The Portland daily press., 1886-04-30
perience showing that bee culture has been sue
cess with him.
Afternoon session.

Afternoon Session.
j. B. Mason. Esq. of Mechanic Falls, president
of the State Bee Keepers Association, was called
upon and presented the following address cover
ing his experience and ideas of bee keeping;
HOW TO MAKE BEEKEEPINGgPAY.
Some twenty five years since sdme IN z, posses
sion of small pamphlet on bees calleu beeneep ooti
ing in Nutshell and | think IL Was snrtbayy
named, as it did not treat on the suDJect iurtner
than to describe a particular hive anu tne ma a.
nipulation of it. The hive was patented anu s as
once procured the hive with right TO make ~
many as wanted, which was seven, for az lne
close of the first season l satisfied myself IL was
not rightly constructed, and so changed ior @ @tnS
hives, and proved no better, and dropped tne
business for some twelve years, when L again
possible. l had fondness for bees especially for
honey, and from this time left no stone unturned
that would give me any knowledge on the sub
ject. subscribed fer the American bee Journal
Gleanings in Bee Culture. knew had sruck a
bonanza, for when man is determined to obtain
knowledge upon any subject Just give hun access IS
can soon know all that is known or unknown
about the business, | procured pro- l Longtreet's
that could get, and read myself fun of bee
theory. l went to see all my friends and ac-
qualntances that kept bees, but as none of them
knew ANYTHING of scientific bee culture was
compelled to rely on my books and papers, max
ing careful selection of the methods that seemed
most approved OF and praetleed by the great
Yields OF honey and had honey to sell by the ton
| studied their ways and endeavored to take les
sons of them found it was very essential to
study the sources from Which | expected to re-
ceve my supplies.
For several years have made careful memo
randa of the time of blooming of all the plants.
trees, and flowers on which bees forage, and the
length of time they last, and amount OF honey and
polin the bees obtain from each, which enables
me to know with reasonable certainty what the
bees are DOING or can do, according to the state
of the weather and the prevailing forage, either
noffxv 1IaA II fuAI
subject of bee forage should have been in con-
tnual doubt and uncertainty. bought an ex-
tractor; adopted the Longstratte hive, had comb
honey stored in one pound sections. Extracted
put up in small packages, and kept in stores, and
never offered to undersell the market. asked
and got top prices and have learned to keep honey
in prime condition. 1 never ship any in bad con-
dition and l cultivate home market by keeping
pure honey for sale the year year round & perhaps
comb and find an increasing demand for it. re-
commend all to buy extracted honey.
First-Because it is cheaper and as sweet as
Second-Because can obtain larger yields of it
than comb honey and can make more money pro-
ducing it, and use it myself all the time.
In closing, let me say, let no one Halter nlmSen
that he can learn bee keeping in a day, Tor II ne
does he is sure to fail Each season imparts new
lessons and it seems as if | were just beginning
to know the cause of many things about bees ana
honey; and do not hesitate TO say that hrmiy
believe can make more money out OF bees and
honey with capital of $1,000 than average farm
ers on five times that amount, taking the seasons
as they come; but / do not wish TO n0lQ OUT any
inducements to any one to embark in the business,
for know of no calling that is as accessible to
so many, and at Which so few make money, owing
to their lack of proper attention to the subject.
Mr.. Mason was kept upon his feet long time
answering questions of Importance, and from
answers which are given below much useful in
formation was gained.
Bees should not be fed from outside the hives
artificial swarming, remove two frames OF comb
from the comb chamber, one containing the
queen, and place the same in a new hive, placing
the new hive on the old stand, and removing the
old hive to new stand. The old hive will raise a
new queen. 1t would be better, however, to in
troduce a fertile queen at once; dividing should
be done only at the time when the hive is about
ready to swarm, or the combs well filled with
brood; colonies when queenless produce only
drive brood. The premiums on honey at State
and local fairs should be awarded upon the merits
OF the exhibition, the neatness of style and con-
venienee and safety in handling.
Rules A B in beekeeping is the best for the
beginner while Cooks Manual is the best publica-
tion for general uses. Roots "Gleanings In Bee
Culture' is useful publication. Extreme cold
weather will granulate honey. Granuation is a
good test of honey. Bees should never be fed
while storing honey, unless upon extracted honey.
1t would be OF advantage to the bee keepers OF
the State if they would adopt uniform hive and
Frame
Remarks were made by DR.. Getchell, Rev. Mr.
Herring and Mr.. Stewart upon various topics.
1t was voted to invite the various organizations
of beekeepers in the State to meet with this asso-
citation at its annual meeting at Lewiston in Sep
tember
The meeting adjourned, subject to the call of
the executive committee.