lives are necessarily circumscribed do 

 mate closely. A direful examination 

 of any of the numerous families of 

 ants will justify the belief that they 

 have not deteriorated and that they are 

 the same strong, industrious and orderly 

 insects of which Solomon said: tk Go 

 to the ant thou sluggard ; consider her 

 ways and be wise." 



From the fact that wasps and hornets 

 only a few days or weeks old, lay eggs 

 when from any cause their nest is 

 deprived of the old mother, is it not 

 reasonable to infer that they too mate 

 closely ? 



This probable close mating holds true 

 of many of the birds and wild animals. 

 One of which, our domestic pigeon, 

 when raised from single pairs, will not 

 usually mate at all. if only one of the 

 eggs of a litter hatches and only one 

 bird matures. 



It is also well known among pigeon 

 hunters, who keep birds for decoy pur- 

 poses, that the females will lay eggs in 

 confinement which do not hatch, though 

 males are confined in the same cage 

 with them. From this it may be in- 

 ferred that birds laying only two eggs 

 in one litter, hatch mates, and if not so 

 mated will not as a rule mate at all. 

 No one who has observed the great 

 strength and wonderful beauty of the 

 different varieties of domestic pigeons 

 would for a moment believe that they 

 had suffered from close breeding, or t hat 

 the dove Noah sent from the ark in 

 pursuit of land, siirpassed in strength, 

 symmetry and beauty the wonderful 

 doves of to-day. 



From the fact that our best bees come 

 from circumscribed limits, it is reason- 

 able to infer that these best bees have 

 not suffered from close breeding, but 

 on the contrary have become what they 

 are, by close breeding ! 



Assuming, then, that the close breed- 

 ing of insects is not detrimental, but 

 beneficial, and absolutely necessary in 

 the production of fixed types, it is easy 

 to see that any skilful "apiarist may. 

 by careful selection and close breeding, 

 readily produce in his own apiaries a 

 comparatively fixed race of bees, pos- 

 sessing those" peculiar virtues which as 

 a specialist he most desires. 



T. F. Bingham. 



Mr. Bingham then stated that in the 

 North American Convention at Chicago, 

 Mr. E. J. Oatman, of Dundee. 111., slated 

 that he had made marked success in 

 breeding out the swarming instinct by 

 breeding only from those colonies, 

 which under ordinary circumstances 

 showed no disposition to swarm. What- 

 ever a specialist might wish to obtain, 

 seemed quite within his easy reach ; 



whether non-swarming, honey gath- 

 erers, non-stinging, hardy winterers, 

 comb builders or bees of fancy color. 

 The tendency to sport or vary make the 

 Italian bee especially adapted to special 

 improvement. The Italian bees are 

 undoubtedly hybrids, and the best evi- 

 dence is found in the fact that they will 

 not duplicate themselves. I would ad- 

 monish all to make their bees just as 

 they desire and to try to make them as 

 famous, by judicious, close breeding, as 

 Hammond has made his American 

 merino sheep. 



Best Paying Method of Securing Honey. 



Mr. Newman, stated that single-comb 

 sections sold the most readily and at a 

 much higher price. Extracted sold best 

 in small packages, such as kegs, cans, 

 jars, &c", and brought a higher price 

 than when put up in large barrels. 



Mr. Stray said he could get more from 

 his apiary by getting his honey in small 

 sections, he could get nearly as much 

 honey as with the extractor ■ it was of 

 more" ready sale and better price. 



Pres. Stevenson also favored sections. 

 He could sell any quantity at good 

 prices, but had little demand for ex- 

 tracted honey. 



Mr. Newman said the low prices of 

 last season had stimulated the market 

 and brought honey to the front and 

 people would have it, if it was put up 

 in desirable packages. 



Mr. Hetherington said he took nearly 

 all his honey in prize sections. Only 

 extracted to give the queen room. 



Mr. Townley thought he could get 

 more money with the extractor. 



MORNING SESSION— Dec. 11. 



Pres. Stevenson having been called 

 away. Mr. Erastus Weeks, of Jackson, 

 was chosen President pro tern. He an- 

 nounced that the next business in order 

 was the election of officers for the en- 

 suing year and the selection of the 

 next time and place of meeting. 



The following officers were elected : 



Hon. A. B. Cheney, Sparta Center, President. 

 Dr. C. F. Ashley, Ypsilanti, 1st Vice President. 

 Geo. L. Perry, Lansing, 2d Vice President. 

 T. F. Bingham, OtsgO, Secretary. 

 O. J. Hetherington, East Saginaw, Treasurer. 



Lansing was selected as the next 

 place of meeting and Dec. 8, 1880, as the 

 time. 



Prof. A. J. Cook, S. C. Perry and 

 Daniel Stevens, of Lansing, were ap- 

 pointed the committee of arrangements. 



A committee on Resolutions were 

 then appointed, consisting of T. G. 

 Newman, O. J. Hetherington and S. C. 

 Perry, who after retiring reported reso- 

 lutions expressing the gratitude of the 

 Convention to the City of Jackson, for 



