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Xlie International Convention. 



—The Editor of Oleanings has sent us 

 advance sheets of the following article, 

 which will appear iu the next issue of that 

 periodical : 



Where Shall we Hold the Next National 

 Bee-Keepers' Convention? 



SHALL IT BE CHANGED FROM BRANTFORD, 

 ONT., TO BUFFALO, N. Y. ? 



The Canadian Bee Journal for Sept. 18, 

 1889, contained an editorial touching upon 

 a point that I had been thinking of for some 

 time. It reads as follows : 



While at Buffalo, we lost no opportunity 

 of inviting our American friends to be with 

 us at the coming International Convention, 

 to be held at Brantford In December, and 

 we were encouraged by many promises to 

 be present. We hope that our Canadian 

 bee-keepers will not forget to be present, 

 and give our visitors such a welcome as they 

 deserve. By the way, would it not be mere 

 justice to place the holding of the next con- 

 vention at Buffalo ? The bee-kfepers there 

 would like it, and it will give Canadians a 

 good chance of again being present. Besides, 

 the Eastern States are deserving of it in 

 their turn. Think of it, and come prepared 

 to do the matter justice, in the best interest 

 of the association. 



This set the ball rolling ; and, of course, 

 in view of the foregoing considerations, I 

 could not help giving it another boost by 

 writing the following letter to Dr. Mason, 

 President of the Association, which will ex- 

 plain itself : 



Friend Mason:— The last leading edi- 

 torial in the CanadUin Bee Journal for 

 Sept. 18, strikes upon a point that I have 

 been tliinking of for a long time. The rea- 

 son the next International Convention was 

 located at Brantford, was because its Secre- 

 tary lived there, and could see to all the 

 necessary business ; but now 1 am informed 

 he has moved away, and has been away for 

 some time. 



Now, the question comes up, what attrac- 

 tion or what reason is there for having 

 the convention in a small town in Canada, 

 with nothing particularly to call it there 

 now ? The population of Brantford is only 

 13 000, and it is but 70 miles from Buffalo by 

 rail. Why would it not be a good scheme to 

 change the convention to Buffalo, on the 

 border of the two countries, in a city of 

 250,000 population, and iu the vicinity where 

 some ot the best bee-keepers iu the world 

 are located ? We can surely get belter rates 

 of travel to Buffalo. 



Fuifiermore, there is a good, live man by 

 the name of O. L. Hershiser, with whom 

 you are acquainted, in that vicinity, and 

 you may be sure he will leave no stone un- 

 turned to make the next International a, 

 success, so far as accommodations, rates ot 

 travel, etc., are concerned. Buffalo, in the 

 wintertime, is a place of great resort, on 

 account of the Niagara Falls and I am sat- 

 isfied that a much larger attendance can be 

 had by some outside attraction than by bees 

 alone. At New Orlems there was the 

 largest attendance at the International In its 

 history ; and the reason of it was the World s 

 Exposition. We were interrupted a little, 

 it is true, by those comitig in and goinu; out; 

 but 1 would a great deal rather attend a C(m- 

 veiition where there is a large attendance 

 with some interruptions, than a small, one- 

 horse affair, with an international name, 

 and no interruptions. 



Now, my better half and I, and, in fact, 

 the whole of the Roots, want to see Niagara 

 Palls in the winter. For the sake of the 

 women, therefore, and for the sake of secur- 

 ing the presence of the New England and 

 New York bee-keepers, exert your influence 

 in favor of Buffalo, N. Y. The Canadians, 

 according to the Caiuidian Bee Journal, 

 will be just as willing to attend. There is 

 nothing at Biantford now to attract the 

 convention, and there is no reason why it 

 should be held there. 



I will write to Prof. Cook, and also to Mr. 

 Newman, and the Secretary, Mr. Holter- 

 mann. The latter, under existing circum- 

 stances, would, I think, just as soon, have it 

 at Buffalo as at Brantford. We changed our 

 place of meeting last year, and why not 

 change it now ? Times and circumstances 

 alter things very materially, sometimes. 

 Ernest K. Koot. 



Medina, Ohio, Sept. 24, 1889. 



Hardly deeming it advisable yet to do any- 

 thing about it in print, I sent press copies 

 of this letter to Prof. Cook, who originally 

 proposed meeting at Brantford, and to the 

 editor of the American Bee Journal, 

 Mr. Newman. The following replies were 

 received, all of which seconded the change. 

 The first one is from the President, who 

 writes as follows : 



Friend Ernest :— Yes, I am in favor of 

 a change o( the place of meeting of the In- 

 ternational Convention, provided that the 

 Canucks so desire. Come to think about it, 

 though, I do not think that it is any of their 

 business, with the exception of Messrs. 

