Jan. 18 1906 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



49 



poor little sparrow? Is it that the sparrow is a foreigner? 

 This seems to account for much of the abuse the sparrow 

 is getting. But are all those who attack him not foreign- 

 er- themselves? We all arc of foreign extraction, and dis- 

 crimination on this account is simply silly. 



Our native birds, on account of their brilliant, showy 

 and beautiful plumage, are adorning frequently the head- 

 wear of silly women vanity prompts them to dis- 

 grace themselves by covering their empty heads with the 

 feathers of the charming songsters of our woodlands. 

 Shame on them! The sparrow is exempt from this van- 

 dalism, because he wears an unassuming, humble ward- 

 robe. 



Let us all try to be just and inform ourselves before 

 we make charges which cannot be substantiated. 



Grand Island, Neb., Nov. 30, 1905. 



^ 



Contention 

 Proceedings 



j> 



Report of the Ontario Convention 



The annual convention of the Ontario Bee-Keepers' 

 Association was held partlv in Albert Hall and partly at 

 the Albion Hotel, Toronto, Nov. 15, 16 and 17, 1905. Pres. 

 H. G. Sibbald occupied the chair at all sessions. The 

 minutes of last convention were read by Sec. Couse, and 

 approved. Mr. Sibbald then delivered 



THE PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL ADDRESS 



I am pleased to have the honor of welcoming you to 

 the 26th birthday of the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association. 

 Being at present a citizen of Toronto, I also bid you wel- 

 come to the city. Enjoy yourselves in convention as much 

 as possible, but be careful in the city to keep out of the 

 way of street-cars, and don't blow out the gas! 



I read in a country paper the other day that people 

 are always careful to give country visitors the above in- 

 structions; but that a Hamilton man, while out at a Coun- 

 try Fair, was actually run over by a load of hay! 



We meet in convention annually to talk about all per- 

 taining to the little Bees, and the Honey they gather, and 

 I venture to say that no one outside of our fraternity can 

 understand the pleasure it is to exchange ideas, and, copy- 



H. G. SIBBALD. 



ing from our pets, give "pointers" to others. While we 

 may be somewhat dogmatic, and think our own system — 

 the hive we use, the bees we have, and the honey they 

 gather — better than those possessed by others, still we 

 learn much from these meetings, and, as a rule, you will 

 find the members of our Association expert bee-keepers 

 and better informed on all pertaining to apiculture than 

 those who have not availed themselves of the opportunity 

 lining with us and attending our meetings. 



Since our last convention a very fair honey crop has 

 been realized, especially in the western half of our 

 Province. Prices have been fair, and the demand good, so 

 we meet under most favorable circumstances, and, like 

 bees in a good honey-flow, arc good-natured. 



Our honey show, which was inaugurated last year, has 

 now become an annual event, and the exhibition in the hall 

 at present will do credit to our production, and should do 

 much to bring honey more prominently before the people 

 of this city and the Province, besides stimulating a worthy 

 rivalry between bee-keepers to produce something better 

 than has been produced. 



The holding of this convention in Toronto will tend to 

 centralize our meetings, and it might be wise for us 

 consider means whereby a number of first-class, successful 

 bee-keepers might be sent, or be available to attend the 

 local affiliated societies, thereby keeping these societies in 

 closer touch with the parent society, and at the same time 

 adding interest to their meetings. 



Apiculture is advancing. Bee-keepers are adopt 

 short-cut methods, which make it possible for a man to 

 attend 200 or 300 colonies, where a few years ago 100 

 would have been sufficient, producing from them from 

 20,000 to 30,000 pounds of honey, where 10,000 would have 

 been considered big work. And while we are considering 

 ways and means of cutting corners, we must not forget 

 that a larger output will require a bigger market, else 

 prices will go down. Our Association has here a field for 

 work — to advertise and educate the public to eat more 

 honey. If people only understood how deliciously whole- 

 some, how cheap and economical honey really is, they 

 would use it far more largely as an every-day food. How 

 many people realize that 5 pounds of honey can be ob- 

 tained for the same money that 2 pounds of butter costs; 

 that many children would prefer it to butter spread on 

 bread. Thirty cents will buy a quart of honey, and it will 

 go farther than 2 or 3 quarts of fruit. We should all 

 endeavor to create a better home market for honey. It 

 can be done. 



Your program committee have done their best to 

 provide a program including subjects of live interest and 

 importance to bee-keepers at present, and it is the wish 

 of your officers of 1905 that the most profitable convention 

 that has been called will be the present one. 



H. G. Sibbald. 



Prof. F. C. Harrison, formerly of Ontario Agricultural 

 College, Guelph, but now of Macdonald College, Ste. Anne 

 de Bellevue, Quebec, addressed the convention on 

 Means of Diffusing Apicultural Knowledge. 



Prof. Harrison frankly told the members Ke considered 

 the Association was not doing all it might do in this line. 

 First, we have publications, which are mainly the Can- 

 adian Bee Journal" and the "Annual Report." He thought 

 the Canadian Bee Journal might profitably increase its 

 size and give more of what is going on abroad. Of course, 

 extracts from American journals should be first. But there 

 are many good things in the European journals which 

 might profitably be translated and published. There should 

 also be many good points for beginners, as there are 

 always beginners who need advice. 



Another point which Prof. Harrison emphasized was 

 the holding of educational meetings. There should be 

 "more than one annual meeting." The bee-keepers should 

 work through the Agricultural Department to bring bee- 

 keeping before the fruit-growers and the seed-growers. 

 Both are benefited by bees, and should be led to see that 

 benefit more fully. In the Fruit Growers' Association 

 they have spring and summer orchard meetings. Bee- 

 keepers should make it a point to send delegates to these 

 meetings, who might strive to disabuse the farmers minds 

 of the idea that bees are an injury to fruit and other crops. 

 This might be the line of the first year's instructions. 

 The second year some other definite line of instruction 

 could be taken up. During the winter, representatives 

 might be sent with the Farmers' Institute workers. The 

 third year speakers could be sent from the Provincial 

 association to address the local societies. By strengthen- 

 ing the local associations you would strengthen the main 

 one. In any case, send out the very best men possible, 

 and the college at Guelph will render all assistance pos- 

 sible to these men along technical lines. 



Pres. Sibbald commended Prof. Harrisons ideas, but 

 thought we did not need to cultivate beginners so much as 



