Vol. X 



MAY, 1900 



No. 5 



ANNUAL ADDRESS. 



I 



Delivered by President W. F. Marks, 

 before the N. Y. S. A. B. K. S., at 

 Geneva, N.Y., Jan. 10, 1900. 



FELLOW members of the New York State As- 

 so' n of Bee-keepers' Societies :-I will ask your 

 forbearance for a few miniites while I bring 

 to your notice the result of our labors, as an or- 

 ganization, since our last meeting, and briefly call 

 your attention to other matters requiring your 

 future attention. In the first place, the aid prom- 

 ised you last year by the director of Farmers' 

 Institutes towards inaugurating a series of bee- 

 keepers' institutes, has been faithfully carried 

 out by the director, Mr. P. E. Dawley; it is for 

 you to say whether these institutes have been in- 

 teresting and instructive, and if it is your desire to 

 have them continued in the future. 



At your last meeting you demanded the enact- 

 ment by the legislature of a new foul brood law, 

 similar to the Wisconsin law. Such a law was 

 passed as most of you know, and is chapter 223, 

 Laws of 1899. Two bee-inspectors have been ap- 

 pointed under the law: Messrs. N. D. West arid 

 Mortimer Stevens. New questions in relation to 

 the diseased brood have, however, arisen that 

 should receive your thoughtful consideration; as 

 well as the thoughtful consideration of all bee- 

 keepers. According to reliable reports a bee-mal- 

 ad}- of some kind is epidemic in Schoharie County 

 and vicinity. I have no doubt myself but that our 

 Commissioner of Agriculture, through his agents, 

 will take energetic measures to suppress the mala- 

 dy when they become satisfied what it is, and how 

 to handle it; at the same time you should con- 

 sider the matter; it is a matter that will require 

 tact and discretion, and whatever else you may do, 

 perhaps it would also be advisable to name a 

 standing committee on contagious diseases among 

 bees, whose duty it shall be to investigate and 

 study this question, with power to act, or to report 

 at any special or annual meeting, as occasion may 

 demand. It is important that this Association 

 keeps informed in all such matters, in order that 



it may act intelligently and for the best when cir- 

 cumstances require it. Again, I say, give this 

 matter due consideration. 



As most of you know, an attempt was made at 

 the last session of the legislature to repeal our 

 spraying law. Chapter 325, Laws of 1898; which 

 fact stands us in hand to be on the alert. I un- 

 derstand petitions were circulated by the oppos- 

 ition and forwarded to the legislature from cer- 

 tain localities in Niagara County, asking for such 

 repeal. If the occasion should arise again it may 

 be necessary for you to circulate counter petitions. 

 I trust you will, one and all, hold yourselves in 

 readiness for any work that is liable to be forced 

 upon us in order to retain this law. I believe there 

 is an old saying that "anything worth having is 

 worth fighting for." We have an excellent spray- 

 ing law; if necessary, let us fight for it. We are 

 backed by the best and largest fruit growers in the 

 state; you must not expect your allies to do all 

 the fighting for you. Let us take our pet, the bee, 

 as a model. In the words of the poet: 



The bee's a warrior bold, and never saw 



Foe. wlio could make her from the field withdraw; 



In single combat, or in army figlit, 



No bee has ever shown the feather white — 



Ready, aye ready, any tims to rally. 



And at a moment's notice forth to sally. 



The bee's a model citizen — ease, food. 

 Life, all is yielded to the public good; 

 No individual interests weigh a grain 

 Where there are public interests to maintain. 



Again, I repeat, let us imitate the bee. 



I would respectfully call your attention to sec- 

 tion 2 of the proposed new constitution of the 

 National Bee-keepers' Association, which reads as 

 follows: "Whenever a local bee-keepers' associ- 

 ation shall decide to unite with this Association as 

 a body, it will be received upon payment by the 

 local secretary of fifty cents per member per an- 

 num; provided that the local association member- 

 ship dues are at least one dollar." This is a step 

 in the right direction, and if adopted should not 

 only encourage the organizationof local societies, 

 as it would admit members of such societies to 

 membership in the National Association at one- 

 half the regular price, but would, I believe, lead to 



