable, if not an absolute necessity, that the Exposition managers at once appoint some one to have charge of the Apiarian Department, to whom we could apply for space and instructions as to what we can do, and what will be required of us, and it seems to me that this Association should take the matter in hand, and see to it that we are recognized, and have a representative to speak and act for us.

Would it not be well to appoint a committee to look after this matter? And this same committee should have authority to act for us, and in our name, in any matter needing our action, at any time when the Association is not in session. Should the Superintendent, through sickness or death, or any other unavoidable cause, be incapacitated for the discharge of his duties as Superintendent, the committee should have power to act for us, and recommend the appointment of some one to take his place, and the Superintendent should be made an ex officio member of the committee.

I had hoped and expected to be with you at this "annual feast," but circumstances beyond my control prevents it, but I send you my cordial and kindly greeting, and wish you all a pleasant and profitable time. A. B. MASON.

The following essay by Mr. George H. Knickerbocker, was read at the afternoon session, on

Points of Excellence in Bees.

"The Italian bee-what the principal points of excellence, and to which qualities should we give the preference with a scale of markings as for neat stock?"

The Italian bee, as its name implies, is a native of Italy, and was first successfully imported to this country in 1860. Since that time the race has been multiplied by American breeders until you can scarcely find a colony of of our black, or native bees, that do not show indications of an admixture of Italian blood; yet large numbers are still imported each year, which is a good proof of their superior qualities.

Although we get two distinct types from Italy, the dark, or leather-colored Italians in the north, and the smaller and brighter yellow in the south, the three yellow bands have usually been considered the sole test of purity.

I was also told a few years ago by a gentleman of undoubted integrity, who had been there several times, that there were dark bees in Italy, those that did not show more that one or two yellow bands, unless filled with honey and held to the light. To me this was an explanation of the great diversity of the markings of imported bees and queens.

Let us next briefly notice some of their principal points of excellence as compared with the black or native bees. The workers have longer tongues, and work on blossoms that the natives do not, and often store white honey when they are working on buckwheat; also, quite frequently, they gather a little honey when the natives are consuming their stores; and towards the close of the honey harvest, as the workers emerge from the cells, they gradually fill the cells in the brood-chamber, and, on account of this trait, no race is so well supplied with Winter stores.

This sometimes results in a less number of finished sections, but where a beekeeper has a large number of colonies to look after, and when taking into considertion the valuable time required in fixing the feeding the others up, to get them in condition to stand our rigorous Winters, I consider it a desirable characteristic.

They work earlier and later, are more active, less inclined to sting, and protect their stores better. The queens are more prolific; this, combined with the greater activity of the workers, causes them to breed up quicker in the Spring, and, in consequence, they are in better condition to take advantage of the early honey-flow. At least this has been my experience with the dark or leathercolored Italians; while with the very handsome 4 and 5-banded strain it has always been the reverse.

In answering the next question, "To which qualities should we give the preference," a great deal would depend upon the bee-keeper and the circumstances. If the apiary is run exclusively for profit, but little attention need be paid to anything except working, wintering, and comb-building qualities; while in the apiary carried on for pleasure, as well as for the dollars and cents, due attention should be given to gentleness and color; and, again, if a few colonies are kept just for pleasure and recreation, then docility and color may be the qualities largely allowed to predominate. That it would be desirable to have a scale of markings which would be universally accepted as a standard for The American Italian bee will, I think,

be admitted by nearly all who are present at this meeting, and it seems to me that some action can be taken at this time, as well as at any subsequent meeting, by whch a standard can be established, so that queen-breeders will have something to guide them in the selection of their breeding stock, as the breeders of domestic animals have a standard by which to judge every breed and race.

By way of illustration, let us imagine the breeders of the black-faced varieties of sheep, having no model to breed from, and who did not continually reject those animals that did not come up to the standard in both form and markings! If, after a few years of such hap-hazard breeding, Mr. A, who keeps Shropshires; Mr. B, Hampshiredowns; Mr. C, Oxforddowns, and Mr. D, Southdowns, were to turn their flocks together, what would be the result ? You could not find a man who would be able to select every sheep and put it in its proper place.

Are we not, as breeders of Italian bees, in this very same predicament? Is there any reason why we should not have some standard by which the average bee-keeper would be able to determine whether or not his bees with three yellow bands contained an admixture of Cyprian or Syrian blood?

It is now an indisputable fact that these races and their crosses have many times been sent out for pure Italians, and that many of the so-called pure Italians show at least a trace of Cyprian or Syrian blood.

As to a scale of markings, I have nothing to offer that I consider anywhere near perfect, but as a suggestion I offer the following:

In a scale of 100 points I would divide them as follows:

Honey gathering and comb-building qualities, 40.

Wintering, 25.
Breeding, 15.
Temperature, 10.

Color-a. Workers, 4.

b. Queens, 3.

c. Drones, 3.

I hope, after the discussion which is to follow, that a committee will be appointed, and that they will be able to some standard for the agree upon American Italian bee, and that it will be adopted by this association.

