THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, 



709 



Explanatory.— The tlgures before the 

 names indicate the number of years that the 

 person has kept bees. Those after, show 

 the number of colonies the writer had in the 

 previous spring- and fall, or fall and spring, 

 as the time of the year may require. 



This mark © indicates that the apiarist is 

 located near tne center of the State named; 

 5 north of the center; 9 south; O east; 

 ♦O west; and this 6 northeast; X3 northwest: 

 o» southeast; and ? southwest of the center 

 of the State meutioned. 



For the American Bee Joumai, 



Conventions, Bee-Keepers' RigMs, etc, 



JAMES HEDDON. 



My absence from the late conven- 

 tion of the jSTorth American Bee- 

 Keepers' Society was as unavoidable 

 as unexpected. Since reading the 

 reports of that convention, I cannot 

 but feel that it is possible for me to 

 throw out a few hints that may teud 

 to make our future gatherings more 

 useful. Certainly it can do no harm 

 to try, and in doing so let me assure 

 the reader that improvement and ad- 

 vancement is my only aim. 



I am of the opinion that Mr. W. F. 

 Clarke is quite correct in his state- 

 Dfient, that the North American Bee- 

 Keepers' Society should be representa- 

 tive rather than local in its nature. I 

 believe it would be a valuable change 

 to have the members of this society 

 elected representatives from State 

 and local organizations. I believe it 

 would be of more value if the meet- 

 ings were more in the nature of busi- 

 ness conventions, working for and 

 representing the interests of sub- 

 ordinate societies, and bee-keepers in 

 general. 



Let me ask, is it not a mistake, 

 after we have spent $10 to $50 to get 

 to and from and attend these con- 

 ventions, to have the dearly-bought 

 time occupied by any kind of enter- 

 tainment which we can get at home 

 at our option, and for almost nothing. 

 Among these things I may name 

 essays wliich we can get thro\igh our 

 valuable bee-periodicals, devoting our 

 time to them when it does not cost us 

 from $-5 to $1.5 per day. I would de- 

 vote this valuable time strictly to 

 discussions of the knottiest questions 

 and necessary Ijusiness. and would 

 avoid all the forms and ceremonies 

 possible. I would copy after the 

 shell-bark hickory-nut, which has a 

 thin shell and thick meat. 



As "leaders" for sub.iects for dis- 

 cussion, I would appoint persons to 

 make extempore opening reinarks. I 

 agree with Mr. T. F. Bingham's ex- 

 pressed sentiments, that conventions 

 are not proper places in which to read 

 essays or make speeches framed to 

 the pecuniary interest, or like damage 

 of any individual, though I would not 

 exclude a valuable fact or principle 

 because it incidentally alluded to any 



person's interest or hobby. I would 

 " hew to the line" of justice, truth 

 and philosophy, "letting the chips 

 fall where they might." 



I have always felt a repulsion 

 against the practice of making con- 

 ventions a kind of fair for the exhibi- 

 tion of apiarian implements and sup- 

 plies. I wish that the late conven- 

 tion had voted to entirely exclude 

 the drowsy essay, which, when re- 

 ported in our bee-papers, nearly 

 always falls below the average con- 

 tributions, and are, to me, far less 

 interesting than reports of discussions. 



I am glad to notice that the works 

 of the United States Apicnltural Sta- 

 tion and Bee-Keepers' Union were 

 brought before the convention. I am 

 very glad that Dr. Riley induced our 

 Government to substantially recog- 

 nize our industry to the extent of es- 

 tablishing the Aurora Apicnltural 

 Station, with Mr. McLain in charge. 

 While I have little knowledge of or 

 interest in the questions of artificial 

 fertilization, foul brood, etc., still I 

 am aware that others have, and I 

 have a deep interest in the question 

 of the rights of apiarists in the com- 

 munity. 



Mr. McLain's report regarding 

 " Bees vs. Fruit," will prove of more 

 value to our fraternity than all that the 

 Station will cost us during a century. 

 I wish that he had not said, near the 

 close of his report, that perhaps there 

 might be two or three days when bee- 

 keepers should close their hives till 

 grape-owners could gather cracked 

 grapes. I am sure that such closing 

 of hives is entirely impracticable. 



THE bee-keepers' UNION. 



