Feb. 22, 1900. 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



121 



in Wisconsin. Mr. France really lookt young^er than he 

 did in 1896. The same may also be said of Pres. Wilcox, 

 who seemed not a day older than when we used to see him 

 so frequently in charge of Wisconsin's apiarian exhibit at 

 the World's Fair here in Chicago in 1893 — and that is nearly 

 seven years ag'O. But, then, we really believe Mrs. Wilcox 

 takes such excellent care of him that while he may live 

 long- he'll, not likely grow old. Mrs. Wilcox was at the con- 

 vention, and we decided, after seeing her and talking with 

 her, that, like a good many of the rest of us, Mr. Wilcox is 

 greatly indebted to a good wife. (Dr. Miller will surely 

 say " amen " to this.) 



For perhaps six or eight years.-we have had a desire to 

 meet Mrs. W. J. Pickard — the lady bee-keeper of Wisconsin 

 who has won the right to be called the " first lady " of the 

 State, if not of the United States, when it comes to honey- 

 production. We believe her crops have amounted to some- 

 thing like fifty or sixty thousand pounds of extracted honey 

 in a single season. And the daughter. Miss Ada, who was 

 also present, is following closely in her mother's footsteps, 

 for in 1898 she alone, in au out-apiary of 100 colonies, har- 

 vested 16,000 pounds of extracted honey ! How is that for 

 a young lady bee-keeper ? 



Then there is Mr. Pickard — well, he gives all honor to 

 his wife and daughter, as well he may. He says they are 

 the bee-keepers — he only sells the honey after it is secured, 

 and — we hardly think he pockets all the proceeds, for if two 

 such charming and capable women should "get after him," 

 he'd simply have to " shell out," as the boys would say. 



There were other extensive bee-keepers present, among 

 them Messrs. G. W. and A. G. Wilson, Jacob Huffman, C. 

 A. Hatch, Mr. Ballou, B. T. Davenport, J. W. Van Allen— 

 and many more whose names we might mention. 



Mr. France, the newly-elected president, and one of the 

 largest bee-keepers, as is well known, is the very efficient 

 and popular inspector of apiaries for Wisconsin, and in his 

 rounds thru the State has done wonders in the way of driv- 

 ing out the curse of foul brood. And in almost every in- 

 stance the bee-keepers have done all they could to help him 

 in his arduous work. 



At least one very important thing was done by this 

 convention. It was decided that every member should be- 

 come a member of the National Bee-Keepers' Association. 

 It was our privilege, upon .invitation, to address the con- 

 vention upon the history and work of the two national bee- 

 keepers' organizations that just lately have been united, 

 and we urged that the Wisconsin Association be- the first 

 local organization to become members of the amalgamated 

 society. 



So we were greatly pleased when the necessary action 

 was taken to carry out the new provision in the recently 

 adopted constitution of the National Bee-Keepers' Associa- 

 tion, which says that when any local bee-keepers' society 

 will join in a body, they shall be allowed to come in at 50 

 cents per member, providing the dues of the local organiza- 

 tion are not less than $1.00. In the case of the Wisconsin 

 Association, it will add about 30 new members to the Na- 

 tional, as perhaps 10 of them were already members of both 

 the local and the national societies. In all probability but 

 few of the 30 new ones would have joined the National at 

 $1.00 each, while by all going in at SO cents each, there is a 

 gain in money for the treasury, as well as a gain in mem- 

 bership—both very desirable' objects, particularly the latter. 

 Suppose when Mr. Abbott attends the National Pure 

 Food Congress in Washington, D. C, March 7, he could say 

 he represents a national organization of bee-keepers one 

 thousand or two thousand strong. Wouldn't that carry 

 some extra weight with it ? 



Ancl suppose when some jealous neighbor gets to fuss- 



ing because a bee-keeper near him is making a little profit 

 out of bees, and forthwith determines to try to compel said 

 bee-keeper " to get a move on him" and his bees— don't 

 you think that when such bee-keeper lets Mr. Jealous 

 Neighbor know that he is a member of an organization 

 having a thousand or more able-bodied bee-keepers in it, 

 and that all in said organization will aid in defending him 

 in his rights to keep bees — don't you think that Mr. J. 

 Neighbor will think several times before he tackles that 

 strong " colony " of bee-keepers ? We think he will. And 

 these are some of the reasons why we believe there ought 

 to be a large membership in the National Bee-Keepers' 

 Association. Numbers mean much, whether in a hive dur- 

 ing a honey-flow, or in any organization that means busi- 

 ness. 



LfCt's see, we're getting off our subject a trifle, aren't 

 we ? But, then, there were so many good things at that 

 Wisconsin convention we can't mention them all now. The 

 report, to be publisht later, will likely give the most impor- 

 tant matters in a more or less concentrated form. 



Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson was present beginning with the 

 first evening session. He was unanimously elected an 

 honorary member. We had been thus favored when at- 

 tending the meeting four years before. 



We might add that Mr. August Weiss had with him a 

 splendid display of his excellent bee-keepers' supplies ; also 

 Mr. McCartney was there with his combined foundation- 

 fastener and section-press. There were other things on 

 exhibition, which we have forgotten, but likely the full 

 report will mention them. 



Reform Spelling Voted Down is the latest announce- 

 ment in Gleanings in Bee-Culture. In making this an- 

 nouncement there is an apparent longing on the part of 

 Editor Root to help in doing what he can not but see is 

 reallj' a good work, and as a closing word he well says this, 

 albeit with a hint of sadness in his words : 



" But in giving up for the present the proposed spell- 

 ings, I have a feeling that, if all reforms were treated in a 

 like manner, very little would be accomplisht from cen- 

 tury to century. We are still in favor of the shorter spell- 

 ing, but do not wish to go against the exprest wishes of our 

 subscribers." 



Previously to this he says: "We have for several 

 years used, without offense to any one, words such as cata- 

 log for catalogue ; program for programme, etc. There are 

 several other shorter forms, but they have been incorpor- 

 ated so slowly that no one has noticed them ; and whatever 

 change we make in the future will be made on the same 

 plan." 



Which goes to show that when it is a case of pure prej- 

 udice it is not well to call for votes. Had Gleanings in Bee- 

 Culture called for votes as to the spelling of catalog, doubt- 

 less negatives would not have been wanting, since dipt for 

 clipped is no more violent a change than catalog for cata- 

 logue, and if as quietly introduced would probably have 

 been no more noticed. 



Honey=Paste for the Hands. — Here is a recipe for an 

 old-fashioned honey-paste for the hands, taken from a very 

 old book on toilet recipes : 



Take honey, 2,''2 ounces; the yolks of 2 eggs; almond 

 oil, 3 ounces ; powdered orris root, lyi ounces ; and a quar- 

 ter of an ounce of any perfume preferred. Mix the yolks 

 of the eggs and the honey together first, then add the oil 

 very gradually, after having previously united the perfume 

 to the oil ; lastly, beat in the orris powder. First wash the 

 hands thoroly, and dry them with a soft towel, then anoint 

 them with the above paste, rubbing it well into the skin, 

 and, lastlj', cover the hands with loose doeskin gloves, with 

 the palms c«t out for ventilation, 



