Aug-. 20, 1903. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



533 



[ Convention Proceedings | 



Proceeding's of the Texas Bee-Keepers' Conven- 

 tion Held at the A. & M. Colleg-e, at College 

 Station, July 8 to 10, 1903. 



BY LOUIS H. SCHOI,!,, SEC. 



The annual meeting' of the Texas Bee-Keepers' Asso- 

 ciation was called to order by Pres. Udo Toepperwein, at 9 

 a.m. of Julj- 8. 



The first subject of discussion was that of the election 

 of officers for the ensuing term. This, according to the 

 printed program, was to be left toward the close of the 

 meeting, but as some preferred to have the election of offi- 

 cers first, it was, after some discussion, put to a vote, result- 

 ing in that the election be proceeded with, and these were 

 elected: President, W. O. Victor ; Vice-President, J. K. 

 Hill ; and Secretary-Treasurer, Louis H. Scholl. 



The following committees were then appointed by Pres. 

 Victor : 



A committee of three to revise the Constitution and By- 

 Laws : J. B. Salyer, Louis H. Scholl, H. H. Hyde ; and to 

 which was added the name of Prof. E. Dwight Sanderson. 



A committee to inspect and to report on the CoUeg^e 

 Experimental Apiary : J. M. Hagood, F. L. Aten, and Udo 

 Toepperwein. 



A committee to judge the honey on exhibition : H. H. 

 Hyde, J. F. Teel, and J. K. Hill. 



A committee on resolutions : O. P. Hyde, W. H. White, 

 and Z. S. Weaver. 



A committee on program for the next meeting : O. P. 

 Hyde. 



The next annual meeting of the National Bee-Keepers' 

 Association, to be held at Los Angeles, was discussed for 

 some length, and also what had been done by several of the 

 members of the Texas Association in trying to get that 

 meeting to be held at San Antonio this year. Every eS'ort 

 was used to get the meeting, but as the factor of cheap rail- 

 road fare plays the greatest part in the selection of the place 

 of meeting of that Association, and as the meeting of the 

 G. A. R. at San Francisco this year offered such induce- 

 ments, it was most natural that the National should follow 

 them. That left Texas to come in second. And we are 

 glad of that fact. What we now have for the National is a 

 most urgent invitation to come to Texas with their next 

 meeting — and if that can not be, then we want them to 

 come the next, or the very first chance that they may get. 

 The Texas Bee-Keepers' Association is quite a portion of 

 their body, and we certainly have a right to have them come 

 to meet with us one time, anyway. There are about TO of 

 us who are members of that great Association, and we are 

 growing- in numbers; and we would grow much faster if 

 the Association would only come to Texas once, so that the 

 bee-men of this great State could get better acquainted with 

 it and its objects. We are hoping that we shall see them 

 soon. 



The Texas Association will send several delegates to 

 the Los Angeles meeting, viz.: Udo Toepperwein, Louis 

 H. Scholl, and W. O. Victor. 



Then the subjects of the regular program were taken 

 up, and Prof. E. Dwight Sanderson, the State Entomolo- 

 gist, addressed the bee-keepers on 



APICULTURAL WORK OF THE A. & M. COLLEGE. 



First, let me extend you a cordial and hearty welcome 

 as you again assemble hereto discuss methods for the im- 

 provement of Texas bee-culture. Being charged with the 

 direction of the experimental apiary here, it is with much 

 pleasure that I meet this Association for the first time, to 

 listen to your discussions, and to learn from you those lines 

 of exper.mental work which will be of most immediate 

 practical value. 



The apicultural work of the A. & M. College falls nat- 

 urally under three heads ; viz: (1) Investigation, (2) Police 

 Work, and (3) Education. 



(1) Investigation. — The experimental apiary, founded 

 through the efforts of this Association and my predecessor. 

 Prof. F. W. Mally, has been undergoing a steady process of 

 development. In a little over a year it is impossible to fully 



equip such an apiary and secure larg-e results with but part 

 of one man's time devoted to it. Furthermore, it requires 

 time to become familiar with methods suited to the honey- 

 flow of the locality. I feel, therefore, that my former as- 

 sistant, Mr. Wilraon Newell, has done exceedingly well, in 

 view of the fact that it was possible to devote but a part of 

 his time to this work. We lost his services reluctantly, but 

 were unable to meet the inducements offered elsewhere. 

