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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Oct. 27, 1904. 



and at both the moroing and afternoon meeting's ample 

 food along these lines was presented for digestion. The 

 proceedings of the morning session were chronicled yester- 

 day, and the afternoon session was a continuation of the 

 morning meeting. 



NON PROFESSIONALS INJURE HONEY MARKETS. 



The first matter taken up was that of non-professional 

 bee-keepers putting honey in the market in a non-salable 

 condition and selling it at low prices, thus injuring the 

 trade. The statement was made that many farmers who 

 keep only a few hives retain for their own use the best 

 honey, and if there is a surplus the poor honey is marketed 

 for whatever they can get. In most cases this honey is un- 

 fit for the table or for any use at all. 



It was agreed that a campaign was to be entered upon 

 by the members of the Association, by which they hope to 

 educate the people in this matter, and in regard to the 

 standing of the market. Also, to induce these farmers and 

 others who sold such honey to produce and market only the 

 best quality, thus insuring the public first-class goods, 

 and fixing an universal price for the honey. 



DRONB-COMB IN THE BROOD-CHAMBER — BEST HIVE. 



The reading of the following question elicited no little 

 discussion : " Should drone-comb be permitted in the 

 brood-chamber of a colony of bees?" The majority took a 

 negative stand, allowing the only condition as follows : 

 That a little may be allowed in the two outside combs. 



Another question was, " Which is the best hive to use 

 for comb or extracted honey 7" W. B. Moore maintained 

 that the Danzenbaker hive was the best, advancing the 

 argument that the brood-chamber permits of more sections 

 above, and yet allows the same amount of space below, anf, 

 having closed end frames, makes practically a double- 

 walled hive for winter — features very much desired in a hive. 



Pres. Johnson declared the divisible brood-chamber 

 hive, for either comb or extracted honey, to be a superior 

 hive, and one to be preferred, because it is much easier to 

 manipulate, especially the supers and frame independently 

 of each other ; and also because it permits easier passage 

 for the bees between the two sections of the brood-chamber. 

 It was left to the members to decide for themselves which 

 was best, as both are excellent hives. 



REMOVING SURPLUS HONEY. 



" How to remove the surplus honey from a colony of 

 bees ", was the next topic discussed. The use of bee- 

 escapes seemed to be the choice of the majority of the bee- 

 keepers, the exception being C. Wellbrock, who said he 



preferred to carry supers of honey into a dark room and 

 allow the bees to escape through an open window. 



A general discussion of these questions and other sub- 

 jects of interest to the bee-keeper followed, after which the 

 matter of where and when the Association should hold its 

 next meeting was broached. It was decided to meet in this 

 city again, the date chosen being the first Wednesday in 

 April, 190S. 



Many specimens of comb honey, extracted honey, and 

 appliances used by bee-keepers were on exhibition. The 

 honey industry is increasing with each year, as the bee- 

 keepers find a ready market for their products at their own 

 doors. Although many of the bee-keepers of the Associa- 

 tion have from 5 to 200 colonies of bees, they are able to sell 

 almost every bit of their honey in their immediate neigh- 

 borhood, yet great quantities are shipped to Chicago, St. 

 Louis, Kansas City, and to the smaller towns and cities. 



There is a possibility of a honey famine this winter, as 

 the yield was a poor one this year, hardly one-third of a 

 crop. When it is taken into consideration that there will 

 be little or no honey shipped East from California, where 

 the honey crop is almost a total failure, the bees having 

 died from starvation, and the wholesale dying of the bees 

 in Wisconsin and Michigan, among the largest honey-pro- 

 ducing States in the country, because of the severity of the 

 winter, it is very probable that this report may be credited. 



Within the jurisdiction of the Western Illinois Associa- 

 tion there are bee-keepers who have many colonies of bees, 

 and who make it a business to produce honey for market. 

 C. Wellbrock reported having secured a crop of 2500 pounds 

 of honey from 28 colonies, which is considered remarkable 

 by the bee-keepers under the prevailing conditions. 



J. E. Johnson has 66 colonies which yielded only 2200 

 pounds this season, which he states is about one-third the 

 regular annual yield. Similar reports came from others of 

 the bee-keepers, and of all Mr. Wellbrock is the only one 

 who secured a good honey crop. 



There are from 30 to 40 apiaries conducted by members 

 of the Association, and the territory includes a great por- 

 tion of western Illinois. Thus, it will be seen what may be 

 accomplished by the Association. 



During the meetings a number of new members were 

 secured for the Association, including Dr. Neal, of Knox 

 College, and a number of bee-keepers. Among those pres- 

 ent were F. N. Johnson, U. G. Dickerson, Abner Reynolds, 

 J. H. Moore, W. J. Radcliff, Geo. W. Cave, C. Wellbrock, 

 W. B. Moore, J. E. Johnson, Louis Springer, J. N. Irwin, 

 Arthur Bridge, Joseph Hillman, James Paden, F. E. Brooks, 

 E. D. Woods, S. R. Sheeler, and a number of others. 



Benefits of the National Association. 



BY C. P. DADANT. 



THE recent convention of the National Bee-Keepers' 

 Association has shown us bettter than ever before the 

 great advantages that the bee-keepers can expect to 

 derive from a National Association, as soon as they sup- 

 port it in sufficient numbers to make it a power worthy of 

 the pursuit. It is true that our numbers are now much 

 greater than formerly, for we have existed for years with 

 only the membership that could be brought together at one 

 meeting each year. But we are as yet nothing to what we 

 should be. Our membership should embrace the great 

 majority of honey-producers throughout America. The 2000 

 members of the present day should number 20,000 within a ( 

 few years. Things of great magnitude are not done in a 

 single day, and we can not expect to reach this result at 

 once, but we must put our best foot forward, and let all 

 those interested in the pursuit understand that it is to our 

 mutual interest to join hands. 



The things that have been achieved are but few com- 

 pared with what we can achieve sooner or later. But let 

 me recapitulate what may be expected if our Association 

 covers tne entire bee-fraternity : 



We have already protected members unjustly perse- 

 cuted by cities or tndividuals, but it remains for us to pro- 

 tect all our members against fraud. The sale of anything 

 but honey under the name of honey should be strictly pro- 

 hibited, and we should see that this rule is enforced. On 

 the other hand, we must enlighten the public as to the false- 

 hood of asserting that comb honey can be, or has ever been, 

 manufactured artificially. We can also protect our mem- 

 bers, by allowing them to refer all their customers to the 

 central headquarters in regard to the purity of their product, 

 and tests which may be desired as to this, making the cus- 

 tomer perfectly safe in his purchases. 



Literature enlightening the public as to the value of 

 honey, and as to the services rendered by the bees in Na- 

 ture in the fertilization of flowers, can be best spread 

 through our headquarters. This question of advertising 

 our products and our bees under their real colors is not to 

 be neglected. 



But the greatest good that we may expect out of a union 

 of all our forces is the formation of a tjusiness association 

 which will undertake the sale of the bee-products on a large 

 scale. When such a union is formed, the sale of honey and 

 its price will no longer be controlled by the fluctuations of 

 a more or less abnormal market, but \>y a wise regulation 

 coming from the central management, which will be able 



