THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



109 



California had been fortunate in secur- 

 ing an unusually large crop tins sea- 

 son, which was put on the market at 

 the same time with our own and at 

 low prices. This together with the 

 general hard times has brought about 

 a glutted honey market. It was gen- 

 erally conceded that the beekeepers 

 themselves must work unitedly, in 

 making up a demand for their own 

 honey ,'"disposing of as much of it as 

 possible, in home markets. To do 

 this, it was suggested that bee and 

 honey exhibits be held in connection 

 with our county fair, and every means 

 used to educate the people as regards 

 the value and uses of honey, together 

 with the methods by which it is pro- 

 duced. 



Mr. King spoke at length on the 

 question of Cuba, its resources as a 

 honey-producing country, and stated 

 that while the honey was flue, and the 

 flora abundant, yet the people there 

 were so slow in adopting new ideas, 

 that competition need not be feared 

 at present. 



Some of the members, however, re- 

 ferred to the introduction into Cuba of 

 all the modern appliances, and sending 

 there of experienced apiarists together 

 with the endeavors that were being- 

 made to foster and advance beekeep- 

 ing there. It was also stated by many 

 of the members, that in their experi- 

 ence it had proven unprofitable to send 

 honey to the commission markets, and 

 that they would have received far bet- 

 ter prices, had they sold it at home. 



Neat packages, labels, etc., had 

 much to do with the sale of honey. 



WHAT CAX BE DONE TO IXCREASE THE 

 DE.MAND FOR EXTRACTED HOXEY. 



Messrs. Ross, Pierce, Van Deusen, 

 Locke, King, Benedict, Todd, Betsin- 

 ger and others, discussed this subject, 

 and the general opinion concurred 

 with those relating to the sale of comb 

 honey. Work up a home trade first, 

 next woi-k your honey into the hands 

 of those who use sweets in candies, 

 medicines, cakes, canned fruit, etc., 

 and in fact wherever honey can be used 

 to advantage ; also have some neat 

 pamphlets printed to give away with 

 the honey. Mr. Todd said, do not 

 put honey in tin cans, as the natural 

 acid will attack the tin as it does in 

 tomatoes, which has already ruined 

 the canning of the latter article. Use 

 only glass. 



COMB FOUXDATIOX. 



Capt. Hetherington heartily endorsed 

 the use of comb foundation in brood 

 nest and in the boxes, in the latter not 

 more than eleven feet to the pound. Mr. 

 Doolittle had found that if the bees 

 were filled with wax secretion, they 

 used that instead of the foundation. 

 That made by Mr. Van Deusen, the 

 flat septum, must be overhauled by 

 the bees before they could use it. Save 

 the wax that the bees will inevitably 

 secrete, and you will not need the 

 comb foundation. If you give them 

 both, they must waste one or the 

 other. 



After some further discussion the 

 matter was dropped. 



Mr. Locke read a communication 

 from Messrs. Thurber & Co. of New 

 York City, asking the association to 

 sign a protest against the proposed 

 ''Spanish Treaty." 



This subject called forth consider- 

 able discussion in which Capt. Heth- 

 erington, Messrs. Locke, King, Todd, 

 Dickinson and others, took part; the 

 majority favoring the signing of the 

 protest. 



A motion was made by Mr. Dickinson 

 that the protest be commended by the 

 association, and the Secretary be in- 

 stalled to affix the names of all the 

 members of the association. 



After discussing the matter for some 

 time, without arriving at any definite 

 conclusion, the meeting was adjourned 

 to meet in the afternoon. 



Convention called to order at 2 p.m.. 

 President Root in the chair. After 

 considerable discussion regarding an 

 objectionable clause, the following res- 

 olutions were adopted. 



To The Honorable, the Senate of the 

 United States — Whereas, A large- 

 number of persons have been encour- 

 aged to engage in the bee business by 

 the present duty of two cents per pound 

 or twenty cents per gallon on imported 

 honey ; and, 



Whereas, By the introduction, into 

 the island of Cuba, of the improved 

 appliances and methods of modern bee- 

 keeping, said island, which possesses 

 the richest honey-producing flora in 

 the whole world, will shortly become 

 under the existing tariff a formidable 

 and successful rival of the United States 

 in the production of choice comb and 

 extracted honey; and, 



Whereas, The confirmation of that 

 article in the so-called Spanish- Ameri- 

 can Treaty which entirely removes all 



