70 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



It was stated that England was much 

 in advance of us on this matter; and 

 that much of the honey produced 

 there was gathered from artificial 

 pasturage. Utah stands high as re- 

 gards the quality of honey produced, 

 and it was stated that 100 colonies of 

 bees had been supported, for a time, on 

 one acre of mignonette. 



Considerable was said regarding the 

 worth of Bokhara as a honey plant. 

 It was said that Mr. D. A. Jones stated, 

 that Bokhara clover, sown as a honey 

 plant, paid him better than any other 

 crop raised on the same land. It was 

 good land and capable of returning 

 him $50.00 per acre. 



The beekeepers were advised to set 

 out as many basswood trees as possi- 

 ble, as it will pay, and pay well. They 

 will thrive best by streams of water, 

 or in a somewhat moist soil, but will 

 grow in almost any good soil. They 

 should be set out almost 10 ft. apart. 

 One of the members spoke in favor of 

 the yellow locust as it comes into 

 bloom between fruit and clover bloom, 

 and also was very valuable for posts. 



Mr. Vandervort said that he was 

 getting more honey from the pea 

 vine or white clover. The farmers 

 in his locality pronounce it excellent 

 for hay. 



The nest question for discussion 

 was, "Spring dwindling — cause and 

 prevention." Messrs. Root, Snow, 

 Locke, King, Hetherington, Clark, 

 Vandervort, Betsinger and others, 

 taking part. A number of causes 

 were suggested, such as poor wintering, 

 which caused diseased bees; a poor 

 quality of honey for winter food : a lack 

 of suflicient winter stores, properly 

 placed ; an undue consumption of food, 

 during winter; dampness during win- 

 ter; unusual activity in early spring, 

 caused by disturbing the bees (which 

 was considered detrimental) and too 

 much fall honey. Capt.E. J. Hethering- 

 ton thought that spring dwindling was 

 the result of constitutional weakness 

 caused by poor wintering, conditions 

 that impair their vitality. 



He also thought that the conditions 

 that governed beekeeping had materi- 

 ally altered within the last fifteen or 

 twenty years, bringing atmospheric 

 changes. As a prevention, it was ad- 

 vised that a good quality of honey or 

 sugar syrup food, well sealed, be given 

 the bees for winter stores, and not fed 

 too late in the fall, 25 to 30 lbs. being 

 sullicient. Keep the bees warm, snug 

 and dry, and do not disturb them so 



as to create undue excitement too early 

 in the spring. 



On motion of Mr. Clark, the follow- 

 ing resolution was unanimously adopt- 

 ed. 



Resolved, That the chair appoint a 

 committee of three, — before whom, 

 all questions of whatever nature, com- 

 ing before this convention, and not on 

 the programme, shall be submitted, 

 before such question shall be brought 

 before this convention. The following 

 were appointed as such committee: — 



Mr. Arthur Todd, Mr. C. G. Dickin- 

 son and Mr. G. H. Knickerbocker. 



After receiving memljership dues, the 

 convention adjourned to meet at 

 7 o'clock p. M. 



SECOND SESSION WEDNESDAY EVENING. 



After the opening of the convention, 

 Mr. Arthur Todd of Phila., Pa., read 

 a communication that he had received 

 from Mr. Frank Cheshire, of London, 

 England, who has made "Foul Brood" 

 a study. Mr. Cheshire wrote as fol- 

 lows : 



Dear Mr. Todp, 



I send you one slide Bacillus alvei 

 and one spermatozoa (you will proba- 

 bly have read my articles on Egg Or- 

 gans of Queens before this reaches 

 you). Kindly give my fraternal greet- 

 ing to American beekeepers at the 

 Convention and tell them that the cure 

 of Bacillus alvei by phenol is abso- 

 lutely positive but that I have recently 

 found a difierent bacillus causing nearly 

 identical symptoms with B. alvei about 

 which I am as yet uncertain as to 

 cure. B. alvei is the common one 

 here, the other rarer. How it may be 

 in America I do not know, but I can 

 microscopically distinguish them. I 

 should regard the submission of some 

 specimens (single infected cells) to me 

 for examination as a mark of friendly 

 sympathy between the older and the 

 younger nation, the small and the great 

 country and the two great peoples, 

 which would be very gratifying. 



1 write on New Year's Day and so 

 conclude with wishes of the heartiest 

 kind for every success to you in the 

 West and to ourselves in the East and 

 for eternal friendship in both. 



Believe me, very truly yours, 



F. Chkshirk. 



P. S. The bacillus is about one fifty- 

 thousandth inch in thickness and one 

 eight-thousandth or one six-thotisandth 

 long so that it requires a good micro- 

 scope. 



