ConventionProceedings

Reported for the "American Bee Journal"

BY W. Z. HUTCHINSON.

The Michigan Bee-Keepers' Association held their 28th annual convention on Jan. 2 and 3, 1894, in the Common Council Chambers in the city of Flint. The convention was called to order by President Taylor, and the following members paid their dues:

M. H. Hunt, Bell Branch.L. A. Aspinwall, Jackson.Hon. R. L. Taylor, Lapeer.Wm. Anderson, Imlay City.H. D. Cutting, Tecumseh.W. Z. Hutchinson, Flint.August Koeppen, Flint.Earl Post, Atlas.E. M. Miller, Swartz Creek.M. S. West, Flint.H. Webster, Byron.H. L. Hutchinson, Mayville.E. G. Grimes, Vernon.Byron Walker, Evart.Chas. Koeppen, Flint.Andre Torry, Flint.M. McWain, Grand Blanc.L. H. Root, Prattville.Jas. Cowe, Imlay City.Jno. Cowe, Imlay City.

Pres. Taylor then read the following essay, entitled,

Apicultural Work at ExperimentStations.

If I appear to any to go into devious paths in a brief treatment of the topic assigned me, it is owing to the latitude which the topic itself gives me.

And first I ask, do bee-keepers want it? that is, do they want that sort of work at the stations? I am sometimes in doubt about it. I judge somewhat from the course of my own feelings in the matter. Before I became connected with the work and began to study into it, I was not inclined to esteem it over highly, but now if I were to express my thoughts and feelings freely, you would no doubt think me on the verge of the domain whose inhabitants are called cranks. Such is the effect of contact and acquaintance. Now, while the great body of bee-keepers has not the enthusiasm which close contemplation begets, yet if called upon they would vote pretty unanimously in favor of the work.

Then the question suggests itself, why would they vote for it? Provision has been made by the general government by which the agricultural college of each State is to receive annually a certain sum of money to be devoted to the support of an experiment station in the interest of agriculture and kindred pursuits generally. This sum was to be in the first instance, as I understand it, $15,000, and after that to be increased by the sum of $1,000 each year until the amount of $250,000 is reached, which is then to remain fixed at that point. That is, that is to be the course of affairs, unless the ideas of economy of the present administration at Washington require that this money be kept in the general treasury. This is a considerable sum of money, and apiculture is equitably entitled to all and more than it is now getting in this State.

Now is it simply because they are equitably entitled to it, that the bee-keepers would claim a just share to be devoted to apicultural work, like a school-boy unwilling that his fellow should use his sled whether he wants it himself or not? Or is it because they feel it is not only their right, but to their advantage? Have they such a lively faith in the probable value of results that they will scrutinize and study them? That bee-keepers should have an active interest in these matters is of the utmost importance if the work is to go on. Those in authority are generally quite ready to be directed by the will of those they serve, if they can learn certainly what that will is.

Can the work be made of real value? Take one item. For myself, I have become more and more impressed with the importance of a thorough knowledge of foundations designed for use in sections for the production of comb honey. Much has been guessed, but so far as I can learn little is yetknownon this subject. In the experiment of which I recently gave an account, one of the objects aimed at was to determine, if possible, if there was a difference among them, and, if so, what kind was of such a nature as to enable the bees to work it down most nearly to the thinness and character of natural comb. To me theresults were very satisfactory and encouraging, and this not because one kind was shown to be better than another, but because it appeared that a method had been hit upon by which the relative value of foundations could be practically determined.

But this, it seems, is only a beginning. Now that a door is open, many other questions come up at the very threshold and press for a solution. What makes the difference among foundations? Is it the character of the machine used in making, or the character of the wax? or is it the method of dealing with the wax? Then, if comb from foundation is made as thin as the natural comb, is it still more tenacious, or is it equally friable and tender?

Again, it is well understood that the natural comb is not composed entirely of wax, but that other substances are combined with the wax. Can anything be done to imitate the natural comb in this, and so make foundation even less subject to the charge of being an adulteration than it is at present? This suggests the matter of economy of wax in the use of foundation thus: What is the per cent. of wax wasted, not to say worse than wasted, when so made into foundation that the septa of comb resulting is 60 per cent. thicker than the septa of natural comb? or, to put it in another way, if foundation whose septa the bees will work down to a thinness of 90/10,000 of an inch is worth 60 cents, what is that worth whose septa the bees will work down to a thickness of 60/10,000 of an inch? Probably from 25 to 40 per cent. more. If a man uses much foundation, this should touch him at the tenderest point.

