Mar. 1. 1912 



129 



DSEEPDM® m ®^LD^(I)^raD^ 



p. C. CHA0WICK. Redlands. CaL 



CALIFORNIA STATE BKEKKEPERS' ASSOCIA- 

 TION KEPOKT. 



On February 8 the 22d annual convention 

 of the ("alifornia State Beekeepers' Associa- 

 tion ended its three-day session. Every 

 thinp considered, this was the most busi- 

 ness-like and harmonious session of its his- 

 tory. 



The way for many needed reforms was 

 blazed, and plans which were made were 

 left in the hands of competent committees 

 for further advancement. Needed laws were 

 drafted, helpful resolutions were passed, 

 and. best of all, between the North and the 

 South the hatchet is said to have been 

 buried. 



To enter into the details of proceedings 

 would be a great task, and much of it dry 

 reading, so I will merely state briefly some 

 of the work ilone. 



Every one who was on the program, and 

 could be present, did his part well; but some 

 special recognition is due to certain mem- 

 bers whom 1 shall name. I wish to mention 

 one man esiieeially, who, though not alone 

 in the work, certainly had most of the bur- 

 den upon his shoulders — Mr. A. B. Shaff- 

 ner. 



The treasurer's report showed a neat bal- 

 ance, which in itself indicates the prosperity 

 of the association. 



Mr. (i. L. Emerson's paper, "One Thou- 

 sand Members in 1912," was one that com- 

 mended itself to every member present. His 

 ideas of individual work for the increase of 

 membership, crop-report recommendation, 

 and a perfect organization collectively were 

 timely, and to this end a subscription was 

 started to raise funds that we may be able 

 to cooperate with other organizations of the 

 State. Mr. Emerson explained that there 

 is no feeling against the northern associa- 

 tion. 



Here I might add that, as every member 

 can vote by proxy, it seems that there should 

 be no longer any trouble about representa- 

 tion; for one man from the north can take 

 every member's proxy he may secure, and 

 vote it as he sees fit. 



At the evening session on the 6th the lec- 

 ture, "Some Wonders of Our Little Co- 

 workers," by Prof. Ralph iJenton, was the 

 best of its kind I have ever heard. He de- 

 scribed and illustrated the anatomy of the 

 V)ee. Mr. lienton is, without doubt, the 

 scientific man of our association. His lec- 

 ture was not as fully appreciated, however, 

 as it should have been, for some take but 

 little interest in the scientific part of the in- 

 dustry. On the other hand, those who were 

 interested were intensely occupied in 

 thought during the lecture, and had only 

 praise for Mr. Benton. 



Perhaps the special feature of the morn- 

 ing session on Feb. 7 was "<iueen Rearing," 

 by Henry Perkins. This subject seemed to 



appeal to the members at this time esijecial- 

 ly from the fact that Euroi)ean foul brood is 

 spreading in our Southland and queen rear- 

 ing and introduction have a special part in 

 the eradication of this disease. 



One topic of the afternoon session was 

 " The Black-brood Epidemic," by. 1. 1). Bux- 

 by, who is now a recognized authority on 

 this disease. His remarks were eagerly lis- 

 tened to; and in closing, when he exhibited 

 two frames of diseased brood nearly the en- 

 tire assembly made a rush to examine them 

 indicating to what extent beekeepers are 

 exercised over black brood or European foul 

 brood. 



The report of the county inspectors was 

 made at this session. The remarks of Wm. 

 H. Allen, of Ventura Co., and .T. E. Pleas- 

 ants, of Orange Co., were exceptionally val- 

 uable, as they dealt primarily with facts re- 

 garding the number of colonies inspected, 

 and the diseased colonies found in this and 

 previous years, showing the progress of the 

 inspectors in their work. 



The election of officers resulted in the 

 choice of Mr. J. W. Farree as president, and 

 the unanimous re-election of the secretary- 

 treasurer. Of our president I can no better 

 express my thought than to say he is a live 

 wire— efficient, energetic, and enthusiastic- 

 meeting work half way. 



The session closed with reports of various 

 committees and delegates. Many topics of 

 interest, on which I have no notes, may ap- 

 pear later in this department. 



The practice of California honey dealers 

 in quoting honey at ruinously low prices, 

 simply to lower a local market for their bene- 

 fit, was unanimously condemned. In the 

 futi're, beekeepers will be on the lookout 

 for such dealers. 



The committee on forest reserves made a 

 recommendation that, if secured, will put 

 beekeeping on a par with some other indus- 

 tries on forest reserves. 



The loss by death of so many prominent 

 beemen of State and nation was noted in 

 suitable resolutions. Some changes in the 

 constitution were recommended and adopt- 

 ed. 



A resolution introducted by G. L. Emer- 

 son, asking the county board of San Ber- 

 nardino County to remove the bee inspector 

 of that county for suflicient cause, was 

 adopted. 



Mr. Delos Wood was voted life member- 

 ship in the association. This veteran of the 

 rebellion and of the bee business, now in 

 his seventies, has suliered the loss of prac- 

 tically all of this world's goods by fire, in- 

 cluding apiaries whose value reached the 

 thousands. 



[It has been stated that there are 50.0(H) 

 colonies in i^os Angeles Co. alone. This 

 gives an idea of the extent of the industry 

 in California. — Ed.] 



