26 



Tmm rnvmrnmi^mm mnm j@^MifMi*. 



boards, which will account for such a 

 high temperature. 



H. D. Cutting wanted it from 38° to 

 45° ; a low temperature requires a 

 dry cellar. 



On a vote being taken, the majority 

 were in favor of -HP to 45°. 



The selection of tlie location for the 

 next meeting being in order, R. L. 

 Taylor moved, and the motion was 

 carried, that we meet in Detroit, on 

 Jan. 1 and 2, 1891, as at that time the 

 members would be sure of reduced 

 rates on all railroads. As this will be 

 the 25th anniversary of this Associa- 

 tion, it is expected that the meeting 

 will be the largest ever held by the 

 Association. 



The election of officers by ballot re- 

 sulted as follows : President, A. J. 

 Cook ; 1st Vice-President, M. H. Hunt; 

 2d Vice-President, W. Z. Hutchinson ; 

 3rd Vice-President, W. R. Fellows ; 

 Secretary, H. D. Cutting ; Treasurer, 

 H. E. Gordon ; and Assistant Secretary, 

 Geo. E. Hilton. 



A discussion of the revised premium 

 list occupied the balance of the fore- 

 noon. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



The discussion of the premium list 

 was resumed, when it was adopted 

 with the several changes and additions, 

 and the Secretary was authorized to 

 send a copj^ of the list to all societies 

 in the State, and anj' others who re- 

 quest the same. It is as follows : 



Exhibitors will not be allowed to remove 

 honey from the exhibit during the lair, but 

 may sell from a reserved supply. 



In Judging bees, purity of race shall consti- 

 tute the competing points. 



Bees must not be allowed to flj- during hours 

 of exhibition. 



Bees must be exhibited in such shape that 

 each comb may be seen on both sides. 



1st 2d 3d 



Most attractive display of comb 

 honey S35 S20 $10 



Specimen of comb honey, not less 

 than 20 lbs., quality and manner 

 of putting up for marlict to be 

 considered 10 5 



Most attractive display of extrac- 

 ted honey 33 20 10 



Specimen of extracted honey, not 

 less than 20 lbs., quality and man- 

 ner of putting up for marliet to 

 beconsiderod 10 ."> 



Display of comb honey Ijy a lady.. 20 10 



Display of extracted honey by a 

 lady 20 10 



Most attractive display of beeswax 20 10 



Specimen of beeswax, not less than 

 10 lbs., soft, bright jellow wax 

 to be given the preference 6 3 



Single-comb Nucleus Italian bees.. 10 .5 



Single-comb Nucleus black bees .. 10 5 



Single-comb Nucleus Syrian bees. . 10 5 



Single - comb Nucleus Carniolan 

 bees 10 5 



SWEBPSTAKES ON BEES. 



Display, in single-comb Nuclei, of 

 the greatest variety of the differ- 

 ent races of bees 10 5 



Assortment of honey-candies, qual- 

 ity to govern 6 4 



Assortment of fruits preserved in 

 honey, quality to govern 6 4 



Display of pastry made with honey 6 4 



Honey Vinegar, not less than one 

 gallon, shown in glass 6 3 



Specimen of Comb Foundation for 

 use in the brood-chamber 6 3 



Specimen of Comb Foundation for 

 use in section-boxes 6 3 



Comb Foundation, for use in the 

 brood - chamber, made on the 

 grounds 20 10 



Comb Foundation, for use in sec- 

 tion-boxes, made on the grounds 20 10 



SWEEPSTAKES. 



The largest, best, most interesting, 

 attractive and instructive exhi- 

 bition in this department, all 

 things considered 35 20 10 



It was voted that Dr. A. B. Mason 

 be selected as superintendent of the 

 bee and honey department at the 

 World's Fair, in 1892. 



Geo. E. Hilton then read the follow- 

 ing essay, on 



Can tUe Averaste Parmer make 

 Bee-Keopinjg- Pay ? 



Had our worthy Secretary asked the 

 question, "Will it pay the majority of 

 farmers to keep bees ?" I should an- 

 swer, " No." But assuming that the 

 majority of farmers are partially com- 

 posed of the " average farmer," then 

 the assertion should be qualified. 



