680 



THE MBdMRICajf mwm JQCfRPfMlr. 





from east of Chicago, no reduced rates 

 having been given in that direction — 

 whj-, could not be learned. 



President Miller opened the meeting 

 with praj-er. The reports of the Sec- 

 retary and Treasurer were read and 

 approved. 



The annual dues were reduced to 

 50 cents. This was done because 

 there was money remaining in the 

 treasury, and expenses would be light, 

 as there would be no expense for a 

 hall. The following male members 

 paid their dues, the ladies being free : 



L. A. Aspinwall. Three Rivers, Mich.. 



B. T. Baldwin, Marion, lud. 



T. J. Baldwin, Wyoming, Iowa. 

 John Bird, Nashua, Iowa. 

 S. N. Black, Clayton, Ills. 

 John Bradly, Wyanet, UU. 

 T. S. Bull, Valparaiso, Ind. 

 John N. Conger, Wyoming, Ills. 



D. D. Cooper, Sherman, Ills. 

 A. W. Cumins, Woodstock, Ills. 

 Mark Davis, Lisle, Ills. 



James Forncrook, \Vatertown, Wis. 

 V. A. Fuller, Cherry Valley, Ills. 

 Russell Fuller, Richmond, Ills. 

 A. W. Gardner, Ceutreville, Mich. 

 Geo. L. Gast, Le Claire, Iowa. 

 S. E. Gernou. Waukesha, Wis. 



E. P. Gibbs, Lyndon, Ills. 

 Chas. H. Green, Waukesha, Wis. 

 J. A. Green, Dayton. Ills. 



G. Uarseim, Sf cor, Ills. 



A. S. Haskiii, M. D.. Lawrence, Mich. 

 James Heddon, Dnwaiiiac, Mich. 

 William Heddon, D;)was!iac, Mich. 



S. H. Herrick, Kockford, Ills. 

 L. Hiehbarg^r, Leat River, Ills. 

 J. Hodasoii, Jr., Pewaukee, Wis. 



C. W. Hudson, VVaukegiii, Ills. 

 J. Hunter, Wyoming, Iowa. 

 W. Z. Hutchinson, Flint, Mich. 

 Dr. H. Joseph Jaxoii, Chicago, Ills. 



B. Kenuedy, New Milford, Ills. 

 A. L. Leach, D wight. Ills. 



W. ('. Lyman, Downer's Grove, Ills. 



Lot Mason, Auburn, Ills. 



O. C. Miller, xM. D., Marengo, Ills. 



M. S. Morgan, South Elgin, Ills. 



Thomas G. Newman, Chicago, Ills. 



Howard Ogle, Paloiia, Ills. 



K. Pendergrass, Malta, Ills. 



Geo. Poindexter, Kenuey, Ills. 



G. W. Redmon. Paris, Ills. 



G. D. Rogers. Peeatonica, Ills. 



A. I. Root, Medina, Ohio. 



C. J. Sehaftr, Eddyville, Iowa. 

 C. Schrier, I'eotone, Ills. 



Jas. A. Slone, Bradfordton, Ills. 

 N. L. Stow, South EvaustoD, Ills. 

 G. Kuff, Burlington, Iowa. 

 M. J. West, Leaf River, Ills. 

 J.C. Wheeler, Piano, Ills. 

 C. E. Yocom, Sherman, Ills. 



LAD res. 



Mrs. John Bird, Nashua, Iowa. 

 Mrs. C. H. Green, Waukesha, Wis. 

 Mrs. L. Harrison, Peoria, Ills. 

 Mrs. I). N. Jones, Marengo, Ills. 

 Mrs. B. Kennedy, New Milford, Ills. 

 Mrs. W. T. F. Petty, Pittstield, Ills. 

 Miss Gertie Sehrier, Peotone, Ills. 

 Mrs. L. H. Scudder, New Boston, Ills. 

 Mrs. N. L. Stow, South Evanston, Ills. 

 Miss Emma Wilsou, Marengo, Ills. 



The Northwestern is known as the 

 convention that sails in without any 

 essays, or even programme. Whoever 

 ■'wants to know, you know," writes 

 out his query, and hands it to the 

 President. So long as we can keep 

 Dr. Miller in the chair — and we have 

 succeeded pretty well so far — this plan 



will work to a charm. He keeps things 

 stirred uj) and moving. If the folks 

 are slow in talking, or in answering 

 queries, he will call some one right out 

 by name, and tnake him talk, and then 

 the discussion is soon getting red hot. 