As President of the Bee-Keepers' 

 Union, a union formed for the defense 

 of bee-keepers, when their natural 

 rights are attacked, I wish here to 

 state that so far as my Influence may 

 extend, I do not mean to stop short 

 of exact Justice— a justice that will 

 give to bee-keepers, against all others, 

 just what rights nutiirally belong to 

 them, I believe that these rights 

 will extend thus far, that an apiarist 

 may keep bees anywhere he pleases, 

 so long as they do not become a nui- 

 sance. Now, when are they a nui- 

 sance ? My answer is,' when, and 

 only when, they are placed in such 

 po.sition that they will in defense of 

 their homes, attack persons or ani- 

 mals, when such persons or animals 

 are pursuing their legitimate course 

 on the public highway, or lands not 

 belonging to the bee-keeper. 



When John Smith's bee sallies 

 forth from John Smith's hive, with 

 the intent to sting in defense of that 

 hive, I hold that bee as John Smith's 

 property, and hold John Smith ac- 

 countable for its acts. But when such 

 bee leaves its home to peacefully 

 pursue its labors, it ceases to become 

 Smith's property, and Smith cannot 

 collect damages of Brown if Brown 

 kills that bee, so neither can Brown 

 hold Smith responsible if Brown 

 pinches the bee and the bee stings 

 him, or if the bee goes into his kitchen 

 after preserves, falls into his well- 

 bucket or specks the clothes on the 

 line. If Smith cannot hold Browu 



accountable for the destruction of 

 that bee, by what right can Brown 

 hold smith accountable for the acts 

 of that bee, after it has left its home 

 and become public property, the same 

 as bees in the woods. 



Bees in nature, in hollow trees, 

 whose whereabouts are unknown. may 

 get into the preserves, water-pail, or 

 speck the clothes, and will sting if 

 pinched ; but what can the law do 

 about it ? If, however, these bees 

 should sting in defense of their homes, 

 that home will be discovered at once, 

 become the property of the discoverer, 

 if he wishes to claim it, in which case 

 he will become responsible for letting 

 them remain where they will sting 

 legitimate travelers, in defense of 

 their homes. 



It seems to me that bee-keepers 

 must recognize the fact that our in- 

 dustry must either be legitimate or 

 illegal, and if legitimate, no law must 

 exist that will admit of compelling 

 us to move our apiaries whenever a 

 neighbor may see I5t to hang out 

 some clothes. 



For l.S vears I kept a large apiary in 

 the thickly settled part of our city, 

 and never heard of their specking 

 clothes but once ; and though our own 

 clothes-line was less than a rod from 

 the apiary fence, our clothes were 

 never specked ; but only a few weeks 

 ago a farmer living one-fourth of a 

 mile from my apiary, told me my bees 

 were badlv specking the clothes on 

 the line, while they were flying over 

 to a buckwheat field. Now, where 

 shall we be allowed to keep bees y I 

 answer, any place where they will 

 not sting legitimate passers-by in 

 defense of their homes. The line 

 must be drawn here, or petty courts 

 will be drawing it in as ininy differ- 

 ent places as the number of cases 

 that come up. 



PRIORITY OF LOCATION. 



Only a few months ago I wrote on 

 the subjpct of " Priority-right of 

 Location," trying to show whv the 

 prior occupant had a natural exclusive 

 right — why such exclusive possession 

 would result in the greatest good to 

 the greatest number,' and at the same 

 time I declared mv belief that the 

 laws of nature would ca\ise that con- 

 dition of affairs to prevail, on the 

 principle of " the survival of the fit- 

 test ;" and I tried to show each reader 

 how to "fit" himself to "survive." 

 Surely, none have forgotten how 

 malignantly ray position was attacked 

 mainly by those who had personal 

 hatred, and who knew little of practi- 

 cal honey-producing. Now imagine 

 mv surprise at noting that at the In- 

 dianapolis convention a committee 

 was appointed to inquire into the 

 desirability and feasibility of asking 

 our Government to legislate this con- 

 dition of affairs. 



1 believe the " survival of the fit- 

 test " plan is the better and only 

 practical plan— the only one the Gov- 

 ernment will sanction — the only one in 

 harmony with common law, and a 

 sure cure for the trouble. We are 

 now "governed too much " by legisla- 

 tion. Many of our laws are dead 

 letters. I look upon it as a great mis- 



