April, 1919 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



235 



they are (or ouglit to l)e) he lias his blue 

 pencil. They were told in open meeting. 



But let no one think the whole session 

 was given over to rosy reports and alluring 

 descriptions. Dr. Phillips was there. Def- 

 initely, clearly, concisely, he discussed "The 

 Control of European Foul Brood. ' ' He out- 

 lined the three principal methods of con- 

 trol, all three principles being suitable for 

 swarm control and equally applicable to 

 European Foul Brood. 



"How can I tell European from Ameri- 

 can?" some one asked. Whereupon the ever- 

 courteous entomologist explained that if it 

 resisted this treatment, properly applied, 

 it is probably American. Moreover, the 

 American ropes out 4 to 6 inches, in a fine 

 thread, while the European ropes out only 

 about 2 inches, coarsely, and then breaks — 

 as a worn and weary rubber band breaks. 

 And many many more questions he answer- 

 ed. In the fall see that bees have ample 

 room, ample packing, ample stores — 60 

 pounds, for instance. Do this in September. 

 In spring see that brood-rearing starts with 

 vigor and enthusiasm eight weeks before 

 the opening of the honey flow. He further 

 said, in a talk on "Factors Influencing Se- 

 cretion of Nectar," that, contrary to gen- 

 eral opinion, well-kept records show that the 

 flow of nectar, instead of being immediately 

 increased by rain, is decreased, not becom- 

 ing normal again till the fourth day later; 

 tho, without question, frequent rains tend to 

 lengthen the period of secretion. 



On Wednesday morning I realized in utter 

 dismay that I had missed Miss Fowls' talk 

 on "Pushing to the Front in Beekeeping." 

 Imagine trying to make comments on a 

 convention where you failed to hear one of 

 your own Editors! It is downright embar- 

 rassing. But it was my misfortune that mj- 

 sister's apartment is far out and that Miss 

 Fowls was the first speaker of the morning. 

 However I did hear her give a most com- 

 prehensive presentation of the symptoms, 

 results, and seriousness of the disappearing 

 disease. And I know that her main address 

 was both forceful and impressive. And isn't 

 it good to meet an interesting and success- 

 ful young woman, with pleasing personality 

 — whether she's your Editor or not? 



W. H. Hall of the Bureau of Markets sur- 

 prised us with the statement that this 

 bureau has a leased wire system of 1,000 

 miles, the largest of any except that of the 

 Associated Press. There is no reason why 

 any honey-producer should be uninformed as 

 to current market prices. 



Prof. E. G. Baldwin, stressing the impor- 

 tance of extension work in beekeeping, re- 

 peated somebody's catchy and worth-while 

 slogan, "Better keep bees better or better 

 not keep bees." Prof. Eric Millen gave us 

 some interesting glimpses of "Beekeeping 

 as Seen by a Bee Inspector." Kennith 

 Hawkins gave a comprehensive survey of 

 "Beekeeping in Dixie." 



It was in the Wediaesday morning meet- 

 ing, as it neared the noon, that Dr. Phillips 



iiiterruijtcd a lively discussion by announc- 

 ing "We have with us this morning the 

 greatest beekeeper in the world, and we all 

 want to hear from him." That meant the 

 great moment of the convention had come. 

 How can I tell you the thrill of it? To the 

 sound of ringing applause Dr. C. C. Miller 

 I ose. * ' And all that sat in the council, look- 

 ing steadfastly on him, saw his face as it 

 had been the face of an angel." Not that 

 only, but of a man also who has lived great- 

 ly and worked greatly, in the spirit of the 

 greatness of simplicity and kindliness. This 

 was all in his face, where there was also 

 wisdom and wit and years and youth and 

 infinite friendliness. And the first words 

 of the greatest beekeeper in the world, 

 spoken in his strong gentle voice, with his 

 wonderful smile, were "I wish I knew some- 

 thing to tell you that no one else knew!" 

 And down in the back of the room there 

 was a certain side-liner so deeply stirred by 

 the sight and sound of him that she can 

 scarcely recall one other word he said! 



We were very gla(* that Mrs. Miller and 

 Miss Wilson accompanied him, not only be- 

 cause they were Mrs. Miller and Miss Wil- 

 son, but because it is always a pleasure to 

 meet gentlewomen. 



And then, last but by no means least, 

 came the matter of organization and reor- 

 ganization. Addresses or papers on differ- 

 ent phases of this subject had been ably 

 presented by Colin P. Campbell, Grand 

 Rapids, Mich.; Chas. B. Justice, Los An- 

 geles, Cal.; and Prof. H. F. Wilson, Madison, 

 Wise. And there were speeches and commit- 

 tees, majority reports and minority reports, 

 motions to adopt things and motions to table 

 things, objections, personal privilege, points 

 of order, roll-call voting, and over it all Mr. 

 Kindig calmly presiding,flanked by the capa- 

 ble secretary, Floyd Markham of Ypsilanti. 

 When it was all over we were committed to 

 the policy of re-organization (for the 1.5th 

 time, said those who had attended that 

 many conventions!), the fate of the Na- 

 tional to be decided next January. Then 

 officers were elected. They demurred, one 

 after the other, but yielded gracefully at 

 last — and it looks like a good, strong execu- 

 tive committee: Mr. Kindig, president; 

 Miss Sly, vice-president; and Mr. Justice, 

 secretary-treasurer. 



Then the Convention adjourned, sine die, 

 pronounce it as you please. Yet it was not 

 at an end. Many lingered for a delightful 

 exchange of experience and a closer personal 

 acquaintance that added greatly to the deep 

 pleasures to be stored away in our memories. 

 And indeed, is there really ever an end to 

 such things as conventions, the coming to- 

 gether of people with common interests? 

 It seems to me there is something in the hu- 

 man heart that will not let them end. The 

 good will, quietly deathless, lives on in our 

 inmost lives, while the inspiration and the 

 quickened zeal— who can measure them or 

 set them a bound or say, "Lo, here they 

 end"? 



