60 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



our Lives and managements, keeping 

 back by doing so every stej) to pro- 

 gress. 



As a contrast to the words of Mr. 

 Kellen, I give here the words of Mr. 

 Muendel in " Bienenzeitung," page 

 173, he says, "It is ridiculous and 

 thoughtless to say, America had sur- 

 passed Germany, because the United 

 States alone are larger than Europe." 

 True, they are, but this is no reason. 

 The United States were just as large 

 tliirty ago as they are now, but at that 

 time Germany was ahead. Who of 

 these two men is ridiculous and 

 thoughtless? 



Bee conventions and associations in Ger- 

 many. 



In some respects we may still learn 

 from Germany. For instance, in or- 

 ganization of associations. We find 

 there beekeepers' associations in 

 nearly every town and they meet eveiy 

 month at least, discussing news of 

 beepapers and giving their own ex- 

 perience. A number of these asso- 

 ciations belong to a state or main as- 

 sociation. The business transactions 

 of these associations are done by dele- 

 gates, and about every year hold an as- 

 ssembly with exhibition of bees, hives, 

 appliances and apiary products. A 

 number of essays are read and dis- 

 cussed. These state associations are 

 united to a central association and this 

 again held an assembly with exhibition 

 and essays from time to time. It was 

 assembled this year (1889) at Stettin. 

 The central association further uses its 

 influence to get laws in the interest of 

 beekeeping, but without success as 

 yet; defending beekeej^ers in lawsuits, 

 etc. Every member of the sub-asso- 

 ciations contribute to the expenses of 

 the state and central association and 

 so the cash income is more regular 

 than in any other way, and the mem- 

 bers have a du-ect advantage by visit- 

 ing the monthly assemblies near their 

 home. In some localities a wandering 

 teacher reads an essay before the sub- 

 associations and advice is given in 



practical beekeejDing. This gives a new 

 impulse. 



Besides this association is the wan- 

 dering union of German and Austrian 

 beekeepers. It meets every year al- 

 ternating in a city of Germany or 

 Austria. It has no permanent oi"gan- 

 izatiou except two vice-presidents, 

 and every beekeeper or friend of bee- 

 keeping can get a member for the re- 

 spective assembly. 



The above named assembly of the 

 German Central Association was held 

 at Stettin, Sept. 6-9, 1889. Many 

 essays were read before the associa- 

 tion, and the exhibition of hives, im- 

 plements and products of bee-culture 

 was worth seeing. We mention only 

 au electric telegraph to indicate the 

 casting of a swarm in the apiary. 



The honey show was better than 

 any one ever before seen in Germany. 



jSelma, Texas. 



Honey-boards. 



Dk. G. L. Tinker. 



Yes, Brother Heddon, I am glad 

 yon have phiced yourself on record 

 in llie March No. of tlie Api, in tlie 

 matter of honey-hoards as against my 

 views. The only fear was, that you 

 would not; especiall}' in view of the 

 facts now l)eing brought forward by 

 friends Alley and Root, backed up 

 by the testimony of hundreds of re- 

 liable men who are not given to theo- j 

 retical vaporizings. There were so 

 many, you know, who thought you 

 knew all about the cause and pre- 

 vention of burr-coml)s, but imagine 

 their chagrin to learn from your late 

 writings, that, though your alleged 

 experience in the matter was immense 

 and conclusive, you did not in reality 

 understand any one of the principles 

 involved in preventing burr-combs. 



Either that, or you are waking up to 

 the fact that your new hive and sys- 

 tem are ahead}' doomed and we find 

 you hopelessly trying to stem the 

 popular current of ideas against your 



