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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



fore, is just chock-full of bee-euthusiasm— 

 and is a regular question-box himself. He 

 believes in sticking to "bee-talk" from 

 first to last. He wasn't alone in that idea, 

 either. 



Mayor Shepherd and ex-Mayor Hartwig 

 welcomed the convention most heartily, 

 the latter offering the free use of the ele- 

 gant room of the Commercial Club. The 

 city papers— the Daily JVews, Herald and 

 Gazette— a\l extended every courtesy, and 

 gave unlimited space to reports of the 

 meeting. Some of the essays were pub- 

 lished in full. 



The Mayor generously invited the mem- 

 bers to go with him to see a local Musee, on 

 Thursday evening at 9 o'clock, and also to 

 attend a miscellaneous entertainment after- 

 ward. The principal attraction in the 

 Musee was a " talking seal." It seems its 

 natural bark had been translated into the 

 clear and unmistakable order— "Go out!" 

 As we did not hear or see the seal, you 

 can't prove it by us. The after perform- 

 ance, Bro. A. I. Root called a "Variety 

 Show." He seemed to regret (?) having 

 consented to go, but Dr. Miller afterward 

 insisted that Ms morals hadn't been im- 

 paired in the least degree. Bro. Hutchin- 

 son and the writer went to the hotel, and 

 to bed, like Christians (?), so neither of us 

 know anything personally about the ques- 

 tionable character of the entertainment 

 referred to. Bros. Holtermann and Calvert, 

 it seems, left before the " show " was over, 

 but we are inclined to think they did so to 

 get a joke on Bro. Root and Dr. Miller! 

 Probably we shall hear more of this joking 

 matter later on. But evidently Bros. HoL 

 termann and Calvert thought it best to fol- 

 low the seal's advice, and " go out." 



The St. Joseph convention was perhaps 

 the most numerously edited of any of the 

 North American meetings. Let's see, there 

 were present, Leahy, Holtermann, Stilson, 

 Root (A. I.), Hutchinson, and the writer. 

 We believe the only bee-papers not thus 

 represented were the Ameriam AjdculturiM 

 and Amerinin ]ier- Keeper. It certainly was 

 a pleasing sight (to us, at least) to see 

 what brotherly feeling existed among all 

 the bee-editors that were present. It's a 

 good sign. May that " sign " never fail ! 



There are many other matters that we 

 would like to refer to, but this is already 

 too long, i'erhaps at some future time we 

 may mention them. Take it all iu all, we 



believe it was one of the very best meetings 

 the North American ever held. 'Twas not 

 large in numbers, but for downright — and 

 upright— good work, we believe it has not 

 been excelled. We feel well repaid for all 

 the efforts and expense involved in attend- 

 ing, and we never shall willingly be absent 

 from a convention of the North American, 

 so long as we are at all interested in bee- 

 keeping. 



'Xiw *" JVI^ti'iinony Vine." — Mr. 



A. J. Duncan sent us a specimen plant to 

 be named, and wrote thus concerning it: 



I send enclosed a sprig of a shrub we call 

 "Washington willow," which, I think, is 

 ahead of anything I have ever seen as a 

 honey-plant, not excepting basswood. The 

 basswood, perhaps, is the best while it lasts, 

 which is from a day or two to two weeks at 

 farthest; this shrub commences blooming 

 early in the season, and is in continuous 

 blooming until killed by freezing weather. 

 It is not affected by drouth or hot weather. 



In an early day here there was planted 

 perhaps a dozen or more in different parts 

 of our little village, as an ornamental 

 plant ; they have been let grow and spread 

 until there are considerable patches of it, 

 and from morning until night, every day 

 when bees can be out, they are just swarm- 

 ing on it. They were working on it yester- 

 day, though all other flowers are killed by 

 the frost. 



I can't say as to the quality of the honey, 

 but I think it is good. If I had an acre or 

 two well set with it, I would feel sure of a 

 good crop of honey every year. 



A. J. Duncan. 



Hartford, Iowa, Sept. 25. 



Prof. T. J. Burrill, to whom we forwarded 

 the specimen from Mr. Duncan, says this 

 of it: 



This is matrimony vine, Solammi jasamin- 

 oides. It belongs to the same family in 

 which are found the potato, tomato, egg- 

 plant, etc., though it looks so different 

 from these. 



The shrub is very hardy, succeeds every- 

 where in our country, but I do not know 

 that it lias been recommended as a honey- 

 plant, neither do I know anything about 

 the value of the shrub as a honey-producer. 

 T. J. Burrill. 



■ lliiioiM Coiiveiilioit Rcporis.— 



The Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association 

 still have a good many copies of their Sec- 

 ond Annual Report on hand, and no post- 

 age to send them out. Any one sending 

 eight cents in stamps to pay postage and 

 wrapping, will receive a copy of same by 

 mail; or seven cents in stamps will pay for 

 a copy of the First Annual Report, if any 

 one desires it. Address, Jas. A. Stone, 

 Sec, Bradfordton, 111. 



