144 



tmm mMimmiGmm mmm jQumnmi^. 



words of explanation for actions so 

 >trange. 



A member once said, "I did not at- 

 tend tlie meeting, because I thought 

 there would be nothing of importance 

 done." Others have also expressed to 

 me similar views. Now this man, we 

 infer, thought he had nothing to do 

 but to rest anil play while the others 

 worked; but it is possible that each one 

 of the others thought as he did ; then 

 who was to do the work of the sooiet}-, 

 and crown it with honor and glory ? 

 A society in some respects is like a 

 carriage-wheel — the members are its 

 spokes, the hub is the foundation, or 

 interests of the society, upon which 

 the members plant themselves; the fel- 

 lies are the band, or bond— the rules, 

 and laws which bind us all together. 

 Each has a part to perform ; none can 

 <ay to the other, "Work, while I rest." 



Xow let us ascertain what are the 

 duties of a member of the bee-keepers' 

 association. In every condition of life, 

 from the cradle to the grave — in the 

 family, in school, at plaj-, on parade, 

 and in all united efforts of men and 

 women, — each and all without excep- 

 tion, have a duty to do — a work to 

 perform, and we can no more release 

 ourselves from the obligations which 

 these or other conditions impose upon 

 us, than we can release ourselves from 

 the obligation to live honest and virtu- 

 ous lives. They who fail to reciprocate 

 with their comrades, and shun the 

 duties which association imposes, are. 

 to say the least, moral delinquents. 



The veiy idea of association is an 

 acknowledgment of our individual 

 weakness and need of help. Thus we 

 are appealed to by the most tender 

 and sacred feelings of the heart, to of- 

 fer our counsel, caution or instruction 

 to our comrades in life's great struggle 

 for existence, comfort and happiness. 

 If tliis is not true, then association is a 

 mockery and fellowship a farce, and 

 membership a joke, pledges a jest, and 

 obligations perishable toys. 



Life itself is not a joke, nor a toy, 

 nor can any division of it by any logi- 

 cal conclusion be so considered. Life is 

 measured out to us in days and years, 

 as so much cloth to be worn, returned, 

 and accounted for in strict solemnity. 

 We, the bee-keepers of Colorado, are 

 not a set of merrj-makers ; nor do we 

 consider our proceedings jocular, nor 

 o ir sessions funny. Yet it seems com- 

 ical that the important labor of the 

 State Bee-Keepers' Association is limi- 

 ted to a one day's session, and the 

 designated topics to be considered but 

 six, and these oftered by but six mem- 

 bers of the society ! 



Whether this is a creditable exhibit of 

 the utility and work of the Association, 

 it is not my purpose to say ; but I do 

 feel impelled to saj- that a better at- 



tendance at our meetings, and a more 

 extended programme, would be but 

 the fultillment of our obligations and 

 duties as members of the State Bee- 

 Keepers' Association. Nor do I con- 

 sider that that would suffice. More, 

 even, is required. 



A sort of special friendship should be 

 cultivated between each other, based 

 upon a mutuality of interests and upon 

 a unity of occupation. We should visit 

 each other at our homes, investigate 

 each other's work in the apiary, com- 

 pare plans or methods of work, and 

 take items of each other. We should 

 take a special interest in each other, 

 for our interests flow together. A love 

 of more frequent association should 

 grow up among us. "• A spirit of good- 

 will and neighborlj' kindness should 

 exist between us; and, above all, a 

 spirit of justice and wisdom should 

 guide us in the disposition of our pro- 

 ducts, to the end that an injurious and 

 ruinous rivahy shall not overload the 

 market with honey, below the cost of 

 production. 



These are but a few of the sugges- 

 tions and admonitions which I might 

 point out as assumed obligations en- 

 tered into by the members of the State 

 Bee-Keepers' Association ; but enough 

 has been cited to induce thought, guide 

 us in our undertaking, — that is, to make 

 the State Bee-Keepers' Association of 

 Colorado one of the most important 

 and useful of the industrial associations 

 of this our great "Centennial State." 



