THE AMERICAN BEE JOLHWAl. 



ever fail to say to me, " Do just as you please in burning 

 and transferring-." 



Mr. Porter — That is just the point where we can do good. 

 Qualifications are not the point. A qualified man may not 

 have the time. That mess I referred to I cleaned up myself, 

 and now it is gone. At this time of year bee-keepers are 

 not very busy, and can do that. But I believe that when 

 the inspector finds a bad mess he ought to inspect. 



PURE HONEY 1,AW — COMMITTEE REPORTS. 



Mr. Morehouse — During the last session of the Legis- 

 lature the legislative committee, of which I was a member, 

 prepared a Pure Honey Bill, and were successful in getting 

 it enacted as a law. Mr. Rauchfuss and Mr. Thompson 

 assisted us, and as they were on the ground, residing in 

 Denver, they can perhaps tell you more than I of the eiforts 

 made in putting it through. 



F. Rauchfuss — We tried to secure as good a law for the 

 protection of honey as could be had. We provided our- 

 selves with copies of the pure food laws in other States in 

 framing it, and secured an attorney to see that it was prop- 

 erly drafted, and had the attorney general also to correct 

 the draft, and an attorney to push its passage before the 

 Legislature, and secured the co-operation of bee-keepers 

 by circulars. All this involved great expense, and some 

 bills are still to be paid. Pres. Harris helped us by his 

 canvassing of legislators during a visit to Denver, and 

 Fred L,. Stone, also, was very useful. Since its enactment 

 I have had applications from various parts of the United 

 States for copies of the law, showing that it is recognized 

 as a good thing. 



Mr. Thompson — The attorney we employed was an ex- 

 member of the House, who had served for three terms, and 

 was thoroughly posted on legislative routine. His knowl- 

 edge saved the bill on two critical occasions. Mr. Murto, 

 the member of the House who introduced the bill, also saved 

 the bill, and gave other effective help. Those of us who 

 watched over its course were made to realize thoroughly 

 that the only way to get legislation is to stay right with it 

 all the time, for if we do not attend to it no one else will 

 for us. 



Mr. Harris— The workers for the bill not only put in 

 their time, but also their money. They should be remem- 

 bered in the resolutions. 



Reporting for the committee on Transportation, of 

 which I am a member, we, this year, fur the first time, got 

 recognition from the railroads. We secured a half-rate 

 from all parts of the State to attend this convention. Noth- 

 ing is so marked as our getting this recognition. Bee- 

 keepers were the only ones who got this rate. The horti- 

 culturists were not recognized. The ice is now broken, and 

 I hope the attendance will be larger. 



Mr. Thompson— Reporting for the committee on the 

 Constitution, Mr. Lytle is the chairman, but he is not pres- 

 ent. A year ago we had done some work toward drafting a 

 new constitution. I made copies embodying the work done, 

 and gave one to each member of the committee. Mr. Lytle 

 wrote out full comments on the same, and sent them to me. 

 I then made the type-written carbon copies, putting Mr. 

 Lytle's corrections and additions in the margin, opposite 

 the sections to which they referred, and sent a copy to each 

 one of the committee, requesting them to make their com- 

 ments and return within a specified time, but received no 

 reply from any of them. Mr. Lytle and I have done our 

 part, and it now rests with the other members of the com- 

 mittee to explain why they have not done theirs. 



Mr. Aikin— To start with, I must state that I am not in 

 sympathy with the movement to revise the constitution. I 

 feel that since we have had our market association the State 

 association is doing very well as it is. I received the copy 

 referred to, and fully intended to answer it, but press of 

 work prevented. If it came to a vote, I should vote against 

 revising the constitution. The best thing to do now, is for 

 the members of the constitution committee to get together 

 and make a report. [Agreed to.] 



Mr. Rhodes — I have been trying all the year to find 

 the other members of the historical committee, and have 

 only just discovered that Mrs. Booth is the chairman. I 

 have all the matter that was furnished me a year ago. 



Mr. Gill — Put that among the unfinished business. 



Mr. Porter— The Arbitration committee report that no 

 complaints were made to them the past year. 



