Jan. 7, 1904. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 





Convention Proceedings 



in§sj 



THE COLORADO CONVENTION. 



Report of the Proceeding's of the Colorado State 

 Bee-Keepers' Convention, Held in Den- 

 ver, Nov. 23. 24, and 25, 1903. 



BY H. C. MOREHOUSE, SEC. 



The first day of the convention was devoted almost ex- 

 clusively to the business interests of the Association. 



The report of the Treasurer showed no funds on hand 

 since the payment of the expenses of the joint meeting of 

 this Association and the National, in 1902. 



The Secretary's financial report showed total receipts 

 since the last annual meeting of $51.00 ; total expenditures 

 $49.25, leaving a balance to the credit of the Asssociation 

 of $1.TS. The Secretary is allowed a salary for his services 

 of 20 percent of the membership receipts, but on account of 

 the financial condition of the Association, he presented no 

 bill for salary. 



PRESIDENT HARRIS' ADDRESS. 



I congratulate you to-day, in this our twenty-fourth an- 

 nual convention. When we look at the wonderful resources 

 of our State, we should feel proud that we live within its 

 boundaries. We are first in precious metals, first in the 

 great sugar-beet industry, first as to climate, perpetual sun- 

 shine, and God's greatest blessings, health, happiness, and 

 prosperity. When we look at our immense interests, coal 

 sufficient to supply the world, cattle on a thousand hills, 

 gold, silver, and lead not yet developed, manufacturing, 

 agriculture, horticulture, apicultural and the other diversi- 

 fied industries, and all of these industries yet in their in- 

 fancy, we can all proclaim what a great future Colorado has 

 before her. 



Many of you may not be aware of the great honey-in- 

 dustry of the United States, but from reliable source the 

 production of comb and extracted honey and beeswax ex- 

 ceeds $25,000,000 a year. Our own State alone, with a fair 

 crop, will produce about 100 car-loads, or a net price to the 

 producer of something over 5300,000. When you take into 

 consideration the possibilities of irrigation in this State, 

 and the many ditch enterprises now in contemplation, the 

 interests of the horticulturist, the farmer and the bee-keeper 

 can be added to tenfold. 



In the near future, on the Western Slope, there will be 

 put under irrigation between one and two hundred thousand 

 acres of land, with water in abundance to irrigate every 

 foot of this soil. It may not be out of place at this time to 

 state that when the fruit season shall have closed the great 

 Grand Valley, and the western slope of the Gunnison, will 

 have shipped 1200 cars (a conservative estimate) of peaches, 

 pears, apples, cherries, plums, etc. We should make known 

 to the world that there is still room in Colorado for thou- 

 sands of families, and locations that can be gotten without 

 intruding upon the rights of any one. 



I would call to your attention the pure honey law that 

 was passed at the last session of the Legislature, and give 

 proper recognition to those who assisted in getting this law 

 where it rightfully belongs on the statute books. I would 

 have you remember the Colorado Honey-Producers' Asso- 

 ciation, that has done much to equalize and protect our in- 

 terests-throughout the State. We should also be mindful 

 of the courtesies and kindness extended to us by the officers 

 and members of the Denver Chamber of Commerce. 



I would bring to your minds the matter of the World's 

 Fair at St. Louis next year. We should have an exhibition 

 there covering our industry that the Colorado people could 

 well feel proud of. 



The railroads should not be forgotten, especially those 

 centering in Denver, for the kindness shown us in giving 

 us a rate for our meeting. 



I hope that in our deliberations we will all conduct 

 ourselves in such a manner that will go down in history as 

 a credit to ourselves as well as our State. This Association 

 must not take any backward step. Let our motto ever be 

 "Progression." t,et our banner fly to the breeze with the 

 words, " Patriotism, Justice and Honor." 



Thanking you one and all for the courteous treatment 

 at your hands as your President, I trust that we may all 

 remain steadfast to the interests of the Colorado State Bee- 

 Keepers' Association. Jas. U. H.irris. 



APPOINTMENT OU Four, BROOD INSPECTORS. 



