NovKMijicn, 3 917 



GI>EANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



873 



membership of ninety-fmii-, representing 

 about six thousand cokinies. That is an 

 average increase of seven new members a 

 month. But it did not grow of itself. As- 

 sociations seldom do. The larger beekeep- 

 ers were cireularized, not once but many 

 times, and the smaller or less interested ones 

 somewhat less often. And while now there 

 are enough prominent, public-spirited bee- 

 keepers to keep up the interest of the asso- 

 ciation, yet the campaign for new members 

 continues. P]arly in September, President 

 Sherman selected eleven interested men, ad- 

 vantageously located, as a special committee 

 to put forth a special effort to get new 

 members, because of course there are still 

 hundreds not yet in. He sent each of the 

 eleven a list of those in his neighboi-hood 

 who might respond to pereonal solicitation. 

 He sent similar lists to members outside of 

 this special committtee. So he has set the 

 association at work for itself. 



The plan of ehoos.'ng the place for the 

 annual conventions is unique. North Caro- 

 lina being a long state, one meeting is to 

 be held in the central part, the next in the 

 east, another in the central part, the next 

 in the west, and then the sequence repeated. 



Previous to the organization in January, 

 Prof. Sherman writes, " There was nj unity, 

 harmony, fellowship, nor acquaintance 

 among the state beekeepers." And the 

 beneficial results of unity, harmony, and 

 fellowship as worked out thru organized 

 effort of any sort are recognized quite be- 

 yond the need of argument. 



Not only am I indebted to Prof. Frank- 

 lin Shei'man, State Entom.ologist, and Pres- 

 ident of the association, for the report of 

 this work, but the beekeepers of North 

 Carolina are likewise indebted to him for 

 his iiiterest and well-directed activity in be- 

 half of the association. In all of this he 

 has had the able co-operation of Mr. C. L. 

 Sams, the Extension Bee Specialist. Har- 

 mony again, you see, and united effort. 



NOTES FROM THE FAIRS. 



There were not many exhibits in the api- 

 cultural department of the Tennessee State 

 Fair this year. The crop was so light that 

 most beekeepers were conspicuous by their 

 absence. There were several small exhibits, 

 but Mr. J. M. Buchanan had the only real 

 display. We especially missed seeing the 

 Ring Brothers, from near Franklin. There 

 are four King boys, two of whom a-re bee- 

 keepers, while all of them were farming 

 with their father. Two volunteered; the 

 other two were drafted. How our hearts 

 go out with fbem, and Avith all our fine, 

 brave lads in khaki ! 



" Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears. 

 Our faith triiunphaut o'er our fears 



Are all with them — are all with them." 

 (I know Longfellow would not mind the cliange in 

 the concludinj? pronoun.) 



Mr.' Bartholomew Avas over from Knox- 

 villo, attending the fair, and it was good to 

 see him getting around again after being 

 sick so long; but it was not so good to learn 

 why he had no exhibit at the Tennessee 

 State Fair at Nashville, wIilmi he was to 

 have one at the Tri-State Fair at Memphis 

 the following week. It was all a difference 

 in the attitude of the fair managements. 

 Nashville had taken no notice of the Ex- 

 tension Department, and offered no hospi- 

 tality nor encouragement. Memphis, on 

 tlie other hand, had invited them to come, 

 and placed generous spac? at their disposal. 



I have not seen Mr. Bartholomew since; 

 but he told me that he planned to have in 

 his booth a complete hiv?, a packing-case, 

 and extracted lioney in glass. Each of 

 these three exhibits was to bear a placard, 

 reading, respectively, " Keep bees in this." 

 " Winter them in this," " And you'll get 

 this." 



NOTE? FROM VIRGINIA. 



Following the formation of a state asso- 

 ciation, county organization has begun in 

 Virginia. Furthermore', fifty-four bee- 

 keejjers have agreed to try ivinter packing 

 this fall. Good for Virginia, and Mr. Ken- 

 nith Hawkins, who has recently visited that 



state ! 



* * * 



Dry fall weather, and getting cold early. 



* * • 

 Packed vet? 



DREAM AND PRAYER 



(Written after reading the story of an Armenian 

 refugee.) 



Tale after tale I have read, 

 Till my tortured dreams are dead. 

 How can I dream of a Godlike race, 

 Tender and mighty and full of grace, 



.'Vs I used to do, 

 When dny after day T must read 

 Some unbelievable deed, 

 Some cru.shing, incredible thing? 

 Thei'o's reason to W'eep but no reason to sins 



If dreams are not true. 



Pray? With the heart of me dumb? 



Hope : Let no empty hopes come ! 



Shaken and utterly stifled with doubt 



Of my race I thought God-like, I wander about 



Thru the wistful air, 

 Till I pause by the bees, so still, 

 While the sun on the low near hill 

 Lays gold on the widowing trees — 

 And my heart thanks God for the sun and the lees! 



And for dream! And prayer! 



