AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



81 



laboratory. If it is no longer possible 

 to produce honey at a profit in large 

 apiaries from the natural secretions of 

 plants and flowers, it is an argument to 

 my mind that the business is being over- 

 done in some localities, and that it is 

 time to return to the practice, once 

 more general than now, of smaller api- 

 aries and a wider distribution of bees 

 throughout the country. 



In my judgment we cannot longer 

 prosper if we adopt methods which will 

 put us on the defensive in every honey 

 market in the country. Adulteration is 

 the crying sin of the age. The people 

 are becoming aroused on the subject. 

 We ourselves are trying to put a stop to " 

 it. It will not be sufQcient to say that 

 this improved article is to be sold for 

 just what it is. If it is possible to produce 

 it at a profit, it will not be long before 

 every consumer will have heard of the 

 trick, and conclude to make his own 

 honey. Any attempt to forestall the sea- 

 sons will prove a delusion and a snare. 



world's faik apiarian exhibit. 



The Columbian Exposition in 1893 

 offers to the bee-keepers of this country 

 an opportunity for instruction which 

 will probably not come to many of us 

 again. For the purpose of contrasting 

 the new with the old, and comparing 

 products and appliances with the lead- 

 ing honey-producers of this and other 

 lands, it will be an object lesson too val- 

 uable to lose. Pride, if nothing else, 

 should stimulate every lover of his coun- 

 try to add to the collection. Although 

 the management failed to suitably recog- 

 nize our industry, we cannot afford to 

 let this occasion pass to impress upon 

 the people the magnitude of our indus- 

 try. Nothing so impresses one as quan- 

 tity. A glass of water is insignificant, 

 but the Atlantic ocean needs no encom- 

 ium to its majesty. So while a few 

 pounds of honey, although perfect, will 

 attract little attention, tons of a less 

 perfect article*will make its impression. 



Perhaps some of the States have not 

 offered that encouragement to exhibitors 

 that you feel is due. It may be, by prop- 

 erly presenting the matter to the State 

 Commissioners, arrangements can yet be 

 made, and the expenses of a State exhibit 

 at least be secured. 



BEE-KEEPERS' CONGRESS IN 1893. 



At some time during the Exposition I 

 hope to see a bee-keepers' Congress ar- 

 ranged for in Chicago. It will be a 

 great pleasure to meet bee-keepers from 

 foreign lands — many of whom I have no 



doubt will visit our shores at that time. 

 I call your attention to this matter that 

 you may, if you so desire, appoint a 

 committee to determine the time of such 

 convention, and publish proper notice 

 thereof. If thought best to hold such a 

 meeting in connection with the next 

 gathering of this association, timely 

 notice should be given that some of our 

 friends across the water might arrange 

 to be with us. A gathering of bee-keep- 

 ers at that time ought to be of unusual 

 interest to us. 



In closing, allow me to thank you for 

 the honor conferred by calling me to 

 preside over this, the 23rd annual meet- 

 ing of this association. Among my 

 predecessors are some of the foremost 

 bee-keepers of the country and world. I 

 am happy to be numbered among such 

 an array of talent and worth. The bee- 

 keepers of America may well be proud 

 of the pioneers in this industry. Such 

 names as Langstroth and Quinby will 

 ever make bee-keeping a respectable 

 calling. Eugene Secor. 



Frank Benton — Pres. Secor says that 

 the Government ought to pay attention 

 to beneficial as well as injurious insects. 

 It does. The Government entomologists 

 study insects from a purely scientific 

 standpoint. Their life history and habits 

 are studied most closely, and when it 

 becomes desirable to work against their 

 multiplication, or to encourage it, this 

 knowledge is of great benefit. For in- 

 stance, the scale insect threatened to 

 destroy the orange industry of Califor- 

 nia, when the Government sent a man 

 to Australia, the home of the scale 

 (where, by the way, it did comparatively 

 little harm), to see what could be learned 

 of its life history, and of any parasitic 

 insects that might prey upon it. As it 

 did no harm in that country, the ento- 

 mologist argued that there must be some 

 natural enemy that kept it in check. It 

 was found as supposed. A sort of lady- 

 bug fed upon the scale. Large quanti- 

 ties of this bug were imported to Cali- 

 fornia. The ravages of the scale soon 

 diminished, and the vast orange indus- 

 try of California was saved. 



R. F. Holtermann — I am glad to see 

 the President touch on the subject of 

 sugar-honey. Our local associations 

 have passed resolutions asking the legis- 

 lature to pass laws in regard to sugar- 

 honey similar to those in operation for 

 regulating the sale of oleomargarine. 



A. N. Draper — I think that something 

 ought to be done to prevent the spraying 

 of fruit trees while in bloom. 

 (Continued next week.) 