I try not to be carried off my feet by enthusiasm, perhaps, nevertheless, I may be. What do bee-keepers who stand off at arm's length think of the value of such investigation?

It will not do to say it is better not to agitate these and such like questions, it will only call the attention of consumers to the defects of comb honey as now produced, and injure its sale. It can hardly injure the sale of honey for consumers to know that we are trying earnestly to improve its quality, but if on eating it a heavy wad of wax forms in the mouth, that will do the work though the eater may hardly know exactly why. Nothing finds so ready a market as goods that give a fine sensation to the palate in every particular. We are bound to make our comb honey equal in every respect to that produced by the bees unaided by foundation, if we can.

I can think of nothing that would have a greater tendency to popularize the work of the station, and to excite the interest of the bee-keeping fraternity in it, than to enlist as many as possible in the matter of making suggestions as to subjects and methods of experiment, but more especially as tomethods. Subjects are plentiful and easily discovered, but simple and satisfactory methods are often slow to suggest themselves. I meditated upon the matter all summer before a practical plan for the comparison of combs made from different foundations presented itself; to another mind the first thought would have been the right one.

Now, I am at work endeavoring to discover a method of procedure for determining the cause of the wintering trouble. I want it to be so plain that every one will recognize it as the right one, and be compelled to accept its utterances as final. It is hardly necessary to say that it is still undiscovered, but perhaps our own journal, theReview, might furnish us the key by means of a symposium of numerous brief articles addressed to this one point.

Finally, as a closing paragraph, I want to take this opportunity to make a suggestion to the apicultural journals of the country. I am no journalist—I make no professions of knowing how to conduct a journal, and, I am not going to offer any advice on that point, but I wonder if some of them without detriment to themselves could not give a little more active assistance in sustaining the work by an effort to create a more general interest in its behalf. For that purpose, probably nothing could be better than candid criticism.

R. L. Taylor.

At the close of the essay Pres. Taylor remarked: "I suppose it is known that no appropriation has been made to continue this work for more than one year, and whether it is to be continued will depend somewhat upon the action taken by this meeting. It would also be well to have a committee appointed to decide in regard to the line of experiments that are to be conducted."

M. H. Hunt—In regard to the experiments of foundation, I would suggest that there is a great difference in wax, and this alone might account for much of the difference reported.

Pres. Taylor—I know that there is a difference in wax, but I could have all of the foundation made from the samebatch. I could make some from it, and then send some to you, some to Dadant, and to others.

Wm. Anderson—There is a great need of experiments in regard to wintering. There is no drawback so great as this, here in the North.

L. A. Aspinwall—I have experimented for 20 years with machinery, and the profits for the last five years have paid for all the experiments. If we could learn how to successfully winter our bees, there would be a saving of thousands of dollars.

Upon motion of Mr. Hunt a committee of three (W. Z. Hutchinson, L. A. Aspinwall and Wm. Anderson) was appointed to draft a resolution expressing the views of the convention, in regard to the desirability of having the experimental work continued, the selection of a man to do the work, and the appointment of a committee to decide in regard to the line of work to be done.

Next came an essay from the Hon. Geo. E. Hilton, on the

Advantages of Northern Michigan forHoney-Production.

That Northern Michigan has advantages over the southern or older portions of the State, none familiar with the productions of honey can deny. But to know the advantages of any locality one must be familiar with the flora. The first advantage to be derived from these newer localities is the early flow. In springs following winters of deep snows our bees are bringing in pollen and some from the willows before the snow is all gone. The soft maples soon follow, then the hard or sugar maple, from which we get large quantities of honey. I have said that I believed were the bees in as good condition to store honey as during the basswood flow, it would come in nearly as fast. The honey very much resembles maple syrup. I think, however, that it gets its color from the mixture of dandelion that comes in at the same time. As I prefer to have this all used in the brood-nest, I do not put on the surplus cases until the raspberry bloom opens, but I have extracted from the stronger colonies' brood-nests to give the queen room, and fed to the weaker ones, and if you have never tried it you would be surprised at the results with the weak colony.