Mr. Morehouse — As our foul brood law is now it is pos- 

 sible to appoint as bee-inspector one who is not qualified. 

 There should be a provision in the law to guard against 

 that. He should pass an examination before constituted 

 authorities. 



Mr. Carlzen — The inspector should send out notice when 

 he expects to be at such apiary. People do not like an in- 

 spector to come in their absence and tear up things. 



Mr. Aikin — The law is quite defective, but I don't know 

 whether it is advisable to revise it. 



Mr. Gill — I fear doing anything with the law for fear 

 of losing all we have. Bee-keepers themselves should form 

 a great vigilance committee to see to its enforcement. 



Mr. Porter — I feel just so. It is probably better not to 

 undertake it, but to reform our inspectors instead of the 

 law. I have nothing against the inspectors, but they some- 

 times don't do the work they should. There is a tendency 

 for them to get as many hives on their list as possible in 

 order to draw pay. One of the worst cases I ever knew was 

 examined by three inspectors in succession, and nothing 

 done by them. A lot of foul-broody combs were stored in 

 a granary. The owner told plausible stories to the inspec- 

 tor, saving he would clean it out, but did not. When that 

 inspector's term expired the new inspector was told the 

 same, and was equally inactive. So with the third inspec- 

 tor. Finally I went myself. The place had been re-rented, 

 and the tenant had thrown out the stuff and strewed it all 

 around, honey and all, and the bees had been roaring over 

 it since October. At another place, of which the inspector 

 had said the yard was not as good as it might be, I found 

 brood in dead colonies standing out. Such work as that 

 ought not to be allowed. 



J. B. Adams — The great difficulty is, the inspector 

 doesn't have a fair chance. There is too much in one 

 county for an inspector to see to. There was a similar case 

 in Boulder county. The man did not know he had foul 

 brood until his bees were dead. The inspector can not fix 

 such cases until they come before his observation, and he 

 can not put his attention to all such cases in a whole county. 

 In one case I notified an inspector two or three times, but I 

 could not get him. Consequently, every season some 

 develops. 



Mr. Aikin — I am one of the bad inspectors. One day I 

 went out inspecting, and at one place found one foul-broody 

 colony alive, two dead recently, and one that had been dead 

 two years. A new tenant was on the place. I asked him 

 to take care of the matter. He said no. I said, " If you 

 don't, I will." It was late evening, and I wanted to get 

 home. He had a fire where he had been burning some rub- 

 bish, and I set the hives on it. Then I looked up the law 

 and found I had overstepped it, so I took a witness and went 

 to the owner, bought and paid for the hives, and then told 

 him what I had done. The great majority of inspectors 

 can't afford to leave their own bees and go out inspecting, 

 and when fall comes it is not the right time to inspect. The 

 one remedy for the situation is to get it in such shape that 

 those of us who have bees won't have to leave them in order 

 to inspect. The problem is a serious one. Really, the first 

 thing to do is to get all the bees into the hands of practical 

 men. A State inspectorship might be better so that the 

 office would give a man his living. 



Pres. Harris — We might get knocked out if we tried 

 anything with the Legislature, and some man with a politi- 

 cal pull might get the State inspectorship. If you were 

 sure of an honest man, it would be well enough. 



Mr. Gill — A State inspectorship is impracticable in 

 Colorado. There are as many bees in Boulder county as 

 in the whole State of Wisconsin. The best we can do is to 

 "jack up " the inspectors. At the same time, the inspectors 

 have done lots of good. 



Mr. Rhodes — We had better not undertake to amend the 

 law. We must attend to its enforcement ourselves. Every 

 one knows of a source of infection. It is impossible for the 

 inspector to do everything. There is a clause in the law 

 which makes it obligatory on any one who knows of foul 

 brood to report it. If, as bee-keepers, we stand up and do 

 our duty we will make it a success. 



Mr. Spencer — We have not had an inspector in our 

 county (Boulder) for about a year, and I have been doing 

 some missionary work myself. The owners would hardly 



