424 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Statistics of April 1, 1884, show 131,139 colonies of bees, and that they gathered 

 1,878,393 pounds of honey — an increase over last year (1883) of 52,613 colonies 

 and 1,080,025 pounds of honey. 



Indiana has 21,037,760 acres of land. "With the above number of colonies of 

 bees this would give us about one colony to every 164 acres of land. So with the 

 figures before us it would seem a waste of time to discuss overstocking. 



While our winter losses have been very heavy, we should be very thankful that 

 that dreadful scourge, foul brood, has not as yet entered the State. 



When we think of how many fruit trees of every kind, also the vast quantities 

 of small fruit blossoms, the great number of forest trees that produce nectar, and 

 the acres of red, white and alsike clover, and the countless millions of wild flowers, 

 we wonder that the honey yield is so small. The fact leads us to investigate the 

 many causes of failure to secure a larger crop. Whether for lack of bees, or mis- 

 management in not having our bees ready to gather the nectar when secreted, or 

 many other reasons, the several members of this society will discuss and decide 

 according to his or her locality. 



I believe every year the bees have been able to board themselves and yield a 

 small surplus. We have had but one bountiful harvest since the organization of 

 this society. Although the bees have failed to store a bountiful harvest of nectar, 

 the bee keepers, I am happy to say, have not failed to store away an amount of- 

 knowledge for future use, that we can not estimate. The field being our most ex- 

 cellent literature, Professor Cook's Manual takes the lead in books. The American 

 Bee Journal in the numerous journals that are edited solely for the bee keepers. 

 The fact that the bee keepers support a weekly journal is an evidence of the extent 

 of the industry. Whilst our literature is making great progress and imparting 

 knowledge, I take it that our conventions and fairs are reaching the masses that 

 know nothing of the literature. In our conventions we hear of the successes and 

 failures of the professional and amateur, the experienced and novice, and can glean 

 valuable lessons from all. At our conventions we educate our producers. Of what 

 use if we do not adopt some scheme to educate the consumer in like ratio. What bet- 

 ter opportunity can we have than our county and State fairs? At our last State 

 fair we had for space 16 by 32 feet. There were ten exhibitors out of all the bee 

 keepers of this State. The show consisted of honey plants, honey in comb and ex- 

 tracted, beeswax, honey vinegar, honey cake and bee keepers' supplies of all kinds. 

 The exhibitors were Mr. and Mrs. A. Cox, Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Lane, Mrs. E. Stout, 

 Mr. F. L. Daiigherty, Mr. Kaab, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Brown, and your President. 

 The display was creditable to those that made the exhibit. The premium list is 

 all that can be asked for until we work np to the one now in existence. Bee keep- 

 ers there is no better way to bring your business before the people than at these 

 fairs. It should be a matter of pride as well as profit to every bee keeper, to have 

 quantity as well as quality on exhibition. I think it would be advisable to secure 

 the right from the State Board to sell honey at the fair, and each exhibitor to come 

 with his or her honey put up in the most convenient way to sell, and with a price 

 that would induce people to buy. I wish every apiaculturist would think well of 

 the subject and prepare his or her crop next season with the express purpose of 

 making an exhibit at the State fair, and in so doing you bring your crop up to a 



