IS'.f.' 



cLKAMNMJs IN HKK cn^'nin'; 



lofori', llic i-(iiiv cm ion \\;is iihmit tn ii'cuiiiiiirii(l 

 \)i. A. I>. Miisim as ilii' rijilii iiiaii tn lakr 

 fharirc of tin- liom-v -cxliihit. Sonic one. I l)i'- 

 licvc it was Mi'. Dadaiit. said it was an nnncc- 

 I'ssary step, as liic i-ontmissioncrs wonld follow 

 tht'ii' own sweet will, no matter wiiat reconi- 

 niendation we niiy:lit inal<e. In tiie jfeneial dis- 

 eiissionit was ictraided tliat tliis was tiie <joiden 



oi)|ioftnnit\ now Ix'fore the h ixeepers of t lie 



I'nited States to niaivc a iriaiid exiiiliit- oin' 

 that wonld be edneationai. and of nineh iini)or- 

 lanee to tiie indnstry. It was not an opportuni- 

 ty tliiit we eoiild afToid to let slip l)y. and it 

 was iioped that the committee appointed would 

 give tiie matter tiie attention it deserved. 



SI'KAVINli l-litlT-TlU'.KS .\ND 1'OISONINO HKKS. 



At one of tlie sessions Pfof. Somebody (I liave 

 lost the memorandum of liis name).of tlie I)e- 

 pai'tment of lOntomolojiy of the State of New 

 YoiU. was introduced to the c'onventi(jn. Tiie 

 pi'ofessor desirini to aseeftain to wliat extent 

 hee-l\eepei-s had expericMU'ed trouble from the 

 poisoiiinji of tlieir bees as the result of arseni- 

 cal sprayings of tre(^s during fruit-bloom. He 

 had always urged, in his advice to fruit-grow- 

 ers, to spray the trees just before and just after 

 blossoming. Imt lie said it wonld be a great ad- 

 vantage if tliey could, w ithout detriment to tlie 

 b<'e-kee])ei'"s interests, spray ihiriiKj fi-iiit- 

 bloom. It was his opinion that the arsenical 

 lioisoiis were so weak that tlioy would do no 

 harm to the bees, even if the blossoms were 

 si)rayed during full bloom. As this was a con- 

 vention of rei)i-esentative bee-l<oepers from all 

 over the land, he desired expert t<^stimony. and 

 sat down. 



Very promptly C. P. Dadant. supported by 

 Hon. J. M. Hambangli. told of an instance of a 

 neighbor's bees that had been poisoned by the 

 thousands — in fact, the apiary was almost ex- 

 terminated by the spraying of fruit-trees dur- 

 ing tlie time of blo.s.s()niing. The professor 

 seemed hardly satisfied with this and wished 

 better proof. He desii'ed to know whether a 

 chemist had made an analysis of the contents 

 •of the honey-sacs. The gentlemen replied that 

 the chemist liad not done so. as they regarded 

 the jiroof sufiHcient. The professor would not 

 ri'gard this us a scicntitir jiroof. The bees, he 

 thought, might have died from otVier causes, 

 liut THidant and Hambaugh insisted that it 

 was .-igniticaiit that the bees died just at the 

 time of sj)raying: and when the s|jraying had 

 stopped, the dying-off' of the bees stoiified also. 

 Still the professor was a doubting Tliomas. 

 The Hon. .1. M. Hambaugh said he intro- 

 duced the bill in his own State. Illinois, for for- 

 bidding the spraying of fiMiit-trees during the 

 time iilossoms wei'e on. and the bill had nearly 

 passed. He was urged to draw uj) this hill by a 

 pressure of bee-kr'cpers from all ovei' that State, 

 who had complained of poisoning fi-om tlie 

 sjirayings. About this time expert testimony 

 began to pour in from all parts of the conven- 

 tion. J. E. Crane, of N'ermont. and somebody 

 else, teslitied that they hud actually .seen be(>s 

 dead and dving iindi-r trees that had been 

 sprayed with arsenical poisons: and the doses 

 for till' s|)raying were no strong<'r than was rec- 

 ommended. I was niv.^elf surprised at the 

 number who had seen bees jioisoned from the 

 spraying of fruit. If a iniiltitnde of testimonies 

 and a stiong array of circumstantial evidence 

 mean any thing, tlie professor must undoiibted- 

 ly have iieen convinced, even biirrini: the chem- 

 ical analysis of the bees" stomach^. At anv 

 rate, he seemed sati-tied. and said he would 

 continur- to advise as he had done heretofore, to 

 spray lieforr- and after lilossomiiig. A vote of 

 tlianks was then tendered hini for his kind con- 

 siiieration in our behalf. 



