also treated us with unbounded unthusiasm. 

 The Swiss "Societie d' Apiculture" heartily 

 approved of our position and enthusiasti- 

 cally ratified it with a hearty " three times 

 three " cheering lustily for American enter- 

 prize and practical apiarian methods. Hun- 

 dreds of individual bee-keepers, all over 

 Europe, also fully endorsed our position and 

 received us with the greatest cordiality. 

 Though it has cost us many hundreds of 

 dollars to make the trip, we are constrained 

 to believe that the interests of honey pro- 

 ducers throughout the world, have been 

 greatly enhanced thereby. We feel quite 

 confident that the effects will be manifest in 

 the years that are to come. ■ 



It is as true in Europe as in America that 

 we must have broad business-like views, 

 unattended with prejudice, on all points 

 pertaining to the consumption of honey— 

 for consumption is the end and purpose of 

 all production ! Two cardinal points pre- 

 sent themselves, and these are economical 

 production and general consumption! It 

 is quite essential that these should be 

 " talked up," for thoughts beget words and 

 words produce actions with persons that are 

 in earnest ! " A long pull, a strong pull, 

 and a pull all together" will produce won- 

 ders in this direction, and it is certainly 

 wortli while for bee-culturists of the whole 

 world to see what wonders may be produced 

 by united action! I have put this ques- 

 tion to thousands in Europe, and now ask 

 the intelligent and progressive apiarists of 

 America— "Shall we try it ?" 



It appears to me that it needs no argu- 

 ment to prove that no good can possibly 

 accrue to the honey interests of the world, 

 by the bee-keepers of one locality or coun- 

 try talking against the honey produced in 

 another locality or country. All honey is 

 not alike, either in color or flavor— but all is 

 good for some purpose or other, either the 

 table or the manufactory- Our aim should 

 be to elevate the science, not to underrate 

 our fellow laborers— to excel in bee-man- 

 agement, not to undersell our neighbors ! 

 We should agree upon a price that will pay 

 for production and at the same time not re- 

 tard consumption, and then all should be 

 guided by this, and thus aid in establishing 

 a regular market price for honey, the same 

 as is obtained for wheat, corn and oats. 



America stands first in the world for honey 

 production, as well as for scientific manage- 

 ment and improved implements for the 

 apiary. In Great Britain this year all crops 

 are a failure. On the Continent generally 

 the crops are very light. To America there- 

 fore belongs the humane work of very largely 

 feeding the world not only with meat and 

 all kinds of field produce, but also to sweeten 

 it with her excellent honey. 



So far as circumstances have permitted, I 

 have endeavored everywhere to cultivate 

 broad views concerning the production and 

 consumption of honey, and to establish a 

 fraternal bond of union among the bee-cul- 

 turists of the world. How far I have been 

 successful in this task I shall leave others 

 to say, and time to prove. The unbounded 

 enthusiasm with which I have been greeted 

 everywhere will be remembered as long as 

 reason holds her sway. Of course I am well 

 aware that this was intended in a large 



measure for the great body of apiarists in 

 America whom I had the honor lo represent, 

 and I know you will all accept the fraternal 

 and cordial welcome of your Representative 

 as a gratifying evidence of the friendly- 

 feeling' which exists in Europe towards the 

 hosts of progressive bee-culturists of Amer- 

 ica, and a positive proof that in the great 

 work before us, Europe will stand side by 

 side with America, and take its part in the 

 onward, sweeping tide of destiny. 



In submitting this report your Representa- 

 tive trusts that it will meet with your entire 

 approbation. 



Rev. W. F. Clarke, Ontario, moved 

 •the report be referred to a committee 

 of three. Carried. 



The Convention appointed Rev. W. 

 F. Clarke, Ontario ; Prof. A. J. Cook, 

 Michigan, and Rev. O. Clute, Iowa, said 

 committee. 



The Convention appointed the fol- 

 lowing committee for the nomination 

 of officers for the ensuing year: Rev. 

 O. Clute, Iowa ; T. F. Bingham, Mich- 

 igan ; D. A. Jones, Ontario ; Mrs. F. 

 A. Dunham, Wis., and A.J. King, New 

 York city. 



Prof. A. J. Cook, Michigan Agricul- 

 tural College read, and with diagrams 

 illustrated the following, on 



The Tongue of the Honey Bee. 



It gives me great pleasure to meet so many 

 of the intelligent, hard-working and successful 

 bee-keepers of our country. I am always 

 proud to be associated with those whose earn- 

 est thought and hard labor have added to the 

 productions, and so to the wealth and happi- 

 ness of our people. 



The Apostle James says of the human 

 tongue : " that it is a little member and boast- 

 eth great things." The tongue of the honey- 

 bee is much smaller, but never boasteth, 

 except in the good way of grand accomplish- 

 ment. 



The bee is, and has long been, of great im- 

 portance to the commercial world, and this, 

 together with the fascination inseparable from 

 its study, have led many of the ablest scien- 

 tists to carefully investigate its structure and 

 habits. Yet I know not if there exists to-day 

 an accurate description of the bee's tongue, 

 and the method by which the insect procures 

 its food. 



The literature of the subject abounds in 

 confusion and inaccuracy. The most learned 

 scientists, those usually the most careful and 

 accurate, like Reaumur, Newport, and Carpen- 

 ter, give voice to palpable errors. Even the 

 last edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica 

 gives further life to these old erroneous views. 

 Let us give brief attention to some of these 

 descriptions. 



Hogg says the bee's tongue is cylindrical ; 

 Kirby, Spence and Neighbour state that 

 it is flat ; Reaumur and Chambers that it is 



