July 17, 1902. 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



455 



Convention Proceedings, l 



Benefits Derived from Attendlnji Conventions. 



Jinid (it tin- Winruiisin i'o/it't tition, in l'\'brtuirij, l!MI'.\ 

 BY TACOn Iiri-TMAN. 



Our annual meeting has proved to be a great pleasure 

 and protit to each of us, and I feel that as a result we re- 

 ceive valuable help for future work. 



There are so many interesting and instructive features 

 connected with, or, in other words, discussed at our annual 

 gatherings that I am puzzled to know where to begin. To 

 me they prove a school of no small importance. 



I have been able to write down these among the things 

 gained : Helpful thoughts suggested ; experiences that 

 have been given — given by men of talent, men who have 

 succeeded in bee-culture, men who have accumulated wealth, 

 simply through skill in practical bee-keeping. If a man 

 chooses to be a mere cipher iti the bee-industry, he can pos- 

 sibly afford to let our conventions go unattended ; but if 

 ambitious he will seek a wider outlook, take up bee-culture 

 with its diversified activities, educating the head and 

 strengthening the judgment. It is at these gatherings we 

 get the very extract of success, possibly given in a nut-shell. 



I would like to be able to point out a few of the advan- 

 tages as they appear to me. 



The question relating to our becoming consolidated, 

 forming laws and restrictions by which the State, through 

 legislation, is bound to protect the industry. It was in our 

 conventions the question of foul-brood law was agitated. 

 The discussions are full of useful suggestions, beneficial to 

 bee-keepers all over the State. 



Through our organization we have been able to kill 

 bills introduced, which, if passed, would have been detri- 

 mental to the bee-keeper. We must admit that a vast 

 amount of fraud has been perpetrated through unjust legis- 

 lation. In this organization we have men of back-bone 

 who are not afraid to inquire into the situation, put in our 

 protests, and demand our rights. It is possible through the 

 medium of our society to educate apiarists so that they may 

 be able to take a great step in advance of where they are 

 even at the present time. 



Through these discussions we are able to distribute light 

 and practical information which leads to scientific queen- 

 rearing, successful wintering, the building up of a trade for 

 our products; the hive found to be the most convenient and 

 practical ; the best and safest packages for shipping. Thus, 

 we are enabled to make our dealings so plain, straight and 

 honest that no outside concern can gain any foothold upon 

 our transactions — a code of fair, honest and equitable prices. 



As we confer together it is inevitable that we differ in 

 opinion, but the current of friendship and brotherly love 

 courses through all our transactions — important not only as 

 regards dollars and cents, but important as regards social 

 acquaintance. It is a mistake to think we are smart enough 

 to " go it alone."' You are far more likely to succeed if you 

 confer with others who are working along similar lines. It 

 is the listening and inquiring mind that paves the way to 

 results. The whys and wherefores are always to be thor- 

 oughly considered. We live in an age of progress, when 

 success depends more upon brain than muscle. God pit3' 

 the man who is not progressive. 



The thought I wish you to get hold of is, that much can 

 be done through organization — the exchanging of thoughts 

 without which no individual could otherwise hope to do. 



The young must eventually take the place of the older 

 ones. I know of no place where they can be better educated 

 in bee-culture than by attending our annual gatherings, for 

 combined efforts are always most effective. 



Another feature : Through the medium of our State 

 organization we are enabled to become members of the 

 National Association ; thus giving our members the benefit 

 of the two for the same rate of membership. 



The social part of our gathering is by no means to be 

 omitted ; to pass it by unnoticed would be unjust, although 

 the last feature spoken of is by no means the least. These 

 meetings are an endless source of pleasure as well as profit 

 to the many who avail themselves of their opportunities. 

 Speaking for myself, I never go home without feeling a 

 great deal better friend with myself and with those whom I 



meet. We are quick to recognize the pleasure we derive 

 from these gatherings, and from the friendships made. 

 The hearty handshade of our editors — it is with pride wc 

 welcome them at each session. We feel honored by a visit 

 from so worthy a body of co-workcra. And doubtless they, 

 too, pride themselves that we are possessed of such a thriv- 

 ing, enterprising society. The two great aims of life that 

 actuate the most of our movements are pleasure and profit ; 

 these noble men bring both to us. 



The knowledge and ability of each officer and annual 

 member of our Association have enabled us to gain the most 

 out of each passing event. Let us all take home what we 

 gather here, and we shall be better men, and better api- 

 arists. Green Co., Wis. 



* The Afterthought. ^ 



Tbe "Old Reliable" seen through New and Unreliable Qlaiset. 

 By E. E. HASTY, Sta. B Rural, Toledo. O. 



PUTTING PRODICER'S NAME ON HONEY. 



Let me offer a compromise in the matter of whose name 

 shall go on the honey. Mark the white honey "Andrew 

 Jackson," and the amber " Julius Cxsar." Are you sure 

 this way would not be just as well? Consumer never eats 

 the inscription, and rarely pays any attention to it, I 

 reckon. However, if dealers -would allow the producer's 

 name on it, said producers would, in many cases, be quite a 

 little bit more careful in putting it up. Few of us are so 

 bad as to enjoy seeing our names on a swindle. 



STORING IN SUPERS AND BELOW. 



No matter how strong may have grown the habit of 

 storing in supers, bees will put the honey below if there is 

 room for it there — Dr. Miller thinks. I think he's wrong — 

 in regard to some bees, in some cases. I think I have had 

 bees, in quite a number of cases, get so interested storing 

 in sections in August, that they kept on after there was 

 room below, and after, in all reasonable prudence, they 

 ought to put the honey below. I have not positive exami- 

 nations and records to show for this, however. Their plan 

 — if plan is a right name to use — was to form the winter 

 cluster at the top of the brood-frames and eat on up into 

 the sections. Plan is a good one, but the final removal of 

 the sections makes it disastrous. But the general drift of 

 Dr. Miller's article is right, I think. Page 358. 



ROBBKR-BEES AND THE ROBBED. 



Having had one excellent reply, to the effect that rob- 

 ber-bees sometimes but rather rarely sting the bees of the 

 colony which is defending against them, behold, now comes 

 W. W. McNeal to tell us that they are bloated with poison 

 and very ready to sting the bees which oppose. But. under 

 my glasses, his article seems' to be almost wholly made up 

 of it-must-be-so arguments. That style of reaching con- 

 clusions looks a little out of place in the 20th Century. Let 

 the previous centuries suffice for the reign of King It must- 

 be-so, and let us put Prince It-is-visibly-so on the throne. 

 Page 359. 



ITALIANIZING AT SWARMING TIME. 



At Italianizing swarms while they are being hived I 

 am totally without experience, and so specially interested 

 in the experience of Mr. Doolittle. Poor plan. A little 

 better when you hive on the same old stand. But even then 

 part of the bees are liable to ball the queen for awhile. 

 Meantime, the rest of the bees are disgruntled at the ball- 

 ing, and at things in general, and many of them start out 

 individually and find homes elsewhere, else get killed. 

 Page 359. 



PREVENTING SWARMING. 



I eat a large grain of salt with the assertion that bees 

 extra-well fed as larvs will live very much longer than 

 other bees. But, while this is tlie case, I am quite prepared 

 to hear that bees almost starved to death in their develop- 

 ment period might be found very short-lived, and perhaps 

 poor workers while they did live. Until we know more 

 about this we would do well to be shy of all manipulations 

 (whether to prevent swarming or otherwise) that throw 

 large amounts of open brood into a hive which most of the 

 bees will quickly desert. Why such brood does not die very 



