AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 565 



could have any interest in the matter, and followed this up with a warm personal 

 appeal, there was an evident wavering upon the part of some ; but when Dr. Miller 

 explained that the voting for Toronto was a matter of honor with a large number, 

 what did Bro. Stilson do but get up and withdraw his invitation ?.— an act that 

 " brought down the house," and in all probability will take the convention to Lin- 

 coln in 1896. The choice for Toronto was made unanimous. 



Reduced (?) Railroad Rates.— Mentioning the next meeting brings up 

 another point upon which I wish to make a suggestion. As a rule, it has been im- 

 possible to secure the necessary attendance for obtaining the desired reduction in 

 railroad rates unless the meeting is held in some railroad center of the North. 

 These rates were secni*d at Detroit, Mich., Brantford, Canada, and at Albany, N. 

 Y. At Washington, D. C, and at St. Joseph, Mo., there was not sufficient attend- 

 ance. 



Publishers can show by their subscription lists that the great mass of bee-keep- 

 ers is in the Northern and Eastern States, and Canada. Draw a line due north 

 from St. Joseph, Mo., to St. Paul, Minn., and another from St. Joseph to New York 

 city, and the great mass of bee-keepers will be found north and east of these lines 

 and a great crowd can be gathered only inside these lines. Even inside these limits 

 it is better not to depend upon securing reduced rates by the crowd of bee-keepers 

 alone. For instance, I believe that the meeting of 1895 can be held in Toronto at 

 the time of a great Industrial Fair, when very low rates will be given for long dis- 

 tances. "Where this cannot be done, it would probably be well to hold the meeting 

 in connection with the meeting of some other society, when the two combined would 

 secure the requisite number for obtaining reduced rates. 



The Convention " Picter."— About 10 o'clock of the last day, all of the mem- 

 bers gathered in a group on the steps of the Court House, and were photographed. 

 The brick of different colors with which the street in front was paved, furnished a 

 neat foreground, while the fluted columns and ornamental front of the Court House 

 formed a pleasing background. I spent at least an hour one morning in looking 

 for just this spot. A local photographer made the exposures, and I brought home 

 the plates and developed them. For so large a group the faces are unusually good. 

 There is not a person present that would not be instantly recognized by his friends. 

 That little numbering scheme of Secretary Benton's came in very nicely here as 

 nearly all of the numbers show, and I have had a list of the members with the cor- 

 responding numbers printed and attached to the picture, which enables even a 

 stranger to decide in regard to the idenity of each person. The size of the picture 

 is 8x10 inches— twice the size of those taken last year at the World's Fair convention. 



Home Again.— The journey home was uneventful ; simply one long, swift, con- 

 tinuous ride of 800 miles, broken only by a change of cars at Chicago. I reached 

 home in the evening, just as Baby Fern was dropping off to sleep, but when she 

 heard my voice, she roused up with, "Papa, did 'oo ditmy 'ittlepictou boot (book)?" 



(Regular Report continued on page 590.) Flint, Mich.. Oct. 22. 



BBB-KKHPIXG AS A BUSIXHSS. 



BY CHAS. DADANT. 



I am asked whether It pays to make a business of keeping bees, and I find it 



difficult to answer such a question in as short a way as it is stated, for a great many 



•cumstances can have an influence on the results. Among these influences. I mav 