 Mr. Newell will present the results of his work to you so 

 that any review by me is unnecessary. 



It has been apparent for some time that for successful 

 work the entire time of one man should be devoted to api- 

 culture. We have, therefore, secured your secretary, Mr. 

 L. H. Scholl, as assistant and apiculturist, who will give 

 practically his entire lime to apicultural work after the 

 present summer. 



We have also found that considerable additional equip- 

 ment is needed at the bee-house. It is our purpose to add 

 another room to the present house, with cellar beneath it, 

 and to secure all necessary apparatus and supplies for the 

 lines of investigation outlined below. For this purpose we 

 have set aside S900 — almost double the amount available 

 during the past year. College Station is by no means an 

 ideal place for bee-keeping, and we have found the honey- 

 flow insuflicient to supply over 40 colonies at most. This, 

 and other factors, have led us to arrange for two out-yards 

 in the Brazos River bottom, some ten miles from the col- 

 lege, where experiments will be carried on under our direc- 

 tion, but without expense to us. Future lines of investiga- 

 tion proposed by Mr. Scholl and Mr. Newell, many of them 

 already undertaken, may be briefly mentioned as follows : 



Comparison of hives and construction of improved and 

 special hives ; comparison of races of bees ; comparison of 

 methods of management ; methods of preventing swarm- 

 ing ; methods of running- out-yards; studies of the home 

 manufacture and styles of comb foundation ; methods and 

 profit of manufacture of vinegar from cheap honey and 

 honey-waste ; methods of bottling honey ; planting for 

 honey ; native honey-plants, etc. These, and other prob- 

 lems which may suggest themselves, will be taken up as 

 fast as feasible. With the additions now contemplated we 

 shall have the best apiary of any agricultural college or 

 experiment station, and the only one, to our knowledge, 

 with an apiculturist. We may, therefore, reasonably ex- 

 pect to secure results of value from these investigations 

 during the next few years, which will be published upon 

 completion. 



(2) Police Work. — Through the efforts of this Associa- 

 tion, a bill for the suppression and control of foul brood and 

 other diseases of bees was introduced in the 28th Legisla- 

 ture by Hon. Hal Sevier, of Sabinal, to whom we are under 

 many obligations, and finally passed. The law covers the 

 situation quite eflectively, but most unfortunately provides 

 no funds for its enforcement. The writer called the atten- 

 tion of the author of the bill and the officers of this Asso- 

 ciation to the necessity of providing funds for the enforce- 

 ment of the law if it were to become effective, but without 

 avail. This is to be much regretted, and I believe shows 

 the necessity for further strengthening this Association, 

 both as regards membership and organization, in order that 

 the importance and size of the industry may receive better 

 recognition. But though no funds for the inspection work 

 contemplated by this law are available, its mere enactment 

 is a distinct forward step, and funds for its enforcement 

 can doubtless be provided by the next legislature. Mean- 

 while we shall endeavor to do all possible toward the en- 

 forcement of the law where foul brood is known to exist by 

 correspondence, and will prevent any knowing violations 

 of its provisions as far as possible. This Association can 

 be of the greatest assistance in this work in creating public 

 sentiment in favor of the most thorough treatment of dis- 

 eased bees. It also seems to me that local or county asso- 

 ciations or sections of county farmers' institutes could do 

 much toward the discovery of diseased bees and securing 

 their proper treatment. 



(3) Educ.\tion. — Two lines of educational work are in 

 our charge— instruction of students at the college in apicul- 

 ture, and the instruction of farmers and bee-keepers 

 throughout the State by means of literature and talks at 

 farmers' institutes and bee-keepers' conventions. Until the 

 present year no provision was made for instruction in api- 

 culture in the regular agricultural course. It is now an 

 elective study through the senior year, so that all who wish 

 may obtain a full course. Special courses will be given to 

 suit individuals whepever possible. Considerable student 

 labor is also employed at the bee-house, and a boy inter- 

 ested in bees can thus secure a deal of practical knowledge 



