GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



T'- 

 of the Na- 

 tional Bee- 

 keepers' Con- 

 vention at Buf- 

 falo, N, Y., Mar. 

 9 to 11, and the 

 merging of this 

 old organization 

 into the new 

 American Honey Producers ' League, has 

 been the big news event in American bee- 

 keeping affairs the last month. According- 

 ly, the Editor of Gleanings in Bee Culture 

 asked a number of those present at the 

 Buffalo convention to report their views and 

 opinions of what took place there. The re- 

 ports of B. F. Kindig, last president of the 

 old National, of O. L. Hershiser, president 

 of the N. y. State Association of Beekeep- 

 ers' Societies, and of R. F. Holtermann, 

 prominent Ontario beekeeper, were the only 

 reports received in time to print in this 

 number of Gleanings, and are as follows: 



As Reported by B. F. Kindig. 



The program of the National Beekeepers ' 

 Association Convention which was held at 

 Buffalo Mar. 9-11, 1920, was carried out as 

 printed with but few exceptions. Thruout 

 all of the program it was evident that one 

 of the chief points of interest to those at- 

 tending the convention was the new organi- 

 zation, the American Honey Producers ' 

 League. The League and its aims and pos- 

 sibilities were thoroly discussed by Kennith 

 Hawkins of the G. B. Lewis Company, C. F. 

 Muth of the Fred Muth Company, e! G. Le- 

 Stourgeon, j^resident of the League, and by 

 many others who gave their opinions con- 

 cerning it. From the beginning of the ses- 

 sion it was evident that the League had 

 found favor with the honey producers. 

 Without an exception, the beekeepers voic- 

 ed the sentiment that the time had come to 

 abandon the National Association and sup- 

 port the League. There were those present 

 who did not express this sentiment, but they 

 were not beekeepers. The following reso- 

 lution was presented: 



Whereas, the American Honey Producers' League, 

 organized at Kansas City on Jan. 6 and 7, 1920, 

 practically covers the aims and the purposes of the 

 National Beekeepers' Association; and 



Whereas, Under these conditions the two organi- 

 zations will weaken each other by working apart, 

 altho in a parallel way ; and 



Whereas, the American Honey Producers' League 

 by its name and purposes covers a greater scope; 

 therefore be it 



Resolved: That the National Beekeepers' Asso- 

 ciation hereby merges itself into the American Hon- 

 ey Producers' League and authorizes its Board of 

 Directors to wind up its affairs and cancel its 

 charter. 



This resolution was opposed only by Dr. 

 E. F. Phillips, whose contention was that 

 the League is premature and that its or- 

 ganization should be deferred until the 

 amount of honey produced by American bee- 

 keepers is very largely increased. However, 



Apeil, 1920 



the resalution 

 passed without 

 ;i dissenting 

 \oto. 



A committee 

 from the New 

 York State Bee- 

 keepers' Asso- 

 ciation were 

 present for the 

 purpose of learning more regarding the aims 

 and purposes of the League. After thoroly 

 informing themselves regarding these mat- 

 ters the committee decided that their as- 

 sociation should affiliate itself with the 

 League and applied to the secretary for 

 membership. As it was decided that the 

 National Association should merge itself 

 with the League, no officers were elected 

 and no further business was transacted. 



B. F. Kindig. 

 As Reported by Orel L. Hershiser. 

 The National Beekeepers' Association, 

 which convened at the Statler Hotel, Buf- 

 falo, N. Y., on March 9, for a three-day 

 convention, was the occasion of a frank and 

 exhaustive discussion of the newly organiz- 

 ed American Honey Producers ' League — • 

 jjarticularly as to its aims, purposes, the ac- 

 tivities it contemplates, and its legal as- 

 pects. It was made plain that no activities 

 are contemplated that would be illegal and 

 particularly that would be in contravention 

 of the Sherman anti-trust law. Its advocates 

 were so impressive that some who came to 

 the convention in a doubting mood were 

 finally won over to its support, and at the 

 last there is no doubt but that a feeling of 

 enthusiasm and optimism for the League 

 was very prevalent. 



The New York State Association of Bee- 

 keepers ' Societies was represented at the 

 convention by a committee of five, with 

 power to act, viz: Chairman O. W. Bedell, 

 S. D. House, C. B. Howard, A. Coggshall, 

 and O. L. Hershiser. This committee was of 

 popular selection and was appointed at the 

 New York State convention in January last, 

 after ascertaining the pleasure of the dele- 

 gates by ballot. It was thought that the 

 personnel of the committee fairly represented 

 the interests and sentiments of the beekeep- 

 ers of the State. It may be said that in the 

 minds of the committee there was a feeling 

 of doubt and a disposition to be extremely 

 careful; but all approached the matter with 

 open minds, laying all prejudice aside. All 

 salient phases of the new organization were 

 pointedly and frankly discussed in the com- 

 mittee room, and the result was a unanimous 

 decision to join and support the League. 



The keynote of the supporters of the 

 League was that there must be an absolutely 

 unselfish and brotherly spirit of co-opera- 

 tion, in which the greatest good for all 

 would result in the greatest good for each 

 individual. With that sentiment carried 

 into effect and with cordial support backed 

 by dollars, success seems to be assured. The 

 accomplishment of these objects is what is 



