27 



ized. Consequently their general distribution has been found to be 

 even greater than was then believed. 



BEE KEEPERS' ORGANIZATIONS. 



Bee keepers' societies, fairs, institutes, conventions, and the course 

 of instruction in bee keeping at the Massachusetts Agricultural Col- 

 lege at Amherst are strong factors in the advancement and progress 

 of apiculture in Massachusetts. The societies bring together the 

 practiced and proficient bee keepers in several sections of the State. 

 The instruction at Amherst reaches a few, largely beginners, each 

 year; conventions and institutes bring together the new and the old 

 bee keepers from over a large area for consideration of present-day 

 problems; the State and county fairs and agricultural shows educate 

 the public and benefit the industry. 



There are at present two societies organized in the interest of pro- 

 moting bee keeping. The oldest is the Worcester County Bee 

 Keepers' Society, organized April 14, 1900. Meetings are held 

 monthly throughout the winter months. At least once each summer 

 there is a field meeting and institute. Since 1906, in the fall of each 

 year, a " bee show " or fair is held at Worcester, where are held com- 

 petitive exhibits of bees, products, supplies, etc. There is usually a 

 series of lectures in connection with the fair. 



The other society is the Massachusetts Society of Bee Keepers, 

 which was organized March 2-4, 1906, when the Massachusetts Api- 

 cultural Society was disbanded. Meetings are held in Boston once 

 each month during the winter. 



Another society, to be called the Franklin, Hampshire, and Hamp- 

 den Bee Keepers' Association, was provisionally organized at an insti- 

 tute meeting of the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture at Lud- 

 low, Mass., July 21, 1908. 



INSTRUCTION IN BEE KEEPING. 



At the Massachusetts Agricultural College, Amherst, there is given 

 each year, beginning the fourth Wednesday in May and continuing 

 two weeks, a course in apiculture, which is free to those who enroll. 

 The course includes excursions to apiaries of peculiar interest, lec- 

 tures, and practical demonstration and practice, 



CONVENTIONS. 



The Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture is exceedingly in- 

 terested in promoting bee keeping and holds several institutes each 

 year, usually with the bee keepers' societies. Several papers on bee 

 keeping, enumerated in the appended bibliography, have been pub- 

 lished bv the board. 