From what I have already written, you will readily see that our bees are in the very best possible condition to store surplus at the opening of the raspberry bloom. The blackberry comes before this is gone, and lasts until clover, and clover lasts until basswood, so you see it gives a continuous flow of white honey from berry bloom to close of basswood.

Some years ago one of the oldest honey-producers in the State (one who lives in the village where they keep the insane and raise celery, and who wintered his bees in a damp cellar, and brought them out in the spring reeking with mold, and declared they wintered splendidly), came to make me a visit during the berry bloom, before clover was in blossom. We went into the yard, and he remarked that my beesseemedstrong. "Oh, yes," I said, "they are doing very nicely."

I raised the cover to one of my chaff hives—"What!" he said, "got surplus cases on?" "Oh, yes," I said; and stepping to the next hive I showed him one tiered up, and the top one nearly finished.

"Well, if that don't beat me! Why, I had not thought of putting on a super yet," he further remarked. On looking further, he admitted there were more bees in one of my hives than in any three of his.

That year I took 1,500 pounds of berry bloom honey from 65 colonies, but I never knew blackberry to produce so much honey as in that year. My average, that year, was 80 pounds per colony, comb honey.

Two years ago last September, I was sick the entire month. As soon as I could safely get out, I commenced a trip among the bee-keepers, partially for a visit, but principally to buy honey. The most promising fields I found were in Mecosta, Clare, Isabella, Montcalm, Osceola and Lake counties, and the honey I found, as a whole, was of the best quality I ever bought. At Martiney, in Mecosta county, I found a fine lot produced by a young lady. In Clare county I found nice lots, also in Osceola county. In all these counties they get their honey principally from raspberry and willow-herb. The willow-herb coming soon after the berry bloom, and lasting until frost. In all these counties I did not see a section of dark honey, and here comes the sequel to their successful wintering—the brood-chambers are well filled with this white, well-ripened honey, and very little pollen (the willow-herb produces but little pollen); the bees breed up so fast, and the hives are teeming full of good, healthy bees.

In these counties, in the spring and early summer, there are thousands of acres of wild berries, and in the latterpart of the summer and fall just as many of the willow-herb.

In Lake county there was less timber, and the golden-rod predominates in the fall, and there is not so much willow-herb. From Baldwin north there are acres and acres of golden-rod, that resemble fields of wheat. If I could be with you, I could tell you much more about this country than I can write, and it is the first time, I think, in 14 years, that I have missed a State convention.

I wish you all a pleasant and profitable time, which I know you will have.

Geo E. Hilton.

Byron Walker—I have been in the locality of the willow-herb one year, and it did not yield honey that year. I believe it is considered a sure producer of honey. In Clare county there are many asters, and bees have died in the winter. Perhaps the yield was light.

Chas. Koeppen—I believe that more depends upon ventilation than upon the stores. The foul air and moisture must be carried off. I have two apiaries—in one there was a good yield, and in the other but little.

H. L. Hutchinson—I have not had a failure with golden-rod in ten years.

E. G. Grimes—Alsike furnishes the most honey in my locality.

Mr. Koeppen—Alsike is like other plants. Sometimes it furnishes honey, and sometimes not.

H. Webster asked if there was any foundation in the assertion that some bees gathered honey from red clover while others did not.

W. Z. Hutchinson—I one year had 1,000 pounds of honey from red clover. It was the result of a drouth that shortened the tubes of the blossoms. I had blacks, hybrids and Italians in the yard, and they all gathered honey from red clover.

August Koeppen said that it would pay to move bees to some other locality only when there was nothing that could be gathered at home. Migratory bee-keeping is largely practiced in Germany.

(Continued next week.)

Decorative Divider

"The Honey-Bee: Its Natural History, Anatomy and Physiology," is the title of the book written by Thos. Wm. Cowan, editor of theBritish Bee Journal. It is bound in cloth, beautifully illustrated, and very interesting. Price, $1.00, postpaid; or we club it with theBee Journalone year for $1.65. We have only three of these books left.

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