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89 



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class of plants are peculiar because 

 they are at their best in the heat of 

 the day ; among these I mention hoar- 

 hound, mullein, iron-weed, mother- 

 wort, milk-weed, etc. 



Finally, we have a class of nectar- 

 secreting plants that are at their best 

 only in cool weather. These are the 

 asters, golden-rods, boneset, etc. 



But it will interest many readers to 

 speak more particularl}-, before dis- 

 missing this suljject. Years of con- 

 stant inquiry and research would not 

 enable an}' one student to compile a 

 complete list of all the nectar-secreting 

 plants. Tliat practical, untiring bee- 

 keeper. Dr. E. Drane, of Eminence, 

 Ky., once remarked to the writer that 

 he once thought that nectar-secreting 

 plants were somewhat limited, but 

 since seeing his bees busily at work on 

 the despised cocklebur, and the pesky 

 purslain, he declined to fix any limit. 

 Evei-y close observer must feel some- 

 what in this way. No blooming plant 

 is wholly discarded by the hees, un- 

 less we except the loud-smelling dog- 

 fennel — and I have, in my long experi- 

 ence, had the pleasure of seeing two 

 bees interviewing the dog-fennel ! 



When summing up the mattei-, the 

 plain, unpretentious little white clover 

 must be crowned king of all the 

 honey-plants on the American conti- 

 nent — not because it produces nectar 

 more profusely than any other plant 

 or tree (for perhaps this is not the 

 case), but its vitality and power to 

 propagate itself, overcoming all oppo- 

 sition, and growing better by reason 

 of close grazing by stock, and making 

 itself at home on a wider and more ex- 

 tended portion of the Amei'ican soil, 

 than any other individual nectar-bear- 

 ing plant — it is king of American 

 honey-plants. 



Alsike clover is a more profuse nec- 

 tar-bearer than any other variety of the 

 clovers, but it lacks vitality. It is 

 short-lived, and fails to propagate it- 

 self in this part of the earth. 



The common red clover is a great 

 nectar-bearer, but its habit of growth 

 is too coarse and luxurious for the 

 utilization of the honey-bee. Nature 

 seems to have assigned this large va- 

 riety, in a measure, to the large species 

 of nectarious insects. 



Whatever may have been said as to 

 the great number of nectar-bearing 

 plants, it is surprising how few are 

 capable of yielding stores in abun- 

 dance. In my own locality, if there 

 were no white clover, I could, perhaps, 

 take honey in paying quantity by sow- 

 ing Alsike clover every season ; but 

 neglecting this, my bees would not be 

 able to board themselves, without giv- 

 ing one pound of surplus. 



Facts gleaned from all over this 

 country, will show that fruit-bloom 



yields but scantily for breeding pur- 

 poses, and that the fall-liowering 

 plants fail to furnish winter stores, ex- 

 cept in favored places. 



Linden timber grows in nearly 

 every State in tlie Union, but it is found 

 in s#flicient quantity to produce sur- 

 plus honey in comparatively few places. 

 Tlie great bulk of our surplus honey 

 comes from white clover — the king of 

 honey-plants. 



The "golden-rod" — because of its 

 romantic name, and because it is ap- 

 propriateil by beautiful women as an 

 adornment — may well be named as the 

 " national tlower ;" but it is a dead 

 failure in this part of the earth, as a 

 nectar-bearing plant. 



Christiansburg, Ky. 



COLORADO. 



The Report of the Colorado 

 State Convention. 



The Colorado State Bee-Keepers' 

 Association met in annual session at 

 the Denver Chamber of Commerce, on 

 Jan. 20, 1890, at 10 a.m., with Presi- 

 dent Milleson in the chair. 



