1906 



GJ.EANIXGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



1319 



ten dollars; and I have felt sad to find so 

 many good people who defend this sort of 

 business, asking several dollars for informa- 

 tion printed on a small piece of paper, etc. 

 Well, the Maine Experiment Station has 

 issued an exceedingly valuable bulletin in 

 regard to the experiments made in connec- 

 tion with poultry-keeping. One of them 

 hits a clip at the $10.00 secrets, and I have 

 thought best to give it here, especially as it 

 contains matter of considerable value aside 

 from the expose : 



METHODS OF SELECTING BREEDING STOCK. 



The only reliable method of selecting breeding- 

 stock is by aid of the data secured by the use of trap- 

 nests. It is, however, only investigators, large opera- 

 tors, and breeders who make a business of producing 

 birds and eggs for breeding purposes, for sale, who 

 can afford the equipment and expense of operating 

 trap-nests. Most poultry-men and farmers who carry 

 small flocks are usually too busy to give the regular 

 attention required by any reliable and satisfactory 

 trap-nest. They can better afford to buy the few 

 rnales required each year from some one who makes 

 breeding stock by trap-nesting a specialty. 



There are one or two concerns that advertise to 

 teach how to pick ouv the pullets that are to be good 

 layers, and how to pick out the hens that have laid 

 well. The price for the system is .$10.00 by one of the 

 concerns, with a bond of $1000 to keep the secret. 

 The warm friends of both systems tried them on 

 some pens of trap-nested birds at the Station, with 

 known records, and both parties went away sorrow- 

 ing at the results of their work. Their systems 

 were unknown to the writer; but it does not matter, 

 for both were completely valueless as applied here. 



Two others came to show that it was not necessary 

 to use trap-nests. One claimed to be able to tell the 

 laying capacities of the pullets by the position of the 

 pelvic bones; while the other was sure he could tell 

 the yields for the coming year, to within eight or ten 

 eggs, by the length and shape of the toe-nails. An- 

 other was sure that large combs are infallible indica- 

 tions of great egg-laying capacities. 



There are eighty bii-ds in one yard at the Station, 

 each one of which has laid from 200 to 2.51 eggs in a 

 year. So far as can be discovered, they differ from 

 each other sufficiently to upset any theory of selec- 

 tion thus far put forward. One feature is common to 

 all these hens— they all have strong constitutions. 



The above only verifies what our experi- 

 ment stations in all the dilferent States have 

 told us — that no good thine/ has ever yet 

 been found coming out under the guise of a 

 ■$5.00 or $10.00 secret. The bond of $1000 to 

 keep the secret is a new wrinkle. Throw 

 all such proposals into the tire; and if one of 

 the '"promoters" comes into the dooryard, 

 set the dog on him. If you are in doubt in 

 regard to any such investment, just submit 

 •the matter to the experiment station of your 

 own State. They are well posted, clear up 

 to date, and will give you honest and unbi- 

 ased advice. 



Convention Notices. 



The annual meeting of the Ontario Bee-keepers' As- 

 sociation will be held in Toronto, November 7, 8. 9, 

 1906, at the same time the Ontario Horticultural Soci- 

 ety will hold their exhibition of fruit, flowers, honey, 

 and vegetables. A cordial invitation is extended to 

 all American bee-keepers to attend. We hope our 

 program will be one of the best. W. Couse, Sec. 



Streetsville, Ont., Sep. 29. 



In behalf of the Texas Bee-keepers' Association 

 and the bee-keepers of Texas in generel, I wish to 

 extend to every member of the National Bee-keepers' 

 Association an urgent invitation to be present at the 

 meeting of the National, to be held at San Antonio, 

 Texas, Nov. 8, 9, 10. We Texans are looking forward 

 for that meeting to be a great "love-feast" of bee- 



keepers. And I wish to say to all bee-keepers of 

 Texas that if you do not avail yourself of this oppor- 

 tunity to attend this convention, from a bee-keeper's 

 point of view you have missed the opportunity of 

 your life. W. O. Victor, 



Hondo, Texas, Oct. 6. Pres. Texas B. K. A. 



PROVISIONAL, PROGRAM OF INSPECTORS' MEETING, 

 SAN ANTONIO, NOV. 12. 



Demonstration of bacteria of bee diseases. Dr. G. 

 F. White. U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Washington. 



History of bee-disease inspection in Wisconsin. N. 

 E. France, inspector of apiaries for Wisconsin, Platte- 

 ville. Wis. 



General discussion of existing bee-disease laws; an 

 examination of laws now in force, and suggestions for 

 most effective legislation. 



The introduction of European foul brood into Mich- 

 igan. W. Z. Hutchinson, inspector of apiaries for 

 Michigan, Flint, Mich. 



The inspection of European foul brood in New 

 York. Charles Stewart, inspector third district of 

 New York, Sammonsville, N. Y. 



Foul brood on the Pacific coast. F. A. Parker, for- 

 mer inspector Santa Barbara Co., Lompoc, Cal. 



The present status of the investigation of bee dis- 

 eases. Dr. E. F. Phillips, United States Department 

 of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 



Reports of inspectors from the various States and 

 counties on the progress of inspection. 



This program is subject to such changes as may be 

 necessary, but it will indicate the character of the 

 meeting. All persons interested in bee-disease in- 

 spection are urged to attend. A number of persons 

 prominent in this work have agreed to be present. 



E. F. Phillips, 

 Acting in Charge of Apiculture. 



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