90 EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



cooperation of good men. In reality, to cooperate is to join forces, 

 and something more. It is to join hearts as well as hands and slip a 

 little soul in the bargain. One of the greatest examples of cooperation 

 is found in the making of a section of honey. A section of honey 

 is a pound of perfect sweetness encased in a wax structure that is a 

 triumph of architectural engineering. And it requires a little army of 

 bees working harder than Trojans ever worked, sucking the ambrosia 

 from clover blossoms to obtain this honey. 



According to Hodges, this pound of honey contains 7,000 grains 

 of sugar and each clover blossom provides about one-eighth of a grain; 

 so this pound of honey represents the sweet fruitage of 56,000 clover 

 heads. But each clover head is composed of about 60 flower tubes and 

 to extract the hidden sweet the bees must probe each tube and this is 

 where the cooperation of the bees takes place, and we see the greatest 

 lesson in the greatest of success-makers. 



But this will not suffice, the bee-keepers must cooperate by planning 

 and working together, for the good of the industry, and this is why 

 inspectors and bee-men should work together in the eradication of bee 

 diseases. And every bee-keeper should attend the conventions and 

 discuss and hear discussed the leading bee questions of the day. 



Then after weighing these discussions, adopt the things that will 

 best fit this condition. Remember that all theory will not work suc- 

 cessfully in your 9,piary, for conditions are so different in different 

 localities, and the various bee-keepers handle things so differently that 

 you must adopt some things, and discard others. This proves that 

 every bee-keeper should be a thinker. 



Still another way of cooperation is to study the bee periodicals 

 and make the thoughts of the best experienced men your thoughts. 

 Then after getting yourself up to the standard, start for your apiary 

 if you expect to gain the one object "More Honey." 



To do this put your apiary in good shape ; take better care of your 

 bees; strengthen them up and give them good winter protection. Dur- 

 ing the winter prepare your work for spring and with the early spring 

 be vigilant and pains-taking in the care of your bees and keep thi^ up 

 through the entire season if you expect good results. 



The Secretary. — Mr. President, I make a motion that Mrs. 

 Kildow's paper be put among the prize essays. 



The motion was seconded and carried. 



Mr. Heinzel. — The question box is empty. Has anyone any 

 questions to ask? 



Mr. Pitner. — I have two questions: Is cane sugar and beet 

 sugar the same, does it answer the same purpose? 



Another one is why, in driving bees out of a box-hive, why cannot 

 it be turned upside down. They say it will not work, I want to know 

 why. 



The President. — I will ask Mr. Pettit to answer the last ques- 

 tion. 



Mr. Pettit.^I do not know, Mr. President. I have not had 

 any experience in driving bees out of box-hives. I will not say that 

 we do not have them in our country. I cannot see- why it would not 

 work, providing the entrance is closed so that it is tight at the bottom 



