The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-10-18
BEE KEEPERS CONyEN-
TION.
SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. Is, 1882.
Editors Herald:

convention convened at the
jouncil House October 5th, at I p. m.
President A. NJ. Mu3ser called the
meeting to order. Prayer was
,ffered by Mr.. c. A. Mods, of Gun
lison.
Tooele County was represented by
Secretary T. w. Lee. He said in
rooele City this spring, they started
with sixty-fve colonies of bees, in
creased ninety-six, giving total, on
October 9Th, Of 161 swarms in good
condition; their honey season had
been good; had extracted 5000
and taken considerable
comb honey this season; swarming
began the 18th of May. Some Of our
bee-keepers practice natural, while
others practice artificial swarming
no foul brood in the county; could
not report other parts of Tooele
County. Grantsville had no organ
ization, but would like to be organ
ised. Hoped to be able to give a
more full report at our next meet
ing. Although novices at the pusi-
ness, they felt encouraged.
Vice-President Samuel Mckay
went into winter quarters with
seventy-six hives of bees in good
but after the very hard
winter and late spring, he could
only number fifteen, and some of
them in very weak condition, and
as his dead stock left plenty of
honey and comb in their hives, he
had increased them to nearly the
original number. Had taken out
very little honey this season. His
colonies were well supplied with
stores, perhaps ninety pounds in
some of them. He thought about
90 per cent. of the bees in this
county had died in the past year.
There were so many changes last
winter, and the late spring was the
cause of so much loss.
Mr.. Jesse Murphy, of Mill Greek,
has lost 100 swarms out Of 107. Mr..
George Baily, John Morgan, Will
ford Woodruff, w. O. Smoot
and others had lost many,
and some, all of their stocks.
Mr.. Murphy's losses alone, at $12
per colony, would amount to $1,000.
A question was asked by Secre-
tary Lee, could a September colony
of bees be successfully wintered by
giving them young brood and
honey? E. Stevenson said that two
years ago, late in September, he
strong swarm and gave
them to one Of his young boys. The
night he hived them was SO frosty
that few struggling bees outside
the hive persisted. Some young
brood and honey from other hives
were given them, and now, besides
considerable honey, it has
three good colonies. Even new col
Onies have been made in September
successfully in this way, while
drones continue, not being killed off
by the workers.
Mr.. Luff, of this city, had seven
teen swarms last fall. They
dwindled by the late spring down to
ten, after which, four others died,
leaving him with only six. He has
increased them to nine swarms and
taken only 100 pounds of honey this
season.
Bishop G. A. Madison, of Gunni-
son, Sanpete county, said there were
twenty colonies of bees in that
place all in good condition The
bee inspector of Manti had visited
them and pronounced them healthy
Could not say how much honey had
been taken.
Mr.. Edward Stevenson, of Salt
Lake county, said that his expert
.ence in the mortality of bees during
the past hard year exceeded any
previous one in this Territory, bu
could not agree with Mr.. Mckay
that 80 per cent. had died in thii
county. He thought full so PEI
cent. would cover the losses. II
East Mill Creek five Of his colonie
had Wintered on a plank right OF
the ground the snow drifted agains
them and remained there until lat
in the spring, keeping them con
fined while other bees exposed t.
the warm rays Of the sun woult
often fly out, but the cool al
and snow on the ground chilled
them, resulting in their loss b,
hundreds, dropping into the snow
thus depicting the colonies; and tn
numerous changes during our un
precedented last winter and back
ward spring left many colonies S
weak where they survived at al
that they were unable to get til
advantage of early fruit bloom
Hence the late increase resulting il
a very short honey crop this season
and where there had been thousand
of pounds of honey last year, Their
were only hundreds of ponds thi
year. During the past two year
previous to this one [ have takel
tout 1900 pounds Of honey, Will
this year only about 500 pounds
the result of those five swarnls COL
fined in the snow drift. They cam
out strong and vigorous and hav
increased to fifteen, and given abou
400 pounds of honey this season.
Bishop Bills, . of South Jol
dan, Wintered quite nun
Der of colonies Of bees
surrounded with dry chaff. he boxe,
UP about four inches of chaff aroun
them leaving their entrance open
he had taken off the top oil the hive
leaving the hives with cloths eau!
giving them the much needed uppe
ventilation but keeping them nous
proof thus they were protected fror
the flattering warm rays of the sun