The minutes of the previous meeting 

 were read and approved, after which 

 Secretary J. M. Clark read his annual 

 report as follows : 



The year just closed has been a year 

 of progress for Colorado. Her popu- 

 lation has received large accessions 

 from immigration. Capital has flowed 

 into the State, a fair share of which 

 has found employment in the develop- 

 ment of our material resources. The 

 apiarian interest has felt the impetus 

 which has carried forward all our in- 

 dustries to a fuller development. The 

 very bees themselves seem to have 

 caught the spirit of the times, and 

 have done their "level best" to colo- 

 nize the State. The percentage of in- 

 crease for 1888 was 56 ; for 1889, so 

 far as reports have come in, the rate 

 of increase has been 93 per cent. 



In 1888, 188 bee-keepers reported 

 155,000 pounds of honey ; thus far for 

 1889, 10-1 bee-keepers have reported 

 124,706 pounds. From reports thus 

 far received, a rough estimate would 

 place the total product of the State at 

 over 250,000 pounds. To this bright 

 side there is a darker shade when we 

 come to consider the possible danger 

 that threatens our busy little workers. 

 The ravages of foul brood in some api- 

 aries has blighted the hopes, and 

 brought serious loss to some of our 

 number, and to them we extend our 

 warmest sympathy. 



During the year 1889, and since our 

 last annual meeting, the association 

 met three times ; viz : on March 20, 

 Sept. 11, and Nov. 20. These meetings 



have all been fairly well attended, and 

 very interesting. 



Through the eft'orts of this associa- 

 tion, a law was pas.sed by the last Leg- 

 islature, which, if properly enforced, 

 will doubtless be the means of saving 

 to the productive industries of the 

 State, thousands of dollars. 



The sn(!i'riMg remark in an alleged 

 agricultural pajjcr, tliat foul brood had 

 disappeared, and there only remained 

 the commissiciner, was evidently but 

 an eft'ervescence of pardonable ignor- 

 ance. The author should plead the 

 " baby act," and receive the parental 

 forgiveness of our organization. 



The expenses of the association have 

 been unusually heavy, owing to the 

 fact that we have published the Con- 

 stitution and By-Laws of the associa- 

 tion, also tlie law for the eradication 

 of foul brood. The expenses of the 

 collection of honey statistics, was also 

 considerable, mostly in postage. Our 

 report, therefore, shows the associa- 

 tion to be in debt, but we trust that 

 the receipts at this meeting will more 

 than cancel the indebtedness. 



The total receipts so far are $56.83 ; 

 disbursements,$56.23 ; bills due,|16.25; 

 total amount of indebtedness, $15.65. 

 J. M. Clark, Sec. 



Following the Secretary's report, the 

 report of the Treasurer, Mrs. R. H. 

 Rhodes, was read. 



After some discussion in regard to 

 paying the cost of Inspectors' commis- 

 sions, it was voted that each Inspector 

 pay the cost of his own appointment 

 and commission. 



Interesting essays were read and 

 discussed. 



W. L. Porter, of Greeley, had ' • Ex- 

 tracted Honey " for his subject. By the 

 way, this was the essay that received 

 the "third prize" oflered by the 

 American Bee Journal. Score one 

 for Colorado, as being able to take 

 third out of eighteen essays from all 

 over the United States. 



Following this, D. R. Emery, of 

 Longmont, read an essay on "Bee- 

 farming on a tive-acre lot, with fruit 

 and poultry." Many points were com- 

 mended, and affirmed by Mr. and Mrs. 

 Booth, as to the quality of honey and 

 honej-plants, and weather fit for bees 

 to work in. Mr. Booth thought that 

 Colorado could "brag and blow," but 

 we could not " hold a candle" to Cali- 

 fornia in that line. While there are 

 many good things there, so much of it 

 is ovex'-estimated and over-stated 

 abroad that it must be received with a 

 great margin. The deserts, the fog, 

 the chill, and cost, and the bad gen- 

 erally, is never over-stated abroad. 



H. Knight read an essay on "Bee- 

 Houses." He thinks that they are just 

 the thing for safety, comfort and con- 

 venience for the bees and their keeper. 



