156 



FIFTEENTH ANNUALr^REI*ORT OF THE 



President France — Do you see this 

 map here with all those dots on? That 

 means something. This afternoon we 

 will take up the subject of Bee Dis- 

 eases — our Inspector's report, and con- 

 ditions; and I want to say I am liable 

 to make a statement right after dinner 

 that will surprise you. 



Mr. Coppin — Will you wipe all those 

 spots out, Mr. President? 



President France — No. Say, I will 

 tell you what I said in Wisconsin last 

 week at our State Convention. 



"European foul brood in Wisconsin 

 is a blessing," and I believe it is true 

 In Illinois. You may think I am a 

 crank; I don't want to take up this 

 subject of foul brood until after* 

 dinner but I do believe from the depth 

 of my heart that there is nothing 

 that has come to American bee-keep- 

 ing that has been better for the coxin- 

 try, for future bee-keeping, than 

 European foul brood — as serious as it 

 is. 



A member — You would advise men to 

 introduce it into their communities? 



President France — I don't know but 

 what it would be the best thing possi- 

 ble. We don't wake up to these condi- 

 tions until they get into our posses- 

 sions. I have yet to find a man in Wis- 

 consin who has a siege of European 

 foul brood who will own to it he is glad 

 he has had it; but he does not fear it 

 any more; and he is a better bee- 

 keeper. 



President France — Do you elect a 

 representative to the State Associa- 

 tion? 



Mr. Bull — I don't believe we ever4 

 have. 



Mr. Kildow — I think it would be a 

 good thing if you did. 



President France — I think it oug'ht 

 to be; I think this Association ought 

 to have something to do with the State 

 Fair premium list. Wisconsin wants 

 us to name a judge. Get a practical 

 bee-keeper as the Judge of Bee and 

 Honey Department. 



The Illinois State Board want to 

 make their Fair better, and when you 

 co-operate together you do make it 

 better. 



President France — Are there any fur- 

 ther delegates or representatives to be 

 appointed? 



Mr. Baxter — One thing I would like 

 to have this Association do, is to pass 



a resolution asking the State Fair 

 Board to/erect a building exclusively for 

 bee-keepers. A resolution passed by 

 this Association would help us mate- 

 rially. The Illinois State passed a reso- 

 lution asking the State Superintendent 

 of Public Instruction to exact the 

 teaching of" the uses of honey in the 

 Domestic Science Department in all 

 the schools under his jurisdiction. We 

 would like a resolution passed, here, 

 for that. 



Mr. Coppin — The space that is allot- 

 ted to us for an exhibit at Springfield 

 is always filled to its full capacity, that 

 is around three sides — in the center it 

 is filled with vegetables, which is an- 

 noying to bee-keepers. 



So we want those vegetables taken 

 out, and the whole of that space given 

 us, or that we be furnished with a 

 separate building, that we can make 

 better exhibits than we have been do- 

 ing so far. 



There are some things they have cut 

 out that we did have — the extracting of 

 honey at the Fair; they took the prerii- 

 iums off on that. 



And the manipulation of the bee. At 

 the Fair that was taken away this last 

 time; we want to make it of more in- 

 terest along that line. We appointed 

 a committee for that purpose. I am 

 one of that committee. I should think 

 it would be a good idea for the North- 

 western to do what they can towards 

 helping that committee — so that we 

 may have more premiums, more space, 

 and make it more interesting; if the 

 Northwestern could pass some such 

 resolution, it would be a help. 



President France — The first year I 

 went to the Minnesota State Fair as 

 Judge, they had a wing of a building 

 for Honey Exhibits. 



There was a space left in the report 

 blank for suggestions from the Judge 

 for the betterment of the Fair for the 

 coming year. I filled nearly a page in 

 with suggestions; and one thing was, 

 I advocated a separate building. 



The next year I was back as Judge, 

 and I put it on again — a separate build- 

 ing — you need it. 



The State Association took the mat- 

 ter up and made application for a sep- 

 arate building. The result was, they 

 have a building that is about 60x120 — 

 just for bees "nd honey alone. They, 

 have raised the premiums to corre- 

 spond with the building and may I say. 



