We can no longer afford to get along with- 

 out our journals, and our conventions. — 

 The time has come when knowledge must 

 not be hid under a bushel, nor locked up in 

 human hearts. Anciently, if a man made a 

 valuable improvement or discovery, he 

 regarded it as private property. He did not 

 seek the columns of a journal or the ears of 

 a convention, to make known to otlrers the 

 advantages to be derived from his improve- 

 ment or discovery. He did not seek an 

 exchange of thoughts and experiences, as 

 we do to-day. 



The eager faces now before me indicate 

 that y(ni are here for a purpose, and I feel 

 warranted in saying that your purpose is 

 not purely a selfish one. While you are 

 here to receive the benefits to be derived 

 from the experieiices of others, you are 

 also here for the generous purpose of im- 

 parting knowledge. 



It seems to me that we may not, as a 

 generation, l)oast of having more brains 

 than (lid our fathers of a few centuries ago, 

 but we mdy boast that we live in an age of 

 progression, that superstition, selfishness 

 and secretiveness do not reign as once they 

 did. Men, now, delight more in philan- 

 tiirophy— more in the brotherhood of man. 

 Tliere is something pleasing in the thought 

 of helping one another. Imparting useful 

 knowledge to others does not impoverish 

 us, but ratlier it enriches our hearts ; not 

 only so, but tiie heart of him who receives 

 the benefit is melted into kindness and grat- 

 itude ; and so, giving and receiving combine 

 to gladden our hearts and make us iiappy. 



Ladies and gentlemen, I feel that the 

 time of this convention is precious, and I 

 ought not occupy your attention with ex- 

 tended remarks. The '^Mysteries of Bee- 

 keepinq " is, to us, a fascinating study.— 

 How many useful lessons our busy little 

 workers may teach us. The vaiuableness 

 of time, the importance of energy and 

 activity, and tlie great good that may be 

 accomplished by persistently doing, little 

 by liltle, wliat our hands find to do, are the 

 lessons taught us by their every day lives. 



" How doth the little busy bee 

 Improve each shining hour, 

 And gather lioney all the day. 

 From every opening flower." 



Our little pets are very diminutive, as 

 regards their physical proptu'tions, but as 

 workers, and as stingers they are immense. 

 Bat every rose, you know, " has its thorn," 

 so has every bee its sting. Handle the rose 

 with care, and enjoy its rich fragrance, and 

 its cruel thorns may not pierce your sensi- 

 tive nerves. So in handling your bees, do it 

 with confidence, with gentleness, and with 

 care, and the poor little creature's only 

 weapon of defense will seldom pierce your 

 brow. 



Ladies and gentlemen, in behalf of the 

 citizens of Burlington, and especially the 

 bee-keepers of this city and vicinity, allow 

 me to greet you, and bid you ivelcome, wel- 

 come, thrice welcome to our city. 



Motion carried that a committee of three 

 be appointed as a committee of questions 

 and arrangements, which were appointed, 

 as follows : Dr. N. H. Derr, L. H. fcjcudder, 

 and O. Clute. 



On motion, the President and Secretary 

 were added to the committee as ex-offlcio 

 members. 



The remainder of the forenoon was occu- 

 pied by parties having articles on exhibi- 

 tion, in explaining the same. The follow- 

 ing were exhibited : Langstroth bee-hives 

 and section boxes, by Kirk & Abbott, Mus- 

 catine, Iowa. Tool box, for use in the api- 

 ary, by D. D. Palmer, Eliza, III. Prize 

 sections and comb foundation, (home made), 

 by L. H. Scudder, New Boston, III. Cen- 

 tennial bee-hive, by H. F. Poggenpohl, 

 Iowa City, Iowa. Section boxes, honey, 

 queen cages, grape sugar, tfec, by T. G. 

 McGaw, Monmouth, III. North Star Hive. 

 Everett's honey extractor, with copies of 

 the various bee books and publications, by 

 T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111. Extracted 

 honey and frame for nailing section boxes, 

 (Harbison), by Dr. N. H. Derr, Keithsburg, 

 111. Model of wire cloth window, for let- 

 ting out, and keeping out bees from a room, 

 by Will M. Kellogg, Oneida, Hi. Candied 

 honey and sample of glucose, by Chas. & C. 

 P. Dadaut, Hamilton, 111. Bingham smoker 

 and Langstroth hive, by Geo. Bischoff, Bur- 

 lington, Iowa. Dove-tailed section boxes, 

 from Barker & Tillman, Defiance, Ohio ; 

 presented by Dr. I. P. Wilson, Burlington, 

 Iowa. Advance Bee iiive, J. C. Shirk, 

 Morning Sun, Iowa. Concord bee hive, by 

 Krpetzer Bro's, South Chicago, III. 



The afternoon session met promptly at 

 1:30, p. m. The Secretary read a short his- 

 tory of the Society, from its founding to the 

 present time, and an abstract of its pro- 

 ceedings. 



Motion carried that Eastern Iowa be 

 added to the name of the Society. 



The following questions were then 

 discussed : 



ITALIANS vs. BLACKS. 



Dr. N. H. Derr.— I prefer black bees.— 

 Italians stick to the combs ; the blacks are 

 much the easiest to get off ; but we can find 

 the queen easier among Italians. It is 

 claimed that the Italians defend their stores 

 the best ; I think the blacks beat them, at 

 that. I think blacks produce finer honey 

 than the Italians ; they breed the best, and 

 are fully equal to the Italians. Italians get 

 better cai-e, hence give better results. 



Chas. Whitlock.— Many get humbugged ; 

 get hybrids in place of pure Italians, thus 

 condemning the Italians. I found that my 

 Italians had plenty of honey, while the 

 blacks had but little in time of little honey 

 flow. Italians are inclined to build comb 

 upwards. I think light queens are as good 

 as dark ones. 



C. P. Dadant.— I think the hybrids ai-e 

 better honey gatherers— blacks scatter their 

 honey. Italians pack it close, fill up brood 

 chamber and crowd out the brood. 



L. H. Scudder.— I think Mr. Derr has 

 been deceived as to the quality of honey.— 

 Italians fill the cells nearer the caps than 

 the blacks, but there is no difference in the 

 honey. 



D. b. Palmer.— Italians are a trifle larger 

 than blacks. We should space their combs 

 a little wider apart. A small cluster of 

 Italians will defend their hive as well as a 

 much larger cluster of blacks. In a dry 



