(i98 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Nov. 1 



Frey on the subject, "What a Woman can 

 do with Bee-keeping." 



The next paper was by F. B. Cavanagh, 

 of Hebron, Ind., on the subject, "Bee-keep- 

 ing as a Business." This created quite a 

 discussion, Mr. W. L. Coggshall claiming 

 that he could make a living with bees with- 

 out any trouble. Wm. Coswell, Jr., stated 

 that he took $1000 worth of honey from 140 

 colonies, one colony yielding 165 lbs. of fine 

 comb honey. Mr. J. E. Crane said that 

 bee-keeping as a business paid better when 

 extracted honey is produced. Texas was 

 considered the most successful State for con- 

 ducting bee-keeping as a business. Meet- 

 ing adjourned at 12:10. 



WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. 



The afternoon session was called to order 

 by Pres. York at 1 :50. Mr. Orel L. Hershi- 

 ser was appointed chairman of the Commit- 

 tee on Resolutions; J. E. Crane, chairman 

 of the Committee on Nominations; N. D. 

 West, chairman of Committee on Rules. 

 By the way, the following rules were sub- 

 mitted for conducting the convention: First, 

 that members only should take part; sec- 

 ond, that they should take part but once; 

 third, that the president should judge the 

 time to be taken by each member. 



J. L. Byer read a paper on the subject, 

 " Extracted Honey from Nectar to Market." 

 Mr. Byer is a very bright fellow, and his pa- 

 per was good. He said in part: It is better 

 to raise extracted honey for table use instead 

 of for manufacturers, as better prices are re- 

 alized. Strong colonies are essential. Full 

 sheets of foundation should be put in with- 

 in a day or two of the time they are to be 

 used, as foundation deteriorate.s when plac- 

 ed in the frames too far in advance. Supers 

 should be tiered up four or five high, as one 

 super does not give the best results. Honey 

 should always ripen on the hive. The sus- 

 picion of extracted honey is fast disappear- 

 ing. Mrs. Byer uncapped 30,000 lbs. of hon- 

 ey herself last season. 



The following points were brought out by 

 a discussion. By agitation dealers can be 

 induced to handle more honey. Glass in- 

 creases weight, but is better than tin. It is 

 advisable to sell honey by the dollar. (One 

 party said he sold 7 lbs. for one dollar.) If 

 one can not get more than seven cents for 

 honey he had better quit the business. 

 Never cut under a competitor in the open 

 market. 



The next paper, "Bulk Comb Honey and 

 its Future," by Louis H. Scholl, was read 

 by a stenographic reporter, as Mr. Scholl 

 was not present. Texas goes ahead on the 

 matter of bulk comb honey, which is form- 

 ing a new era in bee-keeping. This State 

 has also made some rapid strides in the last 

 year in putting up honey in jars with comb 

 in the center. The long narrow jars are bet- 

 ter, for by their use much more of the comb 

 shows. This paper was discussed very gen- 

 erally. Mr. Harry Lathrop was in favor of 

 bulk-comb-honey production in any locali- 

 ty. He said that honey heated and then 



strained would not candy quickly. Mr. Her- 

 shiser thought location a very large factor. 



A paper, '" Ripening Honey on Hive," by 

 W. P. Southworth, was read by N. E. 

 France. Mr. Southworth thinks it wise to 

 leave honey an entire season on the hives, 

 as it is well ripened and better flavored at 

 the end of the season. Flavor is a very im- 

 portant factor, and can be obtained only 

 after months of ripening. A humid atmos- 

 phere causes honey to ferment and spoils 

 its flavor. Unripe honey should be placed 

 in a large tank and drawn off from the bot- 

 tom. 



WEDNESDAY EVENING. 



President York asked Vice-president 

 Wright to preside at the evening session. 

 Mr. York read his address, in which he 

 made some recommendations that created 

 quite a lively interest; in fact, the sentiment 

 of this address pervaded every session that 

 followed. The following, in brief, are some 

 of his remarks: The twelve members on the 

 Board might easily be cut down to five, as 

 it takes too long for the General Manager 

 to write these various directors to protect 

 bee-keepers against the law. This is not so 

 necessary as formerly. To prevent adulter- 

 ation is also not necessary, as the pure-food 

 law attends to this. The essential thing is 

 to promote the interest of the bee-keepers. 

 State associations should be branches of the 

 National, and not independent as they are 

 now. Each State should elect one or two 

 members, and the committee thus formed 

 should be the law-making body of the whole, 

 the expenses being taken out of the general 

 fund. Minor matters, such as honey pro- 

 duction, marketing honey, etc., should not 

 be discussed at the National convention. 

 Co-operation in marketing honey, however, 

 would be a very profitable theme for discus- 

 sion. At every State meeting there should 

 be a member of the National Association 

 present. One good energetic man should 

 be employed to give his whole time to or- 

 ganizing bee-keepers — unless something 

 like this is done there might be a new na- 

 tional association promoted to take the 

 place of the present one, and this we should 

 not like to see, so we must be progressive. 

 There should be a good lecturer on the road 

 to tell the people something about bees and 

 their value, and also to advertise honey. 

 There should be a National brand on every 

 package of honey put up by its members. 

 The man who gives his whole time to the 

 work should know the condition of every 

 large market in the United States. At the 

 present time, some of the markets are over- 

 loaded while others are short. This paper 

 called forth tremendous applause. 



Mr. J. E. Crane, chairman of the Commit- 

 tee on Nominations, called a meeting of the 

 Nominating Committee, which was com- 

 posed of one member from each of the twelve 

 States represented, the writer representing 

 Pennsylvania. The following nominations 

 were announced: For President, Geo. W. 

 York, N. V. Facey; for Vice-president, W. 

 D. Wright, Thos. Chantry; for Secretary, 



