July, inifi. 



American IBae Journal i 



Mention was also made of the standardi- 

 zation of honey containers, particuhirly 

 small glass containers. After the re- 

 port, discussion followed wherein it 

 was particularly emphasized that bee- 

 keepers give more and more attention 

 to supplying their customers IG ounces 

 for a paund package and 8 ounces for 

 a half pound package. It is being con- 

 sidered by the association to adopt a 

 label which the members of the asso- 

 ciation may use. This attached to their 

 products indicates their affiliation with 

 the local society, and is thought to be 

 of advantage in selling local products. 



A most interesting address followed 

 by A. W. Yates, of Hartford, Conn., on 

 the " Spring Handling of Bees." 



A committee consisting of the presi- 

 dent as chairman, the three vice-presi- 

 dents, and the secretary-treasurer was 

 appointed to wait upon the managers of 

 the agricultural fairs for the purpose of 

 obtaining proper recognition of bee- 

 keepers for displays of beekeeping pro- 

 ducts at these fairs. It was left to the ex- 

 ecutive committee and the secretary 

 particularly to arrange for the society 

 to hear Mr. C. P. Dadant, of Hamilton, 

 111., when he visits the East next August. 

 This will constitute the field meeting 

 of the association. 



The meeting adjourned shortly be- 

 fore 5 :0U o'clock, pm, there having 

 been a good attendance. 



B. N. G.\TES, Sec. 



Nichigan Fairs and Premiums. ^The 



West Michigan State Fair at Grand 

 Rapids has increased the premium list 

 in the Apiarian Department from $60 

 in 1915 to $600 in 1916. The Michigan 

 State Fair at Detroit has increased the 

 premium list from $132 in 1915 to $575 

 in 1916. This has been the result of the 

 Michigan State Beekeepers' Coopera- 

 tion and many members supporting the 

 special committee in this work. This 

 illustrates just one instance of how 

 beekeepers' associations can do much 

 effective work. 



Not content with this, however, a 

 special committee of the association 

 after a large amount of work has 

 formulated a model list of premiums 

 for fairs together with a table of stand- 

 ards by which such premiums are to be 

 awarded. This table has been adopted 

 by both the Michigan Fair Associa- 

 tions. Mr. E. D. Townsend is to be 

 the judge at the State Fair which is to 

 be held Sept. 4 to 13. 



We urge all Michigan beekeepers to 

 write to the secretary of their associa- 

 tion, Mr. F. E. Millen at East Lansing. 

 He will be glad to put you in touch 

 with the proper fair authorities. Every 

 live beekeeper should be an exhibitor. 

 It is not only a recreation, but it is the 

 very best way of advertising your pro- 

 duct. 



home of W. W. Faulkner, 3000 North 

 Cicero Ave., Chicago, 111., Saturday, 

 July 15. 



Many things combine to make this 

 an ideal place for a meeting of bee- 

 keepers. Besides being entertained by 

 one of the most hospitable families in 

 Illinois, we will meet Mr. Faulkner, Sr., 

 who is probably the oldest and one of 

 the most successful beekeepers in the 

 United States. Mr. Faulkner, Sr., is in 

 his 100th year, and was born among 

 the bees in Scotland. The family re- 

 cently sold a large portion of their bee- 

 range for over $260,000. They still 

 retain the buildings and ten acres of 

 the best part of the farm, worth an- 

 other $50,000. 



The house stands on a ridge that was 

 once the shore of Lake Chicago, which 

 at one time covered the entire site of 

 the present city. It can be reached by 

 trolley from anywhere in the city for a 

 5-cent fare. A basket picnic will be 

 served by the queens that do not 

 swarm, which we hope will attract 

 enough drones to furnish us with an 

 intellectual feast as well. 



Bumblebees Wanted by Dr. Burton N. 

 Gates. — I take pleasure in thanking the 

 beekeepers of the country who so 

 kindly sent me numerous specimens, 

 upwards of a hundred, in response to 

 my appeal for bumblebees taken in or 

 about beehives last year. Although this 

 large collection has been of great value 

 to the student, further specimens are 

 needed, particularly from the West and 

 South. 