GEO. H. KNICKERBOCKER.

[The discussions which followed the foregoing essays cametoo late for this week's issue. They will appear next week with the rest of the Report.-ED.]

CONVENTION DIRECTORY.

1892.

Time and place of meeting.

Jan. 5, 6, 7.-The Ontario, at London, Ont.

W. Couse, Sec., Streetsville, Ont. Jan. 6, 7.-California State, at Los Angeles. C. W. Brodbeck, Sec., Los Angeles, Calif. Jan. 8.-Indiana State, at Indianapolis.

Geo. C. Thompson, Sec., Southport, Ind. Jan. 18, 19.-Colorado State, at Denver.

H. Knight, Sec., Littleton, Colo. Jan. 20, 21.-The Minnesota, at Owatonna. Wm. Danforth, Sec., Red Wing, Minn. Feb. 10, 11, 12-Ohio State, at Cincinnati. S. R. Morris, Sec., Bloomingburg, O.

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Nectar Secretion.

The past season was the poorest for honey that I have seen in ten years. There was plenty of bloom, but for some reason that I cannot explain, nectar did not secrete freely, except for a few days in September. I commenced the season with 40 colonies, and have 55 now packed for Winter. My surplus combhoney was 2,000 pounds, and very little of it will grade No. 1 by the new standard. WM. SHIER. Marlette, Mich., Dec. 19, 1891.

No Fall Honey.

There was no good honey gathered in this part of the country. There was no Fall flow, and consequently there were no young bees, and there are very few bees in the hives. The bees had to be fed. JOHN A. WARD.

Conroy, Iowa, Dec. 21, 1891.

Ground Cork for Winter Packing.

I shall use ground cork for packing all my bees next year. I have used 15 pounds, and find that it is superior to all other substances for Winter packing.

Oakfield, N. Y. GEO. M. FULLER.

Bee-Scouts Locating a Home.

In reply to Mr. T. F. Kinsell, as to whether I have seen bees cleaning out hives placed in apple trees, I will say positively that I have seen such. The reason why I know that the same bees entered the hive which cleaned it out, is that I followed the stream of bees, or scouts, to where they were hanging on a tree, for the scouts always keep up communication with the swarm. After discovering the swarm I went back to the hive and watched for the bees to come out, which they did in about an hour. This was at 11 a.m.; in the afternoon I went back only to find about a quart of bees hanging there, which were left after hunting other locations. The hive in the apple tree gave the best proof. There the scouts were in the majority. Sometimes scouts will clean out a tree, but the bees never come there, the majority of scouts having found a more favorable location, but the minority are left, for want of knowledge of the whereabouts of the swarm. They remain where the swarm was until they dwindle away, and finally disappear, only to leave the limb speckled with comb, showing where a large swarm was

hanging. Will brother bee-keepers test this matter by putting a few hives next season in trees; in the timber is a desirable place. Nail a board on the hive, and then nail the board to a stay 10 or 15 feet from the ground, or higher if convenient; go to it every day or two. Put a comb in the hive with a handful of rotten wood, and watch the scouts carry out the wood, drop it and fly back for more. In order to get the opinion of the Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association, I put this question on paper last month, and gave it to President England, to have it voted on. All rose to their feet, affirming that bees do locate a home, when the scouts find one. Kenney, Ills.

GEO. POINDEXTER.

Officers for the Union.

"I don't know" but that Dr. Miller has expressed my views in regard to the National Bee-Keepers' Union as well as I could do it myself. When I sent my annual dues I did not vote at all, for, said I, the majority will vote for the old officers, because they do not know who else to vote for. Now, I do feel that the general amnagement should stay where it is, but the other offices could be passed around, and I believe that it would give new life to the Union. In carrying out friend Miller's suggestion, it is the easiest thing in the world to copy his nominations. No; that would not be carrying out his suggestion, so here goes for more nominations: W. Z. Hutchinson, Hon. R. L. Taylor, Dr. A.B. Mason, Samuel Cushman, C. W. Dayton, E. L. Pratt. These may not all be members of the Union, but they are good men, and ought to be.

GEO. E. HILTON.
Fremont, Mich., Dec. 24, 1891.

Warranted Queens.

Something is radically wrong with the queen-breeders in this country. For the past two seasons I have purchased warranted and tested queens, and out of the lot but one was prolific. Had I bought cheap and inferior queens, I would find no fault, but when I pay the price asked, I have the right to expect a good article, and not a fungus growth. The fault did not lie in the introduction of the queens, for I followed explicitly the most approved (?) methods; nor would I grumble or grow "cranky" over an occa sional loss, but an absolute failure is more than flesh and blood can endure. Pur

chasers who spend their hard-earned dollars would be better pleased with less theory, and better queens. Madison, Nebr. A. C. TYRREL.

Bees in Arizona.

