56 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 15. 



believe 3'ou would be safe in assuming that nine-tenths 

 of those who do not speak out by letter would vote }iay 

 if simply show of hands would suffice. 



Bee-keepers are a pretty busy lot, and, besides, most 

 of us are not experts with the pen, and very much dis- 

 like to write, and will suffer a good deal without being 

 drawn out. thinking and hoping such a fad will fall of 

 its own weight. At the same time, those who favor a 

 change of any kind are quite apt to voice that desire. 

 I expect to be a subscriber to Gleanings as long as I 

 live, and should like to have it please the eye as well 

 as some of the other senses. A. Christie. 



Smithland, Iowa. 



THE NEW DISEASE IN NEW YORK NOT FOUI, 

 BROOD. 



Having just returned from the York State 

 convention held at Geneva on the 10th, I find 

 that a little space is still left in the first form 

 that is now going to press. I can not go into 

 details, but I will stale that an interesting and 

 profitable convention was held, the most of 

 which was taken up with a discussion relating 

 to the new bee malady or disease that seems 

 to be raging in the eastern portions of the 

 State. From all the evidence presented, I feel 

 sure in my own mind, at least, that it is not 

 foul brood, because it differs in quite a num- 

 ber of important symptoms. Prof. Benton, 

 from the Department of Agriculture, Wash- 

 ington, D. C, stated that so far the examina- 

 tions with the microscope had not shown the 

 Bacillus alvei in the diseased matter that had 

 been sent to the Department from the af- 

 fected districts. The preliminary examina- 

 tions of Bacteriologist Howard, of Fort Worth, 

 Texas, seem to be to the same effect. It ap- 

 pears, however, whatever it is, that it is very 

 contagious as well as destructive. 



I make haste to bring this before the bee- 

 keepers of New York, because it is important 

 to have at least a reasonable assurance that it 

 is not foul brood, even if we do Hot know 

 what else it may be. 



Both foul-brood inspectors West and Stevens 

 were present ; and, after a very thorough dis- 

 cussion, ways and means were devised by 

 which the ravages of the malady may be held 

 in check, it is hoped. The fact that the De- 

 partment of Agriculture, Washington, is in- 

 terested, and that the Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture of New York is also in hearty sympa- 

 thy and CO operation, would seem to indicate 

 that, so far as the higher powers are concern- 

 ed, all will be done that can be. 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE U. S. B. K. A. 



General Manager Secor sent out his re- 

 port some time in December ; but by some 

 oversight I omitted to refer to it before. It 

 recites the work done against alleged honey- 

 adulterators in Chicago, a full account of 

 which was given in our issue for Sept. 1, page 

 652. While the first suit resulted in acquittal 

 for the defendant, the results have been most 

 salutary. A great deal was said about it in 

 the Chicago papers, and indications seem to 

 show that the old flagrant adulterators will be 

 more careful in the future, because they seem 

 to realize that the Association will not drop 

 the matter at this point. 



At the annual meeting of the Association 

 held at Philadelphia last September, there 



was submitted a new constitution, to be voted 

 on by both societies, with the view of uniting 

 the two if the members of both organizations 

 should so vote. This new form was submit- 

 ted to the members, with the probable result 

 that amalgamation will now be accomplished 

 in fact. 



There are 400 members, and the financial 

 statement shows a balance in the treasury of 

 $131.22. 



The United States Bee-keepers' Association, 

 or what will probably be called the " Nation- 

 al," hereafter, should receive the hearty sup- 

 port of every bee-keeper interested in the 

 enforcement of laws against adulterated 

 honey. 



HONEY - EMPTYING MACHINES ; THE EX- 

 TRACTORS OF EARLY DAYS ; J. L. PEA- 

 BODY ; THE EVOLUTION OF THE HON- 

 EY-EXTRACTOR. 



At the close of one of the sessions of the 

 Colorado State convention, an elderly gentle- 

 man with a verj- pleasant face stepped forward 

 and introduced himself as Peabody, adding 

 that he had known my father for many years. 

 On shaking hands with him I kept saying 

 "Peabody" to myself several times, wonder- 

 ing why the name was familiar. " Ptabody ? " 

 said I. "Why, as a mere buy I used to hear 



J. L. PEABODY, THE MAN WHO FIRST ADVER- 

 TISED HONEY-EXTRACTORS IN THIS COUN- 

 TRY. 



of a man by that name who invented the hon- 

 ey-extractor, the first machine that was ever 

 put on the market in the United States." 



"I believe I am the man," said he ; and 

 then as it dawned upon me that I was address- 

 ing one of the old veterans of the 60's and 

 70's in the days when Langstroth, Wagner, 

 Gallup, Adair, Quinby, Tupper, King, and 



