AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



141 



On Important Subjects. 



When Shall tie North American Meet ? 



FRANK BENTON. 



It was my intention, at the Albany 

 meeting of the North American Bee- 

 Keepers' Association, to suggest Wash- 

 ington, D. C, as a very suitable place 

 for holding the next convention. Illness, 

 however, prevented my attendance, and 

 so I refrained from trying to influence 

 the choice. But some one else seems to 

 have had the same idea regarding the 

 selection, and as a result the National 

 Capital has been chosen. I am greatly 

 pleased at this, and bespeak for all who 

 come, an interesting visit. To make it 

 of value, from the bee-keeper's special 

 stand-point, depends, of course, wholly 

 upon the members of the Association. 

 Whatever may lie in my own power that 

 will contribute to the success of the 

 meeting, I shall gladly do. And just at 

 this juncture, I think it is in the interest 

 of the society to have the other side of 

 the question raised by Mrs. J. M. Null, 

 on page 101 of the American Bee 

 Journal for Jan. 22, 1892, presented 

 for the consideration of the Executive 

 Committee, and members of the Associa- 

 tion generally- Mrs. Null says : 



" I see that the next meeting of the North 

 American Bee-Keepers' Society is to be at 

 Washington. Why not have it at the same 

 time as the G. A. K. reunion ? Then many 

 ladies could attend in company with their 

 husbands, and all would get the benefit of the 

 very low rates given to the Grand Army of 

 the Republic." 



The editor of the American Bee 

 Journal remarks : 



"That is an excellent suggestion about 

 holding the National Convention at Washing- 

 ton. D. C, at the same time' as the Grand 

 Army reunion. We commend this to the con- 

 sideration of the Executive Committee." 



A consideration of the facts which 

 follow, will, I think, convince most of 

 those interested in the success of the 

 meeting referred to, that such a plan 

 would not be a wise one. 



1. The reunion of the Grand Army of 

 the Republic will be held in September — 

 a time when, as is apparent to all, many 

 bee-keepers cannot come because they 

 will then be engaged in securing the 

 fall harvest, or in preparations for it, 

 or, in more northern sections, in prepar- 



ing their bees for winter, while some 

 queen-breeders will find their work can- 

 not be left for a week or more at that 

 time, and it must be borne in mind, too, 

 that many bee-keepers are also en- 

 engaged in farming, fruit-raising, poul- 

 try-raising, or similar occupations, 

 which afford some leisure during winter, 

 but which cannot be left for a conven- 

 tion in early autumn. Furthermore, 

 many who could attend in winter may 

 not have the ready means to spare in 

 September, having had, in order to 

 secure the season's harvest, to invest in 

 supplies, and perhaps to pay "help, with- 

 out at that date having realized much if 

 any return for the year. 



2. Washington will then be filled to 

 overflowing with visitors, and the ex- 

 citement and distractions which will 

 attend the military parades and displays 

 will completely drown the "hum" of 

 the peaceful, busy bee, and her handful 

 of representatives as well. It is ex- 

 pected that fully 500,000 visitors will 

 be in Washington during the reunion, 

 thus twice the population of the city. 

 It will, indeed, have to be a lively bee- 

 convention to compete in interest with 

 the brass bands of the big Grand Army 

 of the Republic show. Most bee-keepers 

 have attended conventions, and their 

 interest in the success of another would 

 have to be strong to cause them to give 

 their undivided attention to it when 

 imposing military parades, grand decor- 

 ations, and fine music, such as will be 

 here in September, 1892, are before the 

 doors. 



3. Hotels and boarding-houses will be 

 crowded to their utmost, this, even not- 

 withstanding the fact that Washington, 

 for its size, is perhaps better supplied 

 with such accommodations than any 

 other city in the Union. Quarters for 

 between 50,000 and 60,000 G. A. R. 

 people have already been engaged, and 

 long before September next, all avail- 

 able lodgings will be taken. During 

 the reunion of the Grand Army of the 

 Republic last year, in Detroit — a larger 

 city than Washington — hotels and board- 

 ing-houses were all full, and prices were 

 high. Mrs. Benton and myself wish we 

 might entertain all bee-keepers who 

 come, and have no other acquaintances 

 or relatives with whom they prefer to 



stop, but you see there's a great 



blank ! The latch-string is out, but if 

 all favored us, we'd have not only to 

 "double-up" a good deal, but over in 

 the middle of the beds you'd be " as 

 thick as bees !" 



4. The heat is very likely to be great 

 here in September, and especially un- 