The election of officers then took place, as follows : 



President, J. U. Harris ; Vice-President, M. A. Gill ; 

 Secretary, H. C. Morehouse, of Boulder ; Treasurer, Mrs. R. 

 H. Rhodes; member of Executive Committee, F. Rauchfuss. 

 (Continued next week.) 



[ Hasty's Afterthoughts | 



The " Old Reliable " seen through New and Unreliable Glasses. 

 By E. E. Hastt, Sla. B Rural, Toledo, Ohio. 



FOUL BROOD — EXPENSIVE IGNORANCE. 



Ignorance is apt to be expensive, and calling an inspec- 

 tor 300 miles to see a clear case of something else than foul 

 brood is a plain illustration. At best, there will be some 

 cases needing an expert to decide, but we should most of us 

 keep well enough posted to recognize the evident something 

 elses, as well as most attacks of the dread destroyer itself. 



As to the degree of care we must exercise against foul- 

 brood germs, I can be patient with considerable differences 

 of opinion ; but it nettles me to see the same individual hold 

 such contradictory positions when he advises others. Con- 

 sistency here, seems to me, to be a quite necessary sort of 

 jewel. If I'm told that the hive itself, which has had foul 

 brood in it for a year, is all right as it is, but the innocent 

 bystander who has done nothing at all but touch the hive 

 with his hands — his hands must be disinfected — well, I 

 might say, "See here, mister, etc.!" 



Formalin as a hope seems to be fading. Last season's 

 experience of Inspector France would hardly encourage less 

 capable operators to fuss with it. Page 742. 



LARGER OPENING FOR HONEY-CANS. 



If one can reinforce thunder with milder sounds, I'm 

 willing to add my amen, to that voice like " t'under " call- 

 ing for a honey-can that can be handled and got into better 

 than the current one. Page 744. 



SCATTERING SWEET CLOVER SEED — HONEY-BARRELS. 



Some years ago a well known Western bee-man owned 

 up to scattering sweet clover seed ; and now Mr. Pouder 

 confesses, also. Two guilty parties, eh ? But when he tells 

 of the poor-flavored honey, and the greenish tint, and the 

 lack of any surplus nine years out of ten, it reminds one of 

 an old saying. They used to say a sinner would work 

 harder to get to the bad place than the saint works to get 

 to Glory. Does that about fit us? Haven't we been sow- 

 ing ourselves out of pocket ? And mightn't we profitably 

 "quit our meanness?" The rest of mankind are pretty 

 nearly unanimous against sweet clover, and indignant 

 against those who spread it. How came so small a section 

 of the race as we'uns to have all the wisdom ? 



For a barrel of honey to lose 80 pounds in weight, and 

 the owner to let it go as a mysterious but inevitable short- 

 age, sounds hardly believable. Isn't "60 to 80 " in that 

 case a misprinted 6 to 8, I wonder? That much we might 

 lay mostly to the absorbent power of dry staves. Page 745. 



THREE STATES FOR CO-OPERATION IN HONEY-SELLING. 



So, we now have, at least three States to watch and see 

 how joint action in honey-selling gets along — Colorado, and 

 California, and Texas. May they all get what they want — 

 and want only what they have a right to get. Page 745. 



A COLONY WITH NON-SWARMING FORTITUDE. 



The colony that first reared and then killed and carried 

 out 42 young queens without swarming deserves — well, a 

 ticket for their fortitude — to crib an old joke. Still, the 

 colony with no need for such fortitude doeth better. Page 

 748. 



SOME WHITE-ROBED TEXAS "CRITTERS." 



Of a certain queer old ballad, I recall that it said among 

 other things : 



" O what is that, that critter there, 



A swimmin' off so fasti" 

 " It's nothiDg but a porpoise, sir, 



Tliat's just been swimming past." 



I incline to demand information of Mr. H. H. Hyde con- 

 cerning " that critter there " that has him by the collar on 

 the picture page of No. 50 — that spirituelle cloud of fluffy 

 white with some slight evidences of a living and angelic 

 being inside of it. Are such " critters " plenty in Texas ? 

 And do they develop from the invisible world and grab a 

 fellow unawares ? Do they let go after awhile ; or do they 

 hang on permanently ? In case one had to go through 

 Texas on urgent business, is there some kind of strong net- 



