380 



THE AMERICAl^ BEE JOURNAL. 



out injury, so that the combs may be re- 

 turned to the bees, marks another great step 

 in apiculture. Thus virgin honey, free from 

 foreign admixture is obtained, iiaving the 

 flavor of tlie flower from which it is drawn. 



3. The further invention of artificial comb 

 foundation, made of pure wax, first success- 

 fully used to a large extent this season, 

 completes the requisites for placing bee- 

 keeping on the basis of a great industry in 

 our country. Bees receive this artificial 

 comb foundation with readiness as recepta- 

 cles both for honey and brood. 



4. Simultaneous with the first and all of 

 these improvements, the introduction of 

 Italian bees and improved modes of rearing 

 queens, or transporting and introducing 

 them to colonies, has greatly improved the 

 value of the honey gatherers, both because 

 of the superiority of the Italian bee and the 

 introduction of new blood. New blood pre- 

 vents the danger from in-and-in breeding. 



5. The great drawback to apiculture is the 

 sting of the bee. Danger from this source 

 is now largely overcome by the simple ap- 

 pliances used for the protection of the per- 

 son and for subduing the bees. The most 

 vicious colony may be subdued iu a very 

 few minutes. 



6. To consumers of honey, a few facts are 

 necessary in this article to preserve them 

 from imposition. Nice wliite comb speaks 

 for itself and is generally admired, but the 

 price many lovers of honey cannot afford. 

 It makes a' beautiful dish for the table but 

 is no better tiian extracted honej;. All comb 

 is wax, and wax in the stomach is perfectly 

 indigestible. Extracted honey is the pure 

 liquid honey as it is taken from the combs 

 by the honey slinger, free from any foreign 

 admixture. It is entirely different from 

 what is known in this mni'ket as strained 

 honey. Consumers help to impose upon 

 themselves by the false idea that pure honey 

 will not granulate. They desire ungranu- 

 lated honey and dealers will attempt to sup- 

 ply the demand. Almost all pure honey 

 will granulate when exposed for some time 

 to light and cold. The granulated state is a 

 fine evidence of pure honey. Much of the 

 jar honey heretofore sold in the markets, 

 and recommended not to granulate, is a very 

 inferior article, composed largely of glucose 

 or some inferior substance. Granulated 

 honey can be reduced to its liquid state in a 

 few moments by placing the jar in warm 

 water. When thus liquified it so remains 

 for some time before again crystal izinsr. 

 Consumers may be sure of a good whole- 

 some article by purchasing granulated 

 honey and reducing it. 



7. To producers. By full use of improve- 

 ments in bee-keeping, the honey crop of 

 America may be almost indefinitely in- 

 creased and become a great source of na- 

 tional revenue. None need fear over-pro- 

 duction. The home demand and consump- 

 tion is largely increased whenever people 

 learn to know the superiority of such honey. 

 Dealers in N. Y. have already commenced 

 a large export trade, and they tell us that 

 their only difficniy is in procuring honey in 

 proper sliape and quantity to supply the 

 growing demand. Trade demands that they 

 be put up in nice, attractive packages, and 

 in small parcels or jars so as to be readily 

 handled by grocers and consumers. Honey 

 was for centuries the principal sweet 

 known, and is one of the most healthful of 

 all. Improvement in refining sugars have 



within the last two or three centuries led to 

 its general adoption. Why may not also 

 new improvements in apiculture restore it 

 to its true place as a general favorite wliicli 

 was lost by bad management and the conse- 

 quent corresponding limited supply? 



We believe that improvements in bee- 

 keeping as compared with old methods are 

 not less than those seen in railroads and 

 steamboats as compared with former modes 

 of travel. 



For mutual information we would advise 

 the organization of local societies and con- 

 ventions to further this business among all 

 interested in apiculture. 



The following resolution was unanimous- 

 ly passed: Resolved, that the Secretary be 

 instructed to send copies of this address to 

 the various agricultural and other papers 

 with a request that it be published in the 

 interest of a general knowledge of apicul- 

 ture—and that $25 be appropriated to defray 

 the expenses of printing and postage. 



THIRD DAY. 



Met at 10 o'clock, when the next place of 

 meeting was bal lotted for with the follow- 

 ing results on four ballottings; 



first, second, third, fourth. 

 New York, 10 12 18 15 



Cincinnatti, 10 12 13 11 



It was agreed that the meeting for 1879 

 should be held in some city in the South or 

 West. 



The following were appointed an Exec- 

 utive Committee for the next Convention: 

 J. H Nell is, W. .1. Andrews, T. G. Newman, 



A. J. King and W. M. Hoge. 



Senator E. Y. Pillow of Tennessee, re- 

 marked that our Southern friends would be 

 glad to have the Convention held in some 

 central location, so that they may take part 

 iu the deliberations. 



An address from Dr. E. Parraly was then 

 read as follows on 



Inipnrtingr Foreign Races of Bees. 



Mr. Pkesident; 



The object of association is the benefit of 

 its members and to accomplish by united 

 action what cannot be done singly. Some- 

 times the end to be attained is even beyond 

 the strength of a single association and 

 then such matters are placed before a num- 

 ber of associations represented by their 

 delegates in convention. 



For the discussion of such and other ques- 

 tions we are assembled to-day, and if we 

 fail to effect something worthy of our an- 

 nual meeting we have met to but little pur- 

 pose. 



I desire among other things to direct the 

 attention of the brotherhood to the desir- 

 ability of making effort to import bees that 

 liave hot as yet been tested in this country, 

 which either pure or in some of their 

 crosses may prove an acquisition to the 

 country. 



The accounts we receive from abroad of 

 the Cyprian bee are very promising and it 

 would seem from Mr. Gravenliorst's state- 

 ment, as given in the Oct. number of the A. 



B. .1., to be in some respects superior to the 

 Italian. This bee can be obtained at no 

 great outlay. Mr. T. F. Read. Treas. of the 

 N. Y. Society, has attempted a direct im- 

 portation, and we hope soon to hear of his 

 success. 



