SEPTEMBER 1, 1916 



775 



off Uie farm — immense quantities of it. The 

 land is now worth many times its cost. 



Dr. Surface, on account of his active 

 campaign against certain commerc'al insec- 

 ticides that are worse than useless, and be- 

 cause of his insistence that only fit men 

 serve in his department, has stirred up a lot 

 of opposition. But during this time he has 

 also been winning the friendship of thou- 

 sands of fruit-growers in his state. How- 

 ever, politics has apparently been having its 

 influence. Surface is not a pliant tool. 

 His men must be efficient and not mere vote- 

 gettei's. And now this man who has done 

 so nuieh for the farmers and fruit-growers 

 in Pennsylvania has been dismissed without 

 charges being preferred and without a 

 hearing being given him. He earnestly 

 pleaded for a hearing, but it was denied him. 



The numerous Pennsylvania newspaper 

 clippings that have been received at this 

 office, dealing with the dismissal of Dr. Sur- 

 face, indicate that the administration has 

 apparently made a mistake that will react. 



Another man, and a good one, will soon 

 take Dr. Surface's place, in the person of 

 Prof. Sanders, of Wisconsin ; but appar- 

 ently Sanders will have nothing to say 

 concerning the selection of his field men; 

 and if he runs np against the politicians, 

 as Dr. Surface lias had the courage to do, 

 he will be severely hampered. 



Similar removals of officials have been 

 made in other states. When a nursery in- 

 spector or entomologist becomes familiar 

 with the conditions in his own state, a new 

 man, altho equally capable, will be very 

 seriously handicapped before he can get the 

 run of affairs. 



We hear nothing but good of Prof. San- 

 ders. Indeed, Dr. Surface speaks of him in 

 the highest terms. We wish him every 

 success. 



In the meantime, Dr. Surface is consider- 

 ing several tentative offers, but he will prob- 

 ably take a much-needed rest before he 

 takes up Avith any of them. 



The Field Meet in Tennessee 



In this issue, in lier regular department, 

 Mrs. Grace Allen gi-aphicallj^ describes 

 some incidents connected with the meet held 

 at her home. She did not tell the readers 

 how royally she entertained her guests, nor 

 about her charming personality. She is 

 just what her writings would signify. She 

 bubbles over with enthusiasm, and the liee- 

 keepers who were fortunate enough to meet 

 at her home will long remember the day. 



Mrs. Allen did not tell of her little ai)i- 

 ary in the back yard; of its neat appear- 



ance, of the gentle strain of Italians — how, 

 during the whole day, not one of the bees 

 stung a single jDerson except, later in the 

 day, when Mr. J. A. Buchanan was illus- 

 trating one of his stunts in introducing. 

 Crowds mingled freely among the hives; 

 in fact, they ate their luncheon right in the 

 midst of the flight of the bees going to and 

 from the entrances. 



The speakers consisted of Dr. E. F. Phil- 

 lips, of the Bureau of Entomology; Frank 

 C. Pellett, of Atlantic, Iowa, who is writ- 

 ing for the Aficerimn Bee Journal; Mr. J. 

 S. Ward, foul-brood inspector of Tennessee, 

 and who acted as presiding officer; Mr. 

 Ben G. Davie? and his father, John M., botli 

 of them extensive queen-breeders; Hon, H. 

 K. Bryson, Commissioner of Agriculture; 

 Mrs. Grace Allen ; and E. R. Root. 



The following day Dr. Phillips, Mr. Pel- 

 lett, Mr. Ward, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Dranf. 

 and Mr. Root went to Hollow Rock apiary 

 where they were the guests of Mr. N. E. 

 Smith. The crowd was not very large; but 

 we spent a delightful afternoon there af- 

 ter which we went to Memphis. The field 

 meet at this point was held on the fair- 

 ground, where the persons already mention- 

 ed gave short addresses. 



Mr. W. E. Drane entertained the crowd 

 with an automobile ride around Memphis, 

 winding up with a couple of mammoth 

 watermelons at his home. This part of the 

 " progi-am " was a special success. 



There are wonderful possibilities in keep- 

 ing bees in Tennessee. It has a mild cli- 

 mate and the honey flora is varied and 

 abundant. 



Diagnosing Colonies Without Remov- 

 ing the Frames 



Mr. M. M. Cunningham, in his article 

 in this issue, page 804, incidentally tells 

 how he determines the condition of his 

 colonies by merely lifting up the back end 

 of the hive from the bottom-board, and 

 looking up under the frames. Some years 

 ago, it will be remembered by our older 

 readers, the editor told how he managed 

 to go thru one of our outyards one season 

 v-itli very little manipulation of the frames. 

 The condition of each colony was deter- 

 mined by the flight of bees at the entrance 

 and by tilting up the brood-chambers or 

 supers and looking up under. We not only 

 kept down ewarming but produced a fine 

 crop of honey. The \isi(s to the yard were 

 made on the bicycle, and only about half an 

 hnur (ir an hour was consumed at a time. 

 These external examinalions enabled us to 

 dclermine about all we desired to know. 