 Jones and Holtennann. 1 believe they are 

 the only members in Canada. Why not put 

 it at Niagara Falls, on the Canadian side, 

 then we should be right where we could see 

 the "beauty" without leaving the conven- 

 tion ? 1 am willing to go anywhere that my 

 friends will allow ; and it I am " short " in 

 December, you will not see me at the con- 

 vention ; hut I hope to be there, and Mrs. 

 Mason with ine. A. B. Mason. 



Auburndale, 0., Oct. 1, 1889. 



I think I should still prefer Buffalo as the 

 place of meeting, to Niagara Falls itself. 

 Buffalo, besides being centrally located, is 

 so near and accessible to the Falls that those 

 who so desire can visit them after the date 

 of the convention. If, on the other hand, it 

 were held at the Falls, there would be more 

 or less interruptions during the session. In 

 other words, Buffalo would be just near 

 enough to be an attraction, and yet suffi- 

 ciently removed from the roar of the great 

 cataract to avoid interruptions. 



Prof. A. J. Cook writes in this manner : 



Dear Friend :—l think your reasons are 

 good. We all only wi^h the best interests 

 of the Association. If they would be best 

 served by changing to Buffalo, as seems 

 likely, then 1 say Buffalo. 1 see no objec- 

 tioiv, unless the Secretary or the C«nidian 

 bee-keepers ot)ject. A. J. Cook. 



Agricultural College, Mich., Sept. 30, 1889. 



Brother Newman indorses it in this vigor- 

 ous style : 



Friend Root;— Yours is received, with 

 press copy of letter to Dr. Mason, which 1 

 have read carefully. If the Canadians do 

 not object seriously, I see no reason why 

 the convention should not be at Buffalo. 

 Onr best convention was held at Detroit in 

 188.5, on the bonier between the United 

 States and Canada. The meeting at New 

 Orleans was not one of the National Conven- 

 tions. It was an extra, but it was good, ;nd 

 just as ^ou say. Count me and the Ameri- 

 can Bee Journal in favor ot Buffalo, and 



.send me advanced proofs of matter for 

 Oleanings about the change, and I will sec- 

 ond your motion, and support it to the best 

 of luy ability. Thomas G. Newman. 



Chicago, Ills., Sept. 30, 1889. 



_Perhap3 I should have sent a press cop y 

 to the Secretary, R. F. Holtermann, now of 

 Romney, Ont., Canada, but not then remem- 

 bering his address, it was overlooked until 

 now. I feel quite sure he will indorse the 

 change. 



Now, then, you have the full facts before 

 you. That we may ascertain the pleasure 

 of the members of the Association and 

 others, I suggest that those who favor the 

 change, and also those who do not favor it^ 

 write directly to Thomas G. Newman & Son, 

 925 West Madison St., Chicago, Ills., record- 

 ing their vote : and Messrs. Newman, after 

 receiving them, can transmit them to the 

 officers of the Society, who will act accord- 

 ingly.— Ernest R. Root. 



In the above article Brother Root asks for 

 opinions of bee-keepers to be sent to u» 

 relative to changing the location of the In- 

 ternational Convention to Buffalo next 

 December. This was done without consult- 

 ing us, but we will attend to the matter with 

 pleasure. We favor the change, if it re- 

 ceives the endorsement of Mr. Holtermann, 

 Mr. Jones, and other Canadians. They 

 should have been consulted tirst. 



I..atcr.— Since the above was put into 

 type, we have heard from several Canadians 

 —among them being Messrs. Macpherson 

 and Holtermann— and as they do seriously 

 object, there can be no change from Brant- 

 ford for the next International Convention 

 —but for the sessions of 1890, Buffalo is just 

 the place. The suggestion came too late. 

 Let us now dismiss the subject, and work 

 faithfully to make the Convention at Brant- 

 rord a successful and interesting occasion. 



Xiie Honey Season in Scotland 



is thus described by a correspondent in the 

 Record for this mouth : 



Once more we are within measurable dis- 

 tance of the close of the honey season. 

 Though it has not turned out such a honey- 

 flow as was anticipated in the early summer, 

 nevertheless things look briahter for the 

 bee-keeping industry than has been the case 

 for several years. The crop of honey may 

 be said to be a fair average one. It will be 

 generally conceded that colonies in the 

 snriuL' \vere in a very backward condition, 

 through scarcity of food and want of bees. 

 The eirly spring encouraged brood rearing, 

 however, and, before June closed, reports 

 were current of lot) pounds of surplus being 

 taken from single colonies. 



It is some years since the heather looked 

 so promising as it did at the end of July; 

 but unfortunately bad bee-weather came 

 when the bloom was at its height, conse- 

 quently the yield of honey from this valued 

 source was not great. 



The exhibits of extracted honey shown 

 throughout Scotland this season have been 

 very superior in flavor, color and consis- 

 tency. Sections have not been first-class ; 

 perhaps this nmy be attributed to the quan- 

 tities of tvbrkedout sections left from last 

 year to be tilled this season, and which in 

 nearly all cases fail to produce good quality 

 sections. 



