North-Western Bee-Keepers' Society. 



Pursuant to a call in the American 

 Bee Journal, the bee-keepers of the 

 Northwestern States met in convention 

 at Parker Hall, Chicago, on Tuesday 

 morning, Sept. 14, at 10 o'clock, Mr. A. 

 Rice, Byron, 111., in the chair. 



At the request of the chairman, Thos. 

 G. Newman, of Chicago, stated the ob- 

 ject of the meeting to be to consider the 

 advisability of permanently organizing 

 a general society of bee-keepers of the 

 Northwestern States, and to hold an- 

 nual conventions in Chicago each fall. 



After favorable remarks from several, 

 Messrs. Thomas G. Newman, Chicago, 

 T. S. Bull, Valparaiso, Ind., I.R. Good, 

 Napanee. Ind , A. J. Hatfield, South 

 Bend, Ind., and II. W. Funk, Bloom- 

 ington, 111., were appointed a commit- 

 tee on permanent organization. 



On motion, the membership fee was 

 fixed at 75 cents. 



The following paper was read on the 



Foreign Demand for Honey, etc. 



I intended to have been with you, but 

 uncontrollable circumstances prevent. 

 I am sorry, for I feel new enthusiasm in 

 our pursuit, as a producer of honey ; the 

 more so, because of the new foreign 

 outlet for our product. This demand, 

 though not high-priced, is of sufficient 

 magnitude to save us in times of large 

 productions at home. 



A bee-keeper now in my employ, who 

 has been a producer in Germany, and 

 traveled extensively throughout the Old 

 World, assures me that the foreign de- 

 mand will take care of all the honey we 

 can produce for many years to come, 

 and that, too, at paying prices ; that the 

 Old World does not compare with our 

 country as a source for our product, and 

 that honey sells at much higher figures 

 there than here. These facts encourage 

 us to put our capital and energy into the 

 business. 



I hope your association will not fail 

 to thoroughly discuss the subject of 

 over-stocking the field, and the neces- 

 sity of each producer enjoying a field or 

 range exclusively to himself. I consider 

 this a vital element of success. None 

 can succeed in a divided Held, as special 

 producers. While ''competition is the 

 life of trade,' 1 opposition is the death of 

 bee-keepers. Opposition in the field is 

 not only bad for those so opposed, but 

 for the consumers of our product as well. 

 The easier we can produce honey, the 

 cheaper can we afford to sell it. 



Let us have harmonious and united 

 action in the direction to oppose and 

 counteract all movements to " bear" the 

 honey markets. In my best judgment, 



these issues are of fully as much im- 

 portance as the discussion of the best 

 methods to be employed in accumulat- 

 ing a crop. 



I shall look forward with impatience 

 for a report of your meeting. 



James IIeddon. 



Dowagiac, Mich., Sept. 13, 1880. 



T. G. Newman rejoiced with the wri- 

 ter in this foreign outlet for our over- 

 production. He had long foreseen it, 

 and had labored assiduously in England 

 and on the continent to remove preju- 

 dices, and establish a confidence in and 

 demand for American honey, and he 

 could but congratulate Mr. Heddon on 

 the removal of his former fears regard- 

 ing the over-production of honey. He 

 thought, too, Mr. Heddon's views in 

 regard to over-stocking would in a great 

 measure be modified in the future. 



Dr. C. C. Miller, Marengo, 111., wanted 

 an expression of the Convention in re- 

 gard to what might be considered over- 

 stocking a locality. Owing to the ab- 

 sence of honey in white clover he had 

 not only gained no increase, but had 

 doubled-up his colonies to a great ex- 

 tent. As fall approached he moved part 

 of his apiary a distance of 2^£ miles ; 

 about this time a field of buckwheat 

 came into bloom near them, and they 

 had nearly filled their brood chambers. 



George Thompson, Geneva, 111., said 

 the question of over-stocking depended 

 altogether upon the honey bloom. 



II. W. Funk inquired how many bees 

 could be kept in one locality, supposing 

 there was 80 acres of white clover to 

 each square mile of territory ? 



Dr. C. C. Miller thought that white 

 clover alone would yield but little profit 

 to the bee-keeper, as the time for honey- 

 gathering was so limited, it would be 

 mostly consumed by the bees during the 

 remainder of the year. 



G. W. Naftzger, South Haven, Mich., 

 suggested that during basswood bloom, 

 in his locality, over-stocking would be 

 an impossibility. 



A. Rice said honey gathering de- 

 pended on the condition of the bees. 

 Some strong colonies would have 50 lbs. 

 surplus, while weaker ones would get 

 nothing. 



C. B. Fisk Bangs, South Haven , Mich., 

 suggested that bees and humanity were 

 similar: some colones would do well, 

 others done but poorly. 



T. S. Bull was of opinion all depended 

 on the honey secretion. 



Dr. C. C. Miller had observed this 

 season, when white clover was in fresh 

 bloom the bees did not work on it, but 

 as the blossom became older, apparently 

 going to seed, they did so. 



I. R. Good thought a good locality 