Our bees have done very little either in swarming or honey. Cattle eat nearly every thing outside, and as there are but a few acres fenced, our prospects for the future are poor. While bees pay as well as other things, on the average, I think some claim too much for them. We make vinegar out of dark honey. J. H. BROWN & SON.

Prescott, Arizona.

Bees and Grapes.

In reading my bee-periodicals and some of the local papers, I see that there is considerable said from time to time about bees damaging grapes, as well as some other kinds of small fruit. I claim that it is all "bosh," unless the fruit is first injured in some way or another. I make this assertion from my own experience in growing grapes in the same yard with a number of colonies of bees, at the same time using the grapes as shade for the bee-hives. As my attention has been called to this matter at different times, I have given it much thought, and watched it most carefully.

In the last three years there has been only two instances where the bees have worked on grapes in the least.

In the first instance the damage was caused by the chickens picking and eating the lower branches, or clusters, that were hanging low down within their reach. The second instance was caused

by a very severe hail-storm, which bruised or punctured the grapes enough to expose their seeds, enticing the bees to work on them. This lasted only for a few days until the bruises became seared over. You will observe that in both instances the fruit was first injured before the bees would have anything to do with it, and I do not believe that bees will hurt grapes or other kind of fruit unless it is damaged by something else. Using them as I do for shade for beehives, large clusters of the delicious fruit hang all around the hives-yes, and even within a few inches of the entrance to the hive. This must certainly give a pretty good chance to test the matter. In conclusion I will say that I really believe that the most of this complaining is caused by prejudice. B. E. RICE. Boscobel, Wis., Dec. 23, 1891.

The Bee-Keepers' Union.

Glancing over the report of the National Bee-Keepers' Union, I notice that there seemed to be but a small addition to the previous membership, which I cannot understand, in view of the assertion that there are 300,000 bee-keepers in the United States. On the basis of 600 in the "Union," and the assertion above, those who are members stand as 1 to 500 to those who are not. Now, in view of this, it seems to me that the census of real bee-keepers must have been terribly misrepresented, or else our brother bee-keepers are holding back, not from a lack of money, but from a sense of feeling assuring them that they are safe and sound individually in their own neighborhood, and that all money spent in this direction would be lost. there be any unphilanthropic apiarists in this line, they remind me of those agricolists, who, having become aged, refrain from planting fruit trees on the plea that they will not reap the benefits accruing therefrom. God grant that such selfish motives do not exist amongst bee-keepers, a class of men for whom I have the profoundest respect and admiration. I am loth to believe that beekeepers would see their fellows suffer if they could avert it. I am afraid they have not as yet been touched so as to see the profound necessity of joining. Cincinnati, O. H. K. STALEY.

California State Association.

If

We, the undersigned, realizing the necessity of combined effort on the part of the honey-producers of the State of California, and the need of further legislation for the protection of this industry, and proper representation at the World's Fair in 1893, favor the organization of a California State BeeKeepers' Association, for the purpose set forth, and to represent the bee-keepers' industry of the whole State of California. To accomplish this object we issue this call, and urge the attendance of every interested person, both male and female, at a meeting to be held at the Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles, on Jan. 7, 1892, at 9:30 a.m. We purpose organizing, on a liberal basis, excluding no proper person who is interested in apiculture. Prof. A. J. Cook and A. I Root will be with us on this occasion. Signed by J. F. McIntyre, Cyrus Kenney, R. A. Holley, R. Wilkin, L. E. Mercer, G. B. Woodberry, W. A. Norton, Allen Barnett, M. H. Mendleson, Benj. A. Rapp, J. W. Ferree, N. Levering, G.

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A room in which to keep comb-honey in good condition should be as dry as possible. During pleasant weather a window protected by a wire screen, to keep out bees and other winged insects, should furnish ventilation. When the weather is damp the window should not be closed, but a little fire should be started in the room to drive out the dampness. A high temperature will not injure honey. If the temperature could be continually maintained up in the nineties, the quality of the honey would be improved.

As the bees always keep their honey in the dark, it seems to me that the room should be kept dark, in which honey is stored.-Apiculturist.

Skunks Eat Bees.

After narrowing the entrances to the bee-hives this season, I noticed that the blocks used for contracting were pushed aside from some of the hives nearly every morning. I first supposed that this was due to the severe winds that prevailed, but closer examination showed the grass in front of the hives trampled flat, which gave me the idea that my bees were falling victims to skunks.

A few nights ago, at midnight, in moonlight, I caught one in the act of bumping at the front of the hive and eating the bees as they came forth. Despite the cold and frost, the colony gave those peculiar cries of distress, showing them to be utterly demoralized.

When this is continued night after night, an hour or two at a time, at a season too cold for the bees to fly, the agitation and gorging with food would be enough to destroy the colony, even if the skunk got but few of the bees.

From experiences I have had, I believe that thousands of colonies on low stands are destroyed during the Fall and Spring (especially in mild Winters) by skunks, and that they injure bees more than all other enemies combined.-J. H. ANDRE, in the N. Y. Tribune.

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