14r2 ANNUAL REPORT 



of Amber cane, and also with the topics discussed by the Horticultu- 

 ral Society. He was much interested in tree culture and everything 

 in the fruit line. He had raised four acres of Amber cane in one year. 

 That was twelve or fourteen years ago when we had no improved 

 machinery like we have now, therefore the experience would not be 

 of much benefit in that line. The Amber cane syrup that is now made 

 is very fine indeed He hoped the industry might be greatly developed 

 in this State. Thanking you, gentlemeu, for your attention, I will 

 not take up any more of your time. 



Prof. Porter. I want to say a few words on this bee question. I 

 am also from Vermont. I commenced the growth of bpes. and had 

 the fever badly about thirty years ago I got it from Mr. Langstroth. 

 I lived almost next door to him, and I took my lessons in apiculture 

 from him. I prosecuted the business quite successfully for some five 

 years, and I think of all the hobbies I have ever had, I have derived 

 more real enjoyment from apiculture than from anything else. 

 There is more in the management of bees to interest a man, whetlier 

 he is a scientist or not, than almost any other industry I know of. 

 The whole economy of the hive is something truly wonderful, and 

 it is something that is constantly stimulating investigation from the 

 very first time the bee takes its flight in the spring, until it goes into 

 winter quarters in the fall. 



I concur in what has been said ou the subject, but I wish to ap- 

 proach it from another standpoint, and that is the horticultural. 

 When passing through the State, I have found thousands of acres of 

 white clover scattered here and there, and apparently hundreds of 

 acres of blossoms where there was a single honey bee. If it had been 

 in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland or Virginia, in 

 such fields you would have seen swarms of honey bees buzzing around 

 you, gathering nectar from these thousands of flowers. This sur- 

 prised me. Then again, when I have come to look at the fruit trees 

 that have been planted out covered with blossoms, I have wondered 

 why there were not more bees kept for the purpose of accomplishing 

 complete fertilization. And I have often thought that perhaps one 

 reason why we did not succeeil better in fruit culture was because 

 we had neglected the development of the bee industry 



We have plenty of paisturage for bees here iu this State, and I hope 

 this coming season there will be an effort made to greatly develop 

 this branch of farm industry for the benefit of the people generally, 

 and especially in the interests of horticulture. It seems to me that if 

 more attention was given to the business it would tend greatly towards 

 making Minnesota a fruit-growing State. 