The farmer who '-can't afford " com- 

 fortable quarters for his stock, and 

 can only afford to have wood enough 

 ahead to last over night, and who sits 

 around the cook-stove during these 

 long winter evenings, his knees form- 

 ing a rest for his elbows, and his hands 

 for his chin — who "can't afford" to 

 take a paper, or furnish a lamp to 

 read it by (should his more enterpris- 

 ing neighbor lend him one) — the 

 farmer who " can't afford " to have a 

 stove and a good lamp in his best 

 room, where his cliildren can invite 

 their mates and spend their evenings 

 in pleasure and profit, but who can 

 afford to see them go to the " Center " 

 every night, and see the marks of dis- 

 sipation become more plain on their 

 fair faces daily, but who enjoy hearing 

 their neighbors' sa3% "The carpet in 

 their best room looks as good as new," 

 when the facts are, it was bought 

 twenty years ago — my friends, there 

 are such localities, and where the ma- 

 jorit}' of farmers are comfortably well 

 off, and are considered the average, or 

 a little above the average farmer — in 

 these localities it will not pay the 

 average farmer to keep bees. It is 

 very gratifying, however, to observe 

 that these localities are growing beau- 

 tifully less. 



In other localities, where the "aver- 

 age farmer" comprises those who by 

 thrift, energy and enterprise, have 

 good provisions for their families and 

 stock, who make the most of every- 

 thing, and know how to market their 

 products to the best advantage, being 

 posted through the mediumship of the 

 best periodicals representing his indus- 

 tries — these farmers, should they 

 have the natural inclination, will make 

 bee-keeping pay, for the reason that 

 thej' will give it the same proportionate 

 attention that they give tiieir other 



rural industries. In.stead of sitting 

 around the cook-stove, and complain- 

 ing of the hard times, and the bad laws 

 that hamper them and destroy their 

 bright, intelligent boys that they have 

 been hoping would in the near future 

 relieve them of some of their imaginary 

 hardships, they are just taking colj- 

 fort, making bee-hives, and getting 

 everything in readiness for the coming 

 busy season. 



Bee-keeping has passed its "luck 

 period," and is now and established 

 science. But still the past three sea- 

 sons have proven that it is not the 

 specialist that has produced the honey, 

 or made the best margins on what he 

 did produce. My 250 colonies in two 

 yards have not aver.aged to exceed 16 

 pounds each, but have required about 

 the same attention that they would, 

 had they produced GO pounds each — as 

 those not to exceed five miles away did 

 with about the same pasturage, but 

 only four or five in a place. With a 

 good season, of course the scales would 

 be turned. 



But many of us are feeling that these 

 good seasons are the exception and 

 not the rule. Bee-keeping is a rural 

 industry, and with the intelligent, 

 wide-awake farmer it belongs, and 

 with it he will succeed. If this is the 

 " average farmer," then it will pay 

 him to keep bees ; but if, on the other 

 hand, he belongs to the class first de- 

 scribed, bee-keeping, like everything 

 else he does, will not pay. 



Geo. E. Hilton. 



It was voted that our thanks be ex- 

 tended to the President and Secretary 

 for their kindness and extra work in 

 making this the most successful meet- 

 ing held by this Association for many 

 years. 



The Committee on Exhibits reported 

 as follows : 



M. H. Hunt, of Bell Branch, Mich., ex- 

 hibited some very fine flat-bottomed foun- 

 dation of his own manufacture ; foundation 

 for brood; nice one-piece sections, and 

 Alsike clover seed. 



H. D. Cutting, of Clinton, Mich., exhibit- 

 ed extracted red-clover honey, and comb 

 honey ; with a sample of honey-candy. 



Dr. G. L. Tinker, of New Philadelphia, 

 Ohio, exhibited samples of four-piece sec- 

 tions, and wood separators. 



E. L. Pratt, of Marlboro, Mass., exhibited 

 queen-cages. 



W. D. Soper, of Jackson, Mich., exhibited 

 smart-weed comb honey ; horse-mint, bass- 

 wood, and Alsike extracted honey. 



Jacob E. Timpe, of Grand Ledge, Mich., 

 exhibited a brood-frame holding six one- 

 pound sections, with removable bottom-bar 

 held by hooks. 



Geo. E. Hilton, of Fremont, Mich., showed 

 a T super, so modified that it deserves the 

 name of " Hilton's Improved T Super." The 

 sections and separators are held in place 

 by set-screws. 



There was also on exhibition a large 

 amount of good, sound sense and solid en- 

 .loyment, with a fair share of mirth, which 



