TMK mWiMmiCR-H WMM JO-IIRNRI,. 



281 



The reading of the minutes of the 

 last meeting was dispensed with, and 

 the first essay, by H. D. Cutting, of 

 Clinton, Mich., was called for, whieh, 

 in the absence of its author, was read 

 by the Secretary, as follows : 



Protliicinc Comb and Extracted 

 Honey in the Same Apiary. 



Locality is the first thing to be taken 

 into consideration. Many localities 

 produce honey dark in color the entire 

 season. In this case, it is best to work 

 entirely for extracted honey. In many 

 localities honey comes in 'so slowly, that 

 the bees will not get it in presentable 

 shape for market ; again, it is best to 

 work entirely for extracted honey. 



If in a good locality where white 

 clover abounds, followed by basswood, 

 and the bees bring in large quantities 

 of honey everj- day during the honey- 

 flow, then it is best to work for comb 

 honey— -provided you are adapted to 

 run an apiary exclusively for comb 

 honey. 



I will venture the assertion, that not 

 more than one honey-producer in ten, 

 is qualified to produce and market 

 comb honey successfully. Now this 

 may seem strange to many, yet it is a 

 fact. Go wliereyou will, you will find 

 slovenly honey-producers — persons not 

 adapted to the handling of comb 

 honey. When you find a man that has 

 the assistance of a good woman, you 

 will find comb honey in good shape for 

 market. Almost invariably when you 

 find a woman at the head of an apiary, 

 you will find comb honej- in fine condi- 

 tion — they are adapted to the produc- 

 tion of comb honey. 



If you go into an apiary during ex- 

 tracting time, and find a person with 

 honey on his hands, plenty on his 

 clothes, nearly as much on the floor as 

 in the can, all implements daubed with 

 honey, the handle to the extractor 

 covered with honey, with no pan of 

 water and cloth handy to clean up anj' 

 honey out of place — then and there 

 you will find a person not adapted to 

 handle comb honey. If he should be 

 so fortunate as to secure a good crop 

 of honey, he would spoil it all with his 

 manner of handling it ; and this is not 

 all — his honej' would spoil the market 

 for some more-favored comb-honey 

 producer. 



When honey is taken to the market 

 with propolis on every section, with 

 the producer's "trademark" in the 

 shape of dirty finger-marks on every 

 package, then the dealer will see at a 

 glance that it is not in proper condi- 

 tion, and he will give from two to 

 three cents per pound under the regu- 

 lar market price. When the neat and 

 tasty prf)ducers brings their product to 

 market, they are met with — " I have 

 just bought 75 pounds of Mr. So-and- 



So, for so much ;" and you are expected 

 to take the same. 



If persons who have no taste to 

 have things look nice, would confine 

 themselves to extracted honey, then 

 the market for comb honey would be 

 much better in many localities. If the 

 persons working for extracted honey 

 would confine themselves to that pro- 

 duct, they can produce honey at a less 

 cost per pound Ihan where comb and 

 extracted is j)rodueed in the same 

 apiary. Each production has its own 

 system, and they do not woi'k well 

 together. 



I think that it is best to adopt one 

 regular system, and work to that as 

 nearly as circumstances will allow, 

 bring "all things" to that system — 

 have an object point and work to it, if 

 you wish to succeed as a honey-pro- 

 ducer ; and always i-emember that 

 "locality and circumstances" must 

 govern in all cases. 



H. D. Cutting. 



In the discussion which followed, 

 Dr. Mason said that localities were so 

 difi'erent in honey-resources, that it 

 was hard to fix a rule. What would 

 apply to one locality, would not apply 

 to another. Work for comb honey 

 when honey is coming in freely, and 

 for extracted honey afterward. Get 

 ready — get supplies in time. 



A. I. Root — To produce comb honey 

 especiallj' — in fact, any honey — you 

 must be ready in time. 



Dr. Miller wants more supplies than 

 he thinks he will need — better have 

 some left over than to be short when 

 needed. 



J. B. Hains pi'oduces about one- 

 third comb honey, and two-thirds ex- 

 tracted. He always has the best 

 results in working for comb honey in 

 the flush of the honey-flow ; after that 

 he takes oft' the sections and uses the 

 extractor. This prevents having a lot 

 of unfinished sections at the close of 

 the season. He works the home api- 

 ary for extracted honey and queen- 

 rearing ; prefers light-colored combs, 

 as the honey will be nicer — dark 

 brood-combs will make the honey 

 darker. We must be ready for the 

 season in advance. 



Dr. Mason uses old combs in ex- 

 tracting, and says that his honey is A 

 No. 1. 



J. F. Moore produces about one- 

 fourth comb honey, and the rest ex- 

 tracted. It takes more time to work 

 for comb honey. If he works for that 

 alone, the bees will swarm more. Some 

 customers want comb honey, and some 

 want extracted, and by working for 

 both, we can please both classes of 

 patrons. 



H. F. Moore — It gives a man a bet- 

 ter name where he produces both kinds 



of honey. People have confidence in 

 a comlj-honey producer, that they do 

 not have when he has only extracted 

 honey for sale. 



It was generally agreed that the 

 main point was to be ready for the 

 honey-How when it conies. Three- 

 fourtlis of those present produce both 

 comb and extracted honey in the same 

 apiary. 



WOMEN IN THE APIARY. 



The question of woman's help in 

 apiaries was next discussed. 



Dr. Mason would rather not have 

 the women around, while F. A. Eaton 

 could not get along without the help of 

 his wife, as she will do the work up in 

 better shape than he would. While he 

 is doing the heavy work, his wife puts 

 foundation in sections, and does a 

 great deal of other light work. 



H. F. Moore finds that women are 

 the best hands to keep things in order. 



Dr. Mason knows that women are a 

 wonderful help, but, to be serious 

 about it, many men are killing their 

 wives to keep from hiring, and he 

 thought too much of his wife for that 

 — except, perhaps, at swarming time. 



Dr. Miller said that if he goes to an 

 out-apiary without the women, he can- 

 not find anything, and when he wants 

 to go home, all the tools are scattered 

 around the yard. Women straighten 

 things up better than men do, and 

 keep them in better shape. 



A recess of ten minutes was then 

 taken, after which the President, Mr. 

 H. R. Boardman, being present, called 

 the convention to order, and appointed 

 the committees. , 



A. I. Root then addres.sed the coii- 

 vention, his topic being, 



SHALL WE ATTEND CONVENTIONS ? 



Mr. Root believes most heartily in 

 attending conventions, because it pays. 

 Even though it does not alw\ays pay in 

 dollars and cents, it pays to get away 

 from cares and business — to get ac- 

 quainted with those engaged in the 

 same pursuit. We also forget self. 

 He used to think that we ought to stay 

 at home, but Prof. Cook got him out 

 of that notion, and he finds now that 

 he was mistaken. 



If you attend, take a part in the dis- 

 cussions, and learn to talk — he was 

 formerly bashful, but had gotten over 

 it. He had. been accused of talking 

 too much, but that did not oiFend him. 

 He related how Prof. Cook, at a Michi- 

 gan convention, made each person 

 present in turn say something on the 

 subject which was being considered, 

 and he thought that it was a good plan. 

 He would also make the question-box a 

 prominent feature of the convention. 



A short discussion followed, in which 

 Dr. Miller urged those who attend 



