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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



May 21, 



of honey in one year, the price gets lower, but we can afford 

 to sell lower because we have more to sell. 



There is no article of food that looks more attractive upon 

 our table than honey in the comb, and it is always ready for 

 Immediate use— we do not have to prepare it and cook it — it is 

 always ready. Koseville, III. 



Bee-Keepers' Societies — Amalgamatiou, Pro- 

 grams, Etc. 



BY PROF. A. J. COOK. 



Perhaps the most urgent reason given for the amalgama- 

 tion of the National Bee-Keepers' Union and the North Ameri- 

 can Bee-Keepers' Association is the fact that many regard the 

 North American as a sort of a failure. This argument does 

 not appeal to me at all. I have never regarded the American 

 in any such light. I have attended several meetings of this 

 society, notably the ones at Cleveland, Chicago, Toronto, 

 Detroit, Cincinnati, Lexington and Chicago, and I regarded 

 them as very important factors in the progress of apiculture 

 in our country. Of course, we cannot expect a very general 

 attendance upon such meetings, for our country is too large, 

 and the time and expense required in going, for instance, 

 from California to Toronto, is quite beyond the means of most 

 of our bee-keepers. Thus, it is that the attendance will al- 

 ways be in the main local, though, if I may judge by the meet- 

 ings that I have attended, there will always be a good sprink- 

 ing of our best apiarists from many of the States. 



There are also papers from other apiarists, men of marked 

 ability and high standing among bee-keepers, which will be 

 sent to the convention to be read, although the writers are 

 unable to be present. Thus, each of these meetings be- 

 comes a matter of great interest and importance to all our 

 bee-keepers. The best of knowledge and method that our 

 country knows is ver}' apt to come out at such gatherings. 

 The discussions are apt to be of the highest order, and the 

 social feature of the meetings will do very much to strengthen . 

 the fraternal feeling without which no industry can reach to 

 the best attainment. The editors of the various bee-papers 

 will always be on hand, and thus those who are so unfortunate 

 as to be unable to attend will get through the bee-papers all 

 that is new and important in the bee-keeping art. 



It seems to me that the meetings should be migratory, 

 and I think the past history of this society has been very 

 fortunate in this respect, so that each State, where there is a 

 strong desire for the meetings, should, in its turn, have the 

 benefits accruing from the meeting of the Association in its 

 limits. I would never have the Association go where there 

 was not a strong invitation, and a promise that all local ex- 

 penses, such as hall, local advertising, etc., should be borne 

 by the State or town where the meeting is held. We may use 

 sarcastic terms regarding the attendance and influence of the 

 meetings of the past; but I feel very sure that a close study 

 would show that the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa- 

 tion has been a tremendous factor in the rapid development 

 which has characterized the bee-keeping of America. 



I have had a large experience In organizing and carrying 

 out such meetings as the ones in question, and after all the 

 study and thought that I have been able to give, I would like 

 to suggest what is my ideal in regard to State and National 

 associations : 



In the first place, as already suggested, I would stoutly 

 urge that all places be fairly used, that is, that the meetings 

 be migratory, and that each section in the State or country 

 receive its share of attention. I would, however, never go to 

 a region where there was not sufficient interest to secure an 

 urgent appeal for the meeting. I would also have prepared 

 in advance a strong, meaty program, with papers from the 

 strongest and most successful men in the State or country. 



These papers should be from men whose very names would 

 awaken interest and secure a large attendance. I would have 

 these papers short and to the point, and, best of all, each 

 paper from a specialist in the line of thought which the paper 

 takes. I know that In this respect my recommendation would 

 be criticised by some of our very brightest and wisest bee- 

 keepers, but I still believe I am right. I do not believe any 

 meeting can do the best work without such a program. All 

 experience of every kind of society In the past sustains this 

 position, and as we stop and give the matter thought, it is 

 easy to understand why this is so. It is expensive to gooff 

 perhaps for miles, and possibly hundreds of miles, to attend 

 the meeting, and few of us, especially in these hard times, 

 will undertake such a journey unless we have some promise 

 of a rich feast for our labor and pains. 



A program wisely prepared is just such a promise. Let 

 me see a program where It was announced that Messrs. Hall, 

 McKnIght and Priugle, of Ontario; Messrs. Doolittle, Hether- 

 ington and Root, of New York ; Messrs. Bingham, Hutchin- 

 son, Taylor and'Heddon, of Michigan ; Messrs. Root, Mason 

 and Tinker, of Ohio; Messrs. Miller, Green and Stone, of 

 Illinois, etc., were to be present, and give papers on the sub- 

 jects which they had nearest to heart, and I would almost go 

 clear from California to Boston to be present at the meeting. 



Again, few of us have the power to give extempore our 

 views upon the subjects most familiar to us, in brief, terse 

 form. But in the quiet of our study at home we can do just 

 that thing, and thus we can save the time of the convention, 

 every minute of which is precious. 



After each subject is presented by the person appointed 

 upon the program, then there is a chance for full discussion 

 by any one present who can throw additional light upon it. If 

 it Is understood that 10 or 15 minutes is all that will be given 

 to any speaker in Introducing a subject, there need be nothing 

 prosy or tedious because of a pre-arranged program. I un- 

 dertake to say that there is very much less danger of waste of 

 time from long-winded articles, if arranged as suggested 

 above, than from waiting for some one to introduce a subject, 

 or to pre<!ent it briefly and pointedly where no program has 

 been provided. 



I have often thought I would like to have Dr. Miller pres- 

 ent at some of our California Farmers' Institutes (at each of 

 which we have a strong program arranged in advance), that 

 he might see what could be secured at a meeting in which we 

 have a program and carefully prepared papers, but brief ones, 

 presented at each session. I would never have more than 

 two or three papers at each session, and I would never have 

 a paper to exceed 15 minutes. 



We urge all to take no more than 10 minutes In the in- 

 troduction of any subject brought before the meeting. The 

 objection that this limits the subjects for discussion, and per- 

 haps excludes topics which are most desired. Is easily re- 

 moved by a question-box, which is open for any question that 

 any one may wish to ask. This question-box is opened at the 

 beginning of each session, while people are coming in, and if 

 it Is presided over by one well qualified, it can be made so racy 

 that there will be few tardy ones to disturb the meeting by 

 their late entrance. We find the question-box an important 

 aid in making our Institutes in the highest degree instruc- 

 tive and profitable. Claremont, Calif. 



A New Binder for holding a year's numbers of the 

 American Bee Journal, we propose to mail, postpaid, to every 

 subscriber who sends us 15 cents. It is called "The Wood 

 Binder," is patented, and is an entirely new and very simple 

 arrangement. Full printed directions accompany each Binder. 

 Every reader should get it, and preserve the copies of the Bee 

 Journal as fast as they are received. They are invaluable for 

 reference, and at the low price of the Binder you can afford to 

 get it yearly. 



