THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



375 



The Michigan State Convention. 

 The Michigan State bee-keepers will 

 hold their annual convention in Big- 

 Rapids, Dec. 25th and 2bth. The tirst 

 session will be on the evening- of the 

 25th. These dates were chosen be- 

 cause we could secure reduced rates on 

 tha railroad at that time. Mr. Geo. E. 

 Hilton has been sending out some an- 

 nouncements. One has come to me, 

 and it covers the whole ground so well, 

 and tells you wh3' you ought to come, 

 that I copy it entire. Mr. Hilton 

 says : — 



M3' Kind Patron and Friend :— I 

 want j'ou to take this as a special and 

 personal invitation to attend the State 

 Bee-Keepers' Association, to be held at 

 Big Rapids, Dec. 25 and 26. Special 

 low rates have been secured at the 

 Northern and Western Hotels with 

 headquarters at the Northern, where 

 probably the first meeting in the even- 

 ing of the 25th will be held. After 

 that we expect the attendance will be 

 so large that we will meet in their 

 beautiful Court House, which has been 

 granted us free of charge by the cit}'. 

 You can get special Holiday rates on 

 any train leaving j^our station on the 

 25th, but don't fail to start that day. 

 And if you will drop me a card saying 

 you will be there, I will see that j'ou 

 have a good room, and you may 

 signify' who if anybody you would 

 prefer to room with, as we shall want 

 to do lots of visiting outside the con- 

 vention, which will hold all day and 

 evening of the 26th. A good program 

 is being provided, and many of the 

 most prominent bee-keepers of the 

 State, Canada and other States are 

 expected. There will be one public 

 meeting, in which Ernest E. Root, of 

 Medina, Ohio, will give an exhibition 

 of handling bees in a wire cage; — this 

 to the novice is something wonderful, 

 just put your foot down and saj' I am 

 goiug, and then be there. Western 

 and Northern Michigan Bee-Keepers 

 will not have this opportunit3' again in 

 a long time, and I invited them at 

 Jackson last year knowing you would 

 want to come. Now, don't disappoint 

 me, but come and bring your friends, 

 and ask your local newspapers to give 

 optic* of the poeeting. 



What I Wish the Review to Do and Be. 



You know that I wish to teach you 

 to be be better bee-keepers; to produce 

 more honey with less labor, and sell it 

 at a higher price; bnt through all of its 

 pages I hope there will run a spirit of 

 enthusiasm, encouragement, sympathy 

 and friendship. I wish it to scatter 

 sunshine where ever it goes. To the 

 man bowed down with sadness, I would 

 have it come like the arm of friendship 

 laid lovingly over the shoulders; to 

 him who has suffered losses, and for 

 whom the future holds little hope, 

 I would have its coming be like the 

 morning sun, driving away the dark- 

 ness, scattering the mists, and paint- 

 ing the hill tops with a rosy glow; to 

 the man lacking in courage, who does 

 not dare put his metal to the touch, 

 fearing failure, I hope that the read- 

 ing of the Review will fill him with 

 enthusiasm, and rouse up his soul 

 within him to do and to dare. The 

 man who is hopeful, courageous, per- 

 severing and successful — with this man 

 the Review would clasp hands in his 

 happiness, and bid him Godspeed, 

 that others seeing his achievements, 

 ma3' take courage and do likewise. 



Not only do I wish the Review to 

 point out the best course for the bee- 

 keeper to follow, but, having pointed 

 the way, I would have it encourage, 

 inspire and cheer him until he follows 

 that course. 



Still further : I wish each of my 

 readers to become a matt in the truest 

 and highest sense, and I would as 

 gladly help him in this direction as I 

 would to help him to become the best 

 possible bee-keeper. 



The Review has no room for bicker- 

 ings, quarrels nor harshness; in- 

 stead, it desires to draw its readers 

 closer and closer together in the bonds 

 of friendship, to rouse and cheer them, 

 make them more successful bee-keep- 

 ers, and happier, broader and better 

 men. 



