GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



A 



C 



JUST NEWS 



N THER 

 new organ- 

 ization, a 

 state society, is 

 the Rhode Isl- 

 and Beekeepers' 

 A .J s c i a t ion, 

 which was 

 organized a t 



Providence, Fsbruary 21. Freqnent meet- 

 ings are to be held, probably at the lecture 

 room of the Providence Public Library. 

 The president is Arthur C. Miller; sec- 

 retary, Gardner B. Willis. 

 » * » 



PUTTING BEES INTO MOVIES. 



Prof. George A. Coleman, of the Univer- 

 sity of California, has started an elaborate 

 plan for putting bees into the movies. He 

 has already gotten out a film for the Depai't- 

 ment of Extension of Agriculture, at the 

 University, of more than 1500 feet, illus- 

 trating the manipulation of l)ees. This 

 was so wiell received that he believes the 

 time has come when bee culture in all its 

 branches should be shown in additional films. 



As there is considerable expense connect- 

 ed with a work of this kind he proposes a 

 co-operative plan by which all extension de- 

 partments, beekeepers' a.ssociations, and 

 chambers of commerce or individuals in- 

 terested may obtain copies of the films at a 

 cost just a trifle above the actual cost of 

 making the prints. 



The educational value of these films will 

 be tremendous, especially in schools, church- 

 es, and commercial organizations. Profes- 

 sor Coleman has prepared a very elaborate 

 scenario on bees and beekeeping, full par- 

 ticulars of which can be obtained by ad- 

 dressing him at room 6, Agricultural Hall, 

 University of California. 

 * * * 



THE FIRST MEETING OF THE UNITED HONEY- 

 PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATION AT MADISON, WIS. 



The first meeting of the United Honey- 

 producers' Association was held at Madison, 

 Wis., Feb. 6-8. In the absence of the 

 president, Mr. Kindig (who has resigned), 

 the meeting was called to order by Mr. 

 Hassinger, vice-president, of Madison. The 

 secretary's report showed that the member- 

 ship has grown from nothing up to 225. 



A committee was appointed to confer 

 with a similar committee from the National 

 Beekeepers' Association to decide on a way 

 to co-ordinate the work of the two organ- 

 izations. This committee consisted of Presi- 

 dent Bixby, of New York ; Secretary G. W. 

 Williams, of Indiana, and Vice-president 

 W. D. Wright, of New York. 



A committee was appointed to extend the 



1 



April, 1917 



e d u c a t i n al 

 w o r k, already 

 begun in, schools, 

 into normal 

 schools, colleges, 

 and universities 

 thruout the coun- 

 try. The meet- 

 i 11 g then ad^ 

 journed and met again Feb. 8. This 

 meeting was called to order by Vice-presi- 

 dent D. C. Polhemus, of Colorado. 



The following officers and directors were 

 elected: President, Geo. J. Brown, Cali- 

 fornia; Vice-president, Wheeler D. Wright, 

 New York; Secretary-Treasurer, Geo. W. 

 Williams, Indiana. Directors : R. B. 

 Davis, Staunton, Ind. ; E.W. Aeppler, Madi- 

 son, Wis.; Miss Tona Fowls, Oberlin, Ohio; 

 Allen Latham, Norwich, Ct. ; P. J. Lucas, 

 Topeka, Kan. 



The auditing committee failed to agree 

 on a satisfactory report, but were instructed 

 to examine the vouchers and bills which 

 were not present, and to prepare a complete 

 report for the next meeting. 



THE SPENCER APIARIES COMPANY — R. M. 

 SPENCER. 



It will be remembered that several eom- 

 ]ilaints have been lodged against the Spencer 

 Apiaries Co., doing business at Nordhoff, 

 and later at Ventura, Cal., in furnishing 

 bees and queens in package form. After 

 an investigation we concluded that Mr. 

 Spencer was not dishonest but unfortunate 

 on account of the poor season, and that he 

 would make good to his customers. 

 See Cleanings for March, 1916, page 

 216. Later on, more complaints came 

 in, and we took the matter up with Mr. 

 Spencer again. We told him we should 

 have to lay the facts before the public, 

 and his replies were peculiar. These com- 

 plaints finally became so numerous that 

 they were laid before the Postoffice Depart- 

 ment. It now develops that the poor 

 man is insane, which fact explains some 

 of liis letters. See the following from 

 the Postoffice Department, Division of San 

 Francisco. 



Sir: — ^Believing the following: will be of in- 

 terest to you I submit the inform ;it ion herewith, 

 contained in a letter from the postmaster at 

 Ventura, Cal., under date of February 5, 1917: 



" Referring to recent complaints forwarded to 

 your office against B. M. Spencer and Spencer 

 Apiaries Company, of this city and Nordhoff, Cal., 

 I wish to state that, before the Superior Court 

 of this county on February 3, said R. M. Spencer 

 was adjudged insane and committed to the State 

 Hospital at Agnew, California." 



C. D. Lowe, Poftoffico Inspector, 



Los Angeles, Cal., Feb. 10, 1917. 



