ILLINOIS STATE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATIOiN 



6S 



"We are trying to get that rope 

 through the fence." "You can never 

 pull it through that way; get together 

 and see if you can't pull it through." — 

 And the rope came. 



Many of us have been trying to do 

 this thing all our lives, pulling against 

 each other to try to accomplish some- 

 thing, when the way would be to pull 

 together, and see what could then be 

 accomplished. 



Mr. Stone — I move that -we have a 

 reading flrom Mrs. Kildow and then 

 adjourn. 



Motion seconded and carried. 



Mrs. Kildow gave a very interesting 

 reading. 



Convention adjourned at ten o'clock, 

 until nine next morning. 



Convention convened Thursday 

 morning, October 31, 1912. 



Opened by the president. 



Pres. Dadant — To begin with, we 

 had better have the report from our 

 State Inspector. 



Mr. Kildow — Before submitting my 

 report to this association, I will try to 

 tell y'ou something of the work that 

 has been done. 



First, an inspector must learn to 

 handle men as well as bees. We at- 

 tempted to take up the work where it 

 was left ofE last year — to answer all 

 calls, and give such assistance as was 

 needed. The calls usually came from 

 bee-keepers who knew there ■ was 

 something wrong with their bees, and 

 wanted assistance and instruction. But 

 as the main object of our work is to 

 get these diseases cleaned up, we did 

 not stop here, but inspected many 

 apiaries where the owners did not 

 know whether they had the disease 

 among their bees or not. 



After we examined the apiaries, 

 wherever the disease was found and 

 the owner was willing to clean up, 

 printed cards were left for him to sign 

 and send to me, stating when his 

 apiary was cleaned up. 



In cases where deputies have re- 

 ported disease to exist, I have written 

 personal letters asking how they were 

 getting along, and if their apiaries 

 were cleaned up, getting written state- 

 ments with their signature. These 

 statements, as well as the records of 



the deputy work, are kept on file after 

 a copy has been made in my record 

 book. 



I have nine or ten deputies at work 

 and each deputy is required to make 

 semi-monthly reports on blanks suit- 

 able for filing, and these contain suffi- 

 cient data, that I might have a good 

 history of the work done. This record 

 gives me the number of apiaries 

 visited, number of colonies, number of 

 diseased apiaries, kind of disease, how 

 treated, and conditions of apiary. 



In regard to the disease — where foul 

 brood was found in a dangerous and 

 incurable condition, we either burned 

 or the owner destroyed it, but where it 

 could be treated, treatment was done 

 or recommended. 



I think the results obtained by in- 

 spection will be in proportion to the 

 education and instructions the bee- 

 keepers receive. And with this in view, 

 we have had several field days of 

 instruction where the bee-diseases are 

 shown, discussed, and the manner of 

 treatment is shown. 



In these meetings some see the dis- 

 ease and become able to detect it for 

 the first time. 



The first of these meetings was held 

 at Casey. One at "Watseka, and Presi- 

 dent Dadant was with us. One at St. 

 Anne, and on August first the Bee- 

 Keepers of Northern Illinois met at the 

 Apiary of C. W. Lampman of Rockford, 

 Illinois. 



Present at this meeting was N. E. 

 France, State Inspector of Wisconsin, 

 the State Inspector of Illinois, and 

 Deputy Arthur Lee. This meeting was 

 well attended and many bee topics dis- 

 cussed, especially those concerning 

 brood diseases. 



Special mention should be made of 

 the talks by N. E. France on the sub- 

 ject of American Foul Brood and its 

 treatment. 



And judging from the interest shown, 

 this was a very beneficial meeting and 

 will advance the bee industry. 



Other meetings were held at Carter- 

 ville, and Smithboro, but on account of 

 rain, the meeting at Smithboro was 

 not a success. 



But we still feel that much good is 

 derived from these meetings. 



I will now submit a summary of the 

 work done from April, 1912, to October, 

 1912: 



