spend a whole season with a good bee- 

 keeper. 



i Dr. Burgess began by trying foundation 

 and all other things, and had good success. 



Petition to Congrress on Adulteration. 



Mr. King presented the following report 

 from the coniniittee on adulteration : 



To the Honorable the Senate and House of 



Reprexentatines of tlte United States, in 



Congress assembled : 



Your petitioneis, being delegates duly 

 chosen by the different local organizations 

 of bee-keepers of the United States, assem- 

 bled in National Convention in the city of 

 New York, this 8th day of October, 1878, 

 respectfully represent to your Honorable 

 Bofiy, that 



Whereas, The production of honey in our 

 country now amounts in value to near about 

 twenty-five million dollars, and the industry 

 is fast assuming national importance ; and 



Whereas, Tiie honey is being adulterated 

 by unprincipled dealers to an alarming ex- 

 tent, poisoning the health of our people, de- 

 stroying the prospects of producers by 

 bringing the article into disrepute at home 

 and destroying our export trade, with other 

 evils too numerous to mention ; 



Therefore, your petitioners pray for a law 

 against adulteration of honey, affixing such 

 fines and penalties to its violation as shall 

 prove an effectual protection alike to pro- 

 ducers, honest dealers and consumers of 

 honey, and your petitioners will ever pray. 



On motion the report was received and 

 the recommendations adopted. 



Miscellaneous Business. 



The prize of $25 offered for the best 

 Essay on Fertilization in Confinement, was 

 awarded to Mr. Hasiirouck, which he, in a 

 graceful speech, handed to the President, 

 stating he wished it held by the Association 

 to be awarded at the next October meeting 

 to the person who made the greatest im- 

 provement in the means to effect fertiliza- 

 tion iu confinement. The applause that 

 greeted this action showed that it was fully 

 appreciated. 



Balloting for place of next meeting was 

 next declared in order, which resulted — 

 Chicago. 18; Cincinnati, 14. 



Tlie Executive Committee for next year 

 were elected as follows : Thomas G. New- 

 man, J. Hasbrouck, Ewrich Parnily, E. J. 

 Oatman. 



It was Resolved, That our next meeting 

 be held in Chicago the 3d Tuesday in Octo- 

 ber, 1879. 



The President called attention to the re- 

 port of the Committee on granting medals, 

 diplomas, prizes, which was passed, and 

 asked the pleasure of the Convention. 



Mr. Porter. As to details, this should be 

 left with the Executive Committee, with 



Eovver to act. The value of a medal should 

 e in its source, and not its intrinsic value. 

 It was, on motion, Resolved, that the 

 whole subject be referred to the Executive 

 Committee, with power to act. 



Mr. King suggests that instead of one 

 person acting as judge, a local judge siiould 



act with him, and neither should know the 

 producer. 



An invitation of the European Congress 

 of Bee-Keepers to send delegates to their 

 next meeting at Prague, was re erred to the 

 Convention. 



On motion of Mr. King it was Resolved, 

 that if President Newman could attend that 

 Congress and other European Associations 

 of Bee-Keepers, that he represent this 

 Association. 



It was moved and seconded, that the bill 

 for rent for the room for the present meeting 

 be allowed and paid. Carried. 



The Convention then adjourned to meet 

 at Chicago, Oct. 21, 1879. 



Thomas G. Newman, Pres. 



E. Parmly, Sec. 



Stray Thoughts. 



READ BEFORE THE KANSAS CONVENTION. 



Your favor of Aug. 8th, asking me to 

 attend your State Convention or send you a 

 few penned thoughts, is received. Thanks 

 for your kind invitation to attend, and while 

 1 assure you it would afford me much 

 pleasure to meet with the bee-keepers of 

 your Prairie State, many reasons make it 

 impracticable. 1 will pen you a few, very 

 few, stray thoughts upon some of the 

 breakers in the way of the future welfare of 

 the honey producer, that if 1 am correct and 

 you conceive it so, you may be the better 

 able to avoid them. I think you all will 

 agree that if we can raise large crops of 

 honey, and get good prices for it, our future 

 is clear and bright. First, in regard to 

 prices, I must confess that much has been 

 done of late, to at least retard that rapid 

 tendency downward, that our product has 

 taken. I claim that no product should be 

 so high that its lovers cannot enjoy it. 

 Again, great care should be taken that an 

 overstocked market does not put its price so 

 low that the producer must suffer. 1 believe 

 that most oi you are aware that our late 

 styles of packages, which are safely trans- 

 portable, have attracted the attention of 

 dealers and consumers in nearly every part 

 of the old world. This avenue may, I think, 

 be reasonably expected to act as a safety- 

 valve to our honey markets. Those who 

 store their honey in old-fashioned packages, 

 must expect to suffer for their folly. A 

 honey package, to bring a ren)unerative 

 price, must be independent; by that I mean 

 put up in such shape as to lie open to the 

 bids of the world. To conclude this part 

 of my subject, I will say tliat, positively, 

 everything looks like we were going to 

 protect ourselves in that important part of 

 our present marketing and prices. 



Now to the other part of our troubles: 

 How to raise large crops of honey, of good 

 quality. In regard to comb honey, which 

 seems to be taking the particular attention 

 of both producers and consumers of late, its 

 quality is always as good as the flora will 

 admit of. Of extracted honey, there is but 

 one way yet known to keep up its reputation, 

 and give your customers "value received," 

 and that is not to extract it till all capped 



