THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



71 



lation to attendance, etc., they 

 were soon dispelled, for the large 

 hall was well filled by a large, in- 

 telligent and enthusiastic gather- 

 ing. 



Afler settling preliminaries in 

 relation to the three societies rep- 

 resented, receiving new members, 

 etc., the convention settled down to 

 business and took up the discus- 

 sion of alsyke clover. Tlie tes- 

 timonials were abundant in favor 

 of this plant, not only as a honey- 

 plant, but a forage-plant of the 

 highest value and adapted to the 

 use of the farmer. It seems to 

 thrive best on good soil with a ten- 

 dency to moisture, while on up- 

 lands and dr}' knolls it gives a 

 short growth. Its extended growth 

 was recommended. A. I. Root, 

 Manum and Bacon had given away 

 seed to induce farmers to sow it 

 and had been benefited thereby. 

 Following closely upon the clover 

 was an essay by Mr. Chapman, of 

 honey-plant fame. As this plant 

 is a new candidate for honors there 

 could be but limited testimonials 

 in its favor ; these were from Mr. 

 Chapman himself and from those 

 who had seen the plant in blossom. 

 The plant is worth at least a trial 

 by all beekeepers who have land 

 upon which to sow the seed. Mr. 

 Chapman has ten acres under cul- 

 tivation upon land valued at one 

 hundred dollars per acre. It was 

 suggested at this point that Mr. 

 Ciiapman should receive the honor 

 of being the first man to devote 

 a number of acres to the cultiva- 

 tion of a honey-plant. A. I. Root, 

 however, put in a plea that his ten 

 acres of basswood trees were the 

 first in the field. 



The seeds of the plant resemble 

 common rye and are very rich in 

 oil. Mr. Chapman had a bottle of 

 this oil and considered it a valua- 

 ble product which would find a use 

 and sale in the markets. 



On the second day, Jan. 12, the 



attendance was large ; several new 

 arrivals were announced. 



The discussions commenced by a 

 very interesting address by Mrs. 

 L. M. Thomas of Tacony, Fa. 

 Mrs. T. is an enthusiastic bee- 

 keeper and has made a success of 

 it, and she is, furthermore, a fluent 

 speaker. After her achlress the 

 gentlemen became very gallant. L. 

 C. Root pathetically described how 

 the bees would give the last drop 

 of honey to the queen and then 

 die, the queen being the last to die, 

 and said we, in like manner, should 

 give to our queens, the queens of 

 our homes. A. I. Root, Mr. 

 Tucker of New Jersey and others 

 talked in the sauie vein, saying 

 how much they owed to the quiet, 

 domestic queens who were willing 

 their husbands should receive all 

 the honors. Brother Aspinwall 

 wound up the discussion by read- 

 ing a poem " How bees came by 

 their sting." This was a very sol- 

 emn point in the proceedings of 

 the convention, and it was some 

 minutes before the next subject 

 could be discussed. 



Much time was spent in the dis- 

 cussion of the marketing of honey, 

 and a resolution was passed invit- 

 ing middle men and grocers to take 

 part in the discussion. Mr. Wright, 

 an Albany commission merchant, 

 gave many points of interest; he 

 gave his sales as $20,000.00 worth 

 per year. He favored unglassed 

 sections and a 11-oz. section 

 which could be sold for ten cents. 

 His ideal section was 4 X 5i X 

 1^; this, being taller than a 41, 

 showed off better and would sell 

 more readily. 



An animated discussion ensued 

 until a late hour, and so much in- 

 terest was manifested that it was 

 taken up again the next day. 



Beekeepers seem to be behind 

 ever}^ trade in devising ways to 

 advertise and push the sale of their 

 product. 