I hope, therefore, that the beekeepers 

 will mail me in a secure package either 

 bumblebees or other insects caught 

 robbing hives or taken dead from in- 

 side of hives. They should be prepared 

 for shipment in a strong box and bear 

 the name and address of the sender in 

 order that due credit may be given. 

 All kindly write me stating the circum- 

 stances and date of the capture. These 

 notes which I am receiving from the 

 beekeepers are exceedingly interesting 

 and valuable. Burton N. Gates. 



Amherst, Mass. 



Chicago Field Neet. — The field meet 

 of the Chicago-Northwestern Beekeep- 

 ers' Association will be held at the 



Shipping Bees to Canada. — The Cana- 

 dian Beekeeper sends us the following 

 information, which will prove of use to 

 all shippers of bees from the United 

 States as well as to the Canadian pur- 

 chasers : 



" A number of bee importers have 

 bien complainingabout their shipments 

 of bees being delayed by the Customs 

 Department. There is no duty on bees 

 and queens coming into Canada, but 

 special attention should be given to the 

 Customs requirements." 



Mr. Morley Pettit, Government Api- 

 arist for the Province of Ontario, 

 writes Canadian Beekeeper as follows: 



"I have had some rather serious com- 

 plaints from beekeepers importing bees 

 from the southern States, stating that 

 their bees had been delayed by the 

 Customs authorities, both at the border 

 and at the Port of Entry. I took this 

 matter up with the Customs Depart- 

 ment, and in reply have the statement 

 ' That if the importers would take the 



matter up with the collectors at the 

 various ports and produce the invoices 

 and declarations promptly, or even be- 

 fore the arrival of the shipments in 

 question, there should be no delay in 

 so far as the Customs is concerned. 



1. "Invoices should be made out in 

 duplicate. 



2. "They should contain two entries 

 of the cost of the goods, fair market 

 value as sold for home consumption at 

 the time shipped, and selling price to 

 the purchaser in Canada. 



3. "They should contain place and 

 date and signature at the bottom. 



4. "'The Certificate Form M' should 

 be either typewritten or printed on the 

 lower part or back of the invoice." 



Blank copies of invoices may be 

 obtained by Canadian importers from 

 the different Custom Houses. 



TELLING THE BEES 



Among the old superstitions there 

 was one which required that the bees 

 be told and put in mourning when 

 some one died in the family. Other- 

 wise they dwindled and left. The fol- 

 lowing poem on this subject by one of 

 the most celebrated American writers 

 of the XlXth century is probably 

 known to only a few of our younger 

 readers : 



Here is the place; riifht over the hill. 



Runs the path I took 

 You can see the gap in the old wall still. 



And the stepping-stones in the shallow 

 brook.. 



There is the house, with the gate red barred. 



And the poplars tall. 

 And the barn's brown length and the cattle 

 yard. 



And the white horns tossingabove the wall. 



There are the beehives ranged in the sun; 



And down by the brink 

 Of the brook are her pure flowers, weed- 

 o'errun; 



Pansy and daffodil, rose and pink. 



A year has gone, as the tortoise goes. 



Heavy and slow; 

 And the same rose blows and the same sun 

 glows, 



And the same brook sings of a year ago 



There's the same sweet-clover smell in the 

 breeze. 



And the June sun warm 

 Tangles his wings of fire in the trees. 



Setting, as then, over Fernside farm. 



I mind me how. with a lover's care. 



From my Sunday coat 

 I brushed off the burrs and smoothed my 

 hair. 

 And cooled at the brookside my brow and 

 throat. 



Since we parted, a month had passed. 



To love, a year; 

 Down through the beeches I looked at last. 



On the little red gate and the well-sweep 

 near. 



1 can see it all now. the slantwise rain 



Of light through the leaves; 

 The sundown's blaze on her window pane— 



The blooms of her roses under the eaves. 



Just the same as a month before— 



The house and the trees. 

 The barn's brown gable, the vine by the door; 



Nothing changed but the hives of bees. 



Before them, under the garden wall. 



►'orward and back. 

 Went drearily singing the chore-^iirl small. 



Draping each hive with a shred of black 



Trembling, I listened; theSummer sun 



Had the chill of snow; 

 For I knew she was telling the bees of one 



Gone on the journey we all must go! 