The opening address, made by 

 Thomas G. Newman, was as follows : 



Mr. President and Apiarian Co-Workers : 

 In 1884, when last this Convention met 

 we little thought that live years would 

 elapse before we should meet again, 

 but .such is a fact. One thing and 

 another have prevented the '•North- 

 western " from convening until this 

 day, and now we hope to have one of 

 those interesting occasions, such as is 

 the delight of bee-keepers to attend. 



What have we come here to do ? To 

 talk over the past and learn wisdom 

 from our experiences and those of our 

 co-workers. " Let there be light " was 

 the fiat of the Almighty ti,000 years 

 ago, when darkness covered the earth ; 

 and then the obedient sun gave to this 

 globe of ours the full blaze of its elec- 

 tric fire, and has continued to us that 

 lig/it unto the present daj', dispelling 

 darkness and warming the earth by its 

 genial rays. Light and knowledge and 

 power have been man's inheritance, as 

 the days come and go. The poet 

 wisely remarks that 



The waves that moan along the shoi'e. 

 The winds that sigh in blowing. 



Are seut to teach a mystic lore, 

 Which men are wise in knowing. 



To this end have we come together, 

 so that the wisdom of each one may be 

 communicated to all, with the magnetic 

 currents "f personal contact and 

 hearty fellowship. For in our pursuit, 

 as well as in all others, there is alwaj-s 

 something to learn, and the one whose 

 ears are always open to learn, and 

 who puts into practice the instruction 

 gained, is the one who succeeds ! 



The successful bee-keeper is not born 

 like the poet, but is 7nade by practicing 

 and improving upon his own experi- 

 ences as well as the knowledge and 

 experiments of others. 



Mistakes are made and reverses 

 come, but these do uot discourage — 

 thej' onl3' strengthen the determination 

 to succeed. Patient perseverance, 

 coupled with wise and skilful methods 

 will win at last ! No season should be 

 allowed to pass without adding to our 

 store of bee-knowledge — both practical 

 and theoretical. Then only may we 

 hope to reach the top, and earn the 

 proud distinction of being called " bee- 

 masters !" 



The honey season just ended has 

 been a grand success in most of the 

 Northwestern States, but in Michigan, 

 Indiana, and man}' parts of the East 

 and South, it has been one of the 

 poorest for manj- years. Our couutry 



is so large, with climatic conditions so 

 varied that no regulation will apply to 

 all, and no harvest will result alike in 

 all parts of it ! 



Is there any avocation in life that has 

 no drawbacks ? Nay, verily. Disasters 

 come in all lines of business, but bee- 

 eulture compares favorably with any 

 of them. 



While we in the favored Northwest 

 are enjo)-ing the proceeds of a rich 

 honey-harvest, let us trj- to sympathize 

 with our brethren of the East and 

 South, and encourage them to hope 

 and labor for the years of plenty yet 

 to come to them, as well as to others. 



I trust that this Convention will be 

 productive of much good, by diffusing 

 useful knowledge to all present, as 

 well as to those who are anxiously 

 looking for the report of this meeting 

 to bring them something to think 

 about and to practice in their apiaries 

 dui'ing the coming j-ear. 



Of course we shall differ in our opin- 

 ions, as do the greatest and best of 

 men, but this should not give rise to 

 any feeling of ill-will. Our thoughts 

 are but the " clothing" of the mind, 

 and we might as well dislike a person 

 for being clothed in white or blue, be- 

 cause our choice is for green or black 

 — as to be provoked at the opinions of 

 others, which do not agree with our 

 own. Diverse opinions lead to wis- 

 dom, improvement, progress and 

 knowledge — a3'e, the "liberties" of 

 which we so often boast, are guaran- 

 teed by the diverse thoughts of our 

 fellow men. 



We have struck an era of low prices, 

 and as the former days of extrava- 

 gance will not return, waste and 

 prodigality must cease, and a sj-stem 

 of rigid economy be enforced. 



New and labor-saving methods are 

 demanded, and while some of you 

 have such, we earnestly request yoii to 

 describe them, that they may be prac- 

 ticed by all. While we caunot hope to 

 return to the high prices of yore, we 

 can realize some reward for our labors, 

 and that some will be determined by 

 our intelligence, industrj' and im- 

 proved methods. 



Heed the lessons which every season 

 teaches, and you will succeed — if you 

 do not, then you must expect to fail. 

 We have here some level-headed and 

 Ijrosperous apiarists, who go through 

 all times and seasons and prosper. Let 

 us appropriate the light they reflect, 

 and j'ollow where we cannot lead. 

 Intelligent and practical methods will 

 always pay. 



Let us now enter upon the discussion 

 of practical subjects, and endeavor to 

 do one another good, and thus make 

 this convention one of the most useful 

 and compensating meetings ever held 

 ' in America. Thomas G. Newman. 



