252 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



No. 



Demonstrations held lo 



County Agent Conferences .... ."> 



Exhibits at county fairs 12 



Business men's meetings 25 



County Board meetings !) 



Farmers' meetings 105 



Land Clearing Schools JJS 



REPORT OF EXTENSION AVORK IN APICULTURE. 



BY EDWIN EWELL 



The educational program of tlie Extension Specialist has consisted 

 of many personal interviews with beekeeper.s ; jiarticipation in a series 

 of "beekee])ers' schools" in thirty counties, each school lasting two days; 

 local meetings helrl in various counties at wliicli demonstrations were 

 given whenever possible; ami autcnnobile tours, wliicli olt'er one of the 

 most desirable me.th(>ds of demonstration. Tlie tour is' advertised in 

 advance by the olllcers of the county associations, and beekee]»ers assend)le 

 at the starting-point with their automobiles, visiting a sei'ies of apiaries 

 during the day. Each apiary as visited is examined by the entire party 

 and demonstrations made of the treatment of diseases, requeening, making 

 of Increase and various types of equipment. In this manner, tlirough 

 comparison of various apiaries, the beekeepers in attendance recognize 

 superior methods of manii)ulation and the advantages of using up-to- 

 date equii)ment. At the same time discussion of problems and mani])ula- 

 tion help to discover the individual needs of beekee]iers in tlie ])arty. 

 Proper methods of manipulating supers, care of the lioney crop and its 

 pre]>aration for market were given much attention ; the proper manipu- 

 lation of new swarms and reasons for iswarm control were also stressed. 



Plxhibits were dis]dayed at four fairs: Detroit, Saginaw, Bay City and 

 Midland. 0})portunity was presented to meet a large number of bee- 

 keepers in each case. The College exhibit consisted of samples of lioney 

 from various sources, mounts of honey plants, wall charts and samples of 

 foulbrood, all of which excited much interest. In fact it was necessary 

 to give an almost continual lecture during each day of each fair. Oppor- 

 tunity was presented to make plans for extension work aiiiong new pro's- 

 pects. It has been our policy to instruct beekeepers regarding bee diseases 

 and to encourage each beekee})er to becoine an exjiert in its detection and 

 treatment. Inasmuch as disease is spread throughout the Lower Penin- 

 sula with the exception of the northern tier of counties, we hope that 

 in each 'coinmunity at least one or two men, having becoine expert in 

 handling disease, may serve as leaders in influencing others to adopt 

 better methods. 



Work done in five counties in the Tapper Peninsula indicated a won- 

 derful op])ortunity for the development for the bee keeping industry 

 there!. Although there are few commercial beekeepers in the Ujiper Peiiin- 



