444 ANNUAL REPORT 



Owing to the fact that a number of papers are published which 

 were not upon the regular program, we are compelled to omit 

 a number of interesting papers read before the Southern Minne- 

 sota Horticultural Society and the McLeod County Horticultural 

 Society, besides many editorial clippings of considerable inter- 

 est. We have exceeded the limit of space usually given to the 

 routine report and we make this statement in explanation of the 

 omission of the secretary's portfolio. We shall, however, make 

 room for two or three reports and papers which should appear 

 in this number. 



MINNESOTA STATE BEE ASSOCIATION. 



On the seventeenth of January last the Minnesota State Bee 

 Association was organized by several of the leading bee keepers 

 of the state, who were in attendance at the State Horticultural 

 Society. The officers elected were : President, L. H. Wilcox, 

 Hastings; vice president, Wm. Danforth, Eed Wing; secretary, 

 Wm. Urie, Minneapolis; treasurer, J, G. Bass, St. Paul. Execu- 

 tive committee, B. Taylor, Wm. Dwyer, J. G. Bass. The sec- 

 retary writes: 



"This association is organized for the purpose of bringing all 

 the bee keepers and others who are| interested in apiary culture 

 together, for their mutual instruction and improvement regard- 

 ing methods of managing bees, and other things that may be to 

 the advantage of them and to those about to engage in the busi- 

 ness. The first meeting will be held at the experimental farm 

 the same day the horticultural society meets, of which due 

 notice will be given." 



It is hoped that all who are interestedjn bees, either as pro- 

 fessionals or amateurs, will send their names to the secretary, 

 and lend their ^co-operation to this movement. Farm, Stock and 

 Home heartily welcomes this evidence of an increasing interest 

 in the refining and instructive industry of honey production, 

 and it hopes to see the association have a large and active mem- 

 bership. It also hopes that the music of busily working bees 

 will be much less rare in the Northwest.— Kt^-rn, Stoch and Rome. 



The following brief biographical notice is from the pen of Col. 

 J. H. Stevens, who has been an intimate" friend of Col. Eobert- 

 son since his arrival in Minnesota: 



