Carson City, Mich., Convention. 



The bee-keepers in Montcalm county and 

 vicinity met on December 3, 1878, at Carson 

 City, Mich. Present Thomas G. Newman, 

 editor of the American Bee Journal of 

 Chicago. Prof. A. J. Cook, of the Michigan 

 State Agricultural College; O. J. Hether- 

 iugton, of East Saginaw ; and fifty or more 

 bee-keepers— for the purpose of forming 

 a Bee-Keepers' Association. Mr. H. M. 

 Koop was called to the chair. By request 

 of Mr. Roop, Mr. T. G. Newman acted as 

 temporary Chairman. 



The following were elected as temporary 

 officers : Hiram M. Roop, President ; Vice 

 Presidents, John McWhorter, O. H. Town- 

 send, Harvey Beach, David Eschilman and 

 William Brown ; Secretary, O. R. Goodno ; 

 Treasurer, Charles Cross. 



The following were appointed a committee 

 to draft a Constitution and By-Laws : O. 

 R. Goodno, G. M. Barney and John J. Mc- 

 Whorter. After deliberation the Com- 

 mittee reported a Constitution and By-Laws, 

 which were adopted. The temporary officers 

 were unanimously elected to serve the As- 

 sociation for the coming year. 



The Convention adjourned until 1:30 p.m. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



At 1:30 p.m. the Convention was called to 

 order by Vice President McWhorter, (the 

 President being absent.) Mr. T. G. New- 

 man, in a speech, enumerated the advan- 

 tages of such Associations. In the absence 

 of a stenographer we are unable to reap the 

 full benefit of many valuable suggestions. 



O. R. Goodno was then called upon for a 

 few remarks in regard to wind breaks, as a 

 protection to an apiary. With one season's 

 experience he looks upon it as being an 

 equal protection to the bees, as the approach 

 and entrance is to a good harbor for a ves- 

 sel. He had saved the lives of many bees 

 in bleak cold days in April and May, and 

 equally so in fall weather. 



President Roop then assumed the chair 

 and remarks of interest were listened to 

 from 0. J. Hetherington and President 

 Roop. We then had a lengthy though very 

 interesting speech from Thomas G. New- 

 man, followed by remarks from President 

 Roop, E. J. Hetherington and James 

 Robertson. 



Win. Brown gave us an account of his 

 success in wintering in an out-door building, 

 prepared expressly for wintering, built upon 

 President Roop's plan. 



David Eschilman remarked that he liked 

 black bees, but never had any experience 

 with Italians. 



Prof. A. J. Cook then read a very valuable 

 paper upon "Dollar Queens." 



President Roop endorsed Prof. Cooks' 

 paper, disapproving of the practice of 

 rearing and selling dollar queens. Pres. 

 Roop is an old queen breeder who has had 

 many year's experience. 



Adjourned to 7 p.m. 



EVENING SESSION. 



President in the chair. C. F. Wheeler 

 gave some very valuable remarks in regard 

 to honey-producing plants and the relation 



of insects to plants ; classifying and 

 enumerating each. 



Prof. Cook read an anlysis from Prof. 

 Kedzie, upon glucose. 



Dennis Gardner then gave a detailed 

 account of his success during the past 

 season. 



Pres. Roop gave an approximate estimate 

 of Iiis season's operation. He had in the 

 spring of 1878, 130 colonies, and he has 

 realized from the same in sale of bees and 

 honev, $3,300, and now has in winter 

 quarters 215 colonies in good condition. 



Thomas G. Newman addressed the Con- 

 vention upon the adulteration of syrups and 

 sugars at length. Upon the motion of Prof. 

 Cook, the following resolution was passed 

 unanimously : 



Itesolved, That this Association protest against the 

 use of Glucose for feeding bees. 



Adjourned till Wednesday, at 10 a.m. 



MORNING SESSION. 



The President explained how the nectar 

 was changed by the bees to honey. 



Vice President McWhorter explained the 

 condition of honey, as gathered. 



D. Eschilman doubted that bees gathered 

 any thing but honey and stated that it was 

 not necessary to evaporate. 



Pres. Roop replied, stating that unripe 

 honey extracted, and sold, was damaging to 

 the market, and explained the process of 

 evaporation, and the cause of sour honey. 



A general discussion ensued upon clipping 

 queens' wings, Messrs. Cross, McWhorter, 

 Mitchell, Goodno, Eschilman and Gardner 

 taking part in it. 



Pres. Roop described his manner of clip- 

 ping. Uses round instead of sharp pointed 

 scissors. Performs the operation on the 

 comb by getting the queen to travel up the 

 comb. Has the frame resting on top of hive, 

 and by slipping the scissors up under and 

 always clipping the left wing. He was less 

 liable to injure or frighten the queen in this 

 manner, than by catching her. 



D. Gardner gave his plan of hiving new 

 swarms. 



A general discussion ensued, upon sha- 

 ding hive. 



O. R. Goodno endorsed Prof. Cook's plan 

 of having evergreens, but thought it expen- 

 sive, especially where the soil is not adapted 

 to evergreengs, as well as the price to be 

 paid for them. He favored the portico 

 which he uses as a partial shade, but does 

 not consider it sufficient, and used loose 

 boards to some extent in addition. He now 

 proposes to set out peach, or some other 

 rapid growing low top trees, for shade. 



D. Gardner objects to much shade, owing 

 to the inconvenience of seeing swarms 

 issue. 



Pres. Roop described his plan of shade ; 

 not believing in grapevines, and trees being 

 so uncertain of life, he favors a shade made 

 by posts extending 7 feet above the ground 

 and nailing a piece across the top long 

 enough to receive 2 boards 12 inches wide, 

 then setting hives 18 inches back of the 

 posts : rows of hives to run East and West. 

 This height, allows the apiarist to pass 

 under the boards, and at the season of year 

 that they most need shade, by setting them 