Denver, Colo. 



BEE-ITEMS. 



An Iiitcrc<itiiig Apieiiltural Let- 

 ter and Its Reply. 



[The following letter, written by 

 Mr. M. M. Baldridge, of St. Charles, 

 Ills., to Dr. C. C. Miller, is considered 

 of sufficient value to merit publication 

 in the Ajiekican Bee Journal ; and 

 the replj' thereto, by Dr. Miller, of 

 Marengo, Ills., will be found to be no 

 less important and profitable : — Ed.] 



Friend Miller : — I have kept so 

 quiet, and for such a long time, that 

 perhaps you maj' think I am dead, but 

 such is not the case. Let me briefly 

 say that I went to Wisconsin in April, 

 1889, and bought a small apiary of 50 

 colonies in one-stoiy hives, as a start. 



MOVING BEES ON A WAGON. 



I bought the bees in Vernon county. 

 Wis., and then moved them by wagon 

 some 25 miles, close to Richland Center, 

 in Richland county — only about a mile 

 north of the city. 



I used a hay-rack to move the bees, 

 and moved them at two loads, but 



ought to have moved them at one 

 lo.ad. It was very hot weather — being 

 that hot period in early May. I lost 

 none, however ; and only a few combs 

 (less than a dozen) were broken down. 

 I never use any haj' or straw on a 

 rack, nor springs under it, when mov- 

 ing bees, as it is unnecessary ; but I 

 use boards above the cross-pieces so as 

 to have a level floor ; stakes and boards 

 on each side to keep the hives in place, 

 and I prefer to have the combs run 

 from side to side of the rack. 



I closed the season up there in the 

 latter part of July with 105 colonies, 

 and about two tons of honey (chiefly 

 extracted), which was not more than 

 half a crop. Being mj- first season, I 

 had a deal to do, and did not have 

 things ready to catch the honey-flow, 

 but I will try to be ready another 

 year. 



For divers reasons, not necessary to 

 mention here, I reduced the apiary in 

 October to 82 colonies, which is now 

 in winter quarters up tliere. The bees 

 were put into a cave (built by myself) 

 on Nov. 6, and I left there for my 

 home here on Nov. 9. 



The bees were moved to the bee- 

 cave, the distance of about a mile, on 

 a hay-rack, at three loads, but I could 

 have moved them readily and easil}- 

 at two loads, had it been necessary. 

 They were put into the cave the same 

 day, and without being permitted to 

 fly. Three years ago I moved some 

 35 hives of bees four miles on Nov. 23, 

 and wintered them in my house-cellar, 

 without giving the bees a chance to 

 fly, and they came out in the spring 

 in fine condition. I could not see but 

 they wintered as well as though thej' 

 had been given a chance to fly after 

 getting them home. 



You will notice that my bees in Wis- 

 consin were put into winter quarters 

 much eax'lier than was recommended 

 by the members of the last Northwest- 

 ern Bee-Convention, held in Chicago — 

 Nov. 25, I think was the date that they 

 fixed upon. My bees here at home (24 

 colonies) I put into my house-cellar 

 this year on Nov. 13, and a j'ear ago, 

 on election daj'. Had my bee-cave in 

 Wisconsin been I'eadj-, I should have 

 put my bees therein early in October, 

 as I see no good reason for leaving 

 them out-doors any later, having got 

 through breeding in September. The 

 percentage of bees that flj' out of the 

 hives in October and November, when 

 there is no honey to gather, is very 

 small, according to my observation, 

 and such as do fly are perhaps so old 

 and worthless as to be of little value, 

 anyway, and they might as well die in 

 the repository, if it be simply for the 

 want of a flight. 



I produced only some 300 pounds of 

 honej' in one-pound sections last j^ear. 