One of the \ aluable >e| \ ices I hat t his com' I'll - 



tion has i-eiidcrcd is lo lia\ f the bad resiiltsof 

 spraying during fruit-bloom. It also showed 

 that the interests of the fiuit-grower and hon- 

 ey-raiser' are one: tliat all the results that can 

 be (Icsii'cd can be accomplished after tlu^ petals 

 have fallen off from IIm' ininialure fruit. Pi'of. 

 ('ook'"s alilc paper, read before tln^ Association 

 for the advancement (d' Agricultural Sciencr". 

 at \\'ashinglon. and pulilished on page 73;i. ISUI. 

 was introduced in evidence. 



rWO SIZKS OK SI<X'[1()NS K0I{ \ SI'.\NI)AIU). 



An essay was read from Dr. ('.('. Miller, on 

 th(> subject as above. The doctor discussed the 

 desirability and feasibility of having two sizes 

 as standard. Tlmy iiece.ssarily cost the supply- 

 dealer more, and therefore indirectly the bee- 

 keejier. It would be desirable, he thought, to 

 have only one standard: but in the present 

 condition of things, that seemed imijossible. 

 He ratiier objected to IK sections for one of the 

 standards, because they hold less than a pound, 

 and iiecause the consumer buys it for an osten- 

 sible pound package, when it was not. He did 

 not wish to lie a party in any such business. 

 In connection with th(^ essay were read two 

 letters, one from W. T. Falconer, and the other 

 from the (i. H. Lmvis Manufacturing Co. Both 

 held tlie ground that it was desirable to have a 

 standard if it could be adopted. The l'^^x4liKi}4 

 comes as near as aiiy thing to being a standard: 

 but bi'sides thi'se there are dozens of other sizes 

 whicli they are obliged to keep in stock. 



A number of commission men were present, 

 and objected to the point made by the doctor 

 on small-size or under-weight .sections. The 

 " under- weights " were accepted readily. Con- 

 sumers would ask. " How much is honey a 

 pound?"' The reply would be. for instance. 

 ■"Eighteen ccuits.'" The consumer would call 

 for a section. When the change was made out 

 he would be charged only 1(5 cents: but let 

 there be an over-weight section, and there 

 would be complaint. Commission men seemed 

 to prefer large and thiniuu' combs, of a tritie 

 under a pound, and this is one reason why per- 

 hapsa4^oX4'._. section, seven to the foot, has been 

 coming into prominence. H. R. Wright showed 

 his under-weight tall section, a trifle taller than 

 wide. The display was a little better, he said, 

 and consumers readily took it. 



GRADING OF IIONEV. 



The di.scussion Hnally tni'ned to the all-impor- 

 tant question, (jradiiuj honey. The system 

 adopted by the Northwestern at Chicago was 

 discussed "pretty thoroughly. The first grade 

 at that convention was " superfine."" (Irade 

 No. 2 also calls foi' very fine honey: but the 

 mere fact of its being classed as No. 2 puts a 

 stigma upon it that it does not deserve. The 

 Alliany convention, as well as commission men 

 readily saw the need. of a change here. A large 

 committee was afipointed. comprising a num- 

 ber of prominent iiee-keepei's and commission 

 men iireseiit. to draw up a new schedule id' 

 grading, and report to the convention. The re- 

 port as adopted is as follows: 



HKI'OKT OK COMMITTKK ON OK.>M)li\(i COMli HOXKV. 



Hone.v sliall lie M'i'adfd in two grades, tlie tlrst to 

 \n- known in llii- trade as "faiicv.'" or "fancy 

 white," and to lie marked "A." It shall lie coin- 

 posed of well-tilled sections of lifilit -colored lionies. 

 One fiij-e of eacli section sliail l)e leifei't in appenr- 

 aiice, fully sealed, except the IiiH' of cells toucliinj!' 

 tlie wood. The other side of tlie section sliail t-illier 

 be perfect in I'olor and sealiiifr. or lu'arly so. 



1'he second grade sliall lie known in the trade as 

 fair 1o good, while, and lie inarkefl "'('." and shall 

 he packed to meet t he refpiireiuents of those desir- 

 ing a good honey, but who care little for outside 

 ai)i.earance. It shall lie conipo>cd of honey tlir.iwn 

 out of the Hist grade, irregular and travel-stained 



