54 



THE AMERICAi^ BEE JOJENAL. 



In accordance with my own views, 

 and Witt) tlie confiiirrence of the other 

 members of the executive committee, 

 I liave assumed the responsibility of 

 calliiier the annual meeting on the sec- 

 ond Wednesday instead of the second 

 Thursday, as provided in the constitu- 

 tion governing us. Tiie chief reason 

 for such action being the increased 

 time, it would allow members to re- 

 turn to their homes, liable as we are 

 to delaying storms at this time of the 

 year. 1 hope the action will meet with 

 your approval, and that the change 

 will be made permanent by suitable 

 action of this body. 



Tlie exhibition at the State Fairwas 

 by far the best ever had, both in bees 

 and honey; and it now seems desira- 

 ble tliat provision be made for in- 

 creased space for a proper display of 

 our products. Objection was niade 

 last year to allowing us the space al- 

 ready granted, and as, so far as I 

 know, there is no other suitable place 

 upon the grounds, it seems probable 

 that unless additional room is made, 

 we will be witliout a location in which 

 to make an exhibit. I would advise 

 that the matter be given careful con- 

 sideration. In this connection, I 

 would suggest that our exhibition be 

 made of a more instructive character, 

 and that, to that end, there be a daily 

 manipulation of one or more colonies, 

 demonstrating practical apiculture. I 

 would also suggest a consideration of 

 the rules to govern such exhibits. 



The exhibitors and bee-keepers at 

 large are under many obligations to 

 the Hon. B. E. B. Kennedy, Superin- 

 tendent of Class 7, Bees and Honey, 

 for the very able and courteous man- 

 ner in which he supervised our exhib- 

 it. His zeal in our chosen pursuit, his 

 courtesy and kindness to all, and his 

 earnest effort in our behalf, merit our 

 warmest thanks. The various officials 

 of the Slate Fair have also sliown 

 their usual courtesy, leaving nothing 

 to be desired, except a suitable place 

 to exhibit. 



Next to the production, one of the 

 most important subjects Is the mar- 

 keting of honey, and I am convinced 

 that but few understand it well. I 

 would suggest that the subject be 

 made a special order early in our ses- 

 sion. 



Our Association was represented at 

 the Northwestern Bee-Keepers' an- 

 nual meeting, at Chicago, 111., by our 

 Secretary and President, and quite 

 full notes were taken of the proceed- 

 ings, which will be valuable for refer- 

 ence in our debates. I would suggest 

 that two of our number be delegated 

 to attend these annual meetings, that 

 we may have the full benetit to be 

 derived therefrom. The railroads of 

 our State, always ready to advance the 

 genenl good, again laid us under ob- 

 ligations, the B. & M. furnishing 

 transportation for your representative 

 upon this occasion. 



I would call your attention to the 

 fact tliat we are liable, unless great 

 care is taken, to have foul brood in- 

 troduced into our State, which would 

 be a deplorable calamity. As we are 

 every year buying more or less largely 

 of bees and queens from points east of 

 here, and as it was openly stated at 



the Chicago Convention, mentioned 

 above, that unscrupulous parties were 

 disposing of bees known to be infected. 

 I feel that our Association should take 

 prompt action in the premises, and 

 ujature, if possible, some plan by 

 wliich, if introduced, it may beatonce 

 stamped out, and its further spread 

 prevented. 



This address closes the third year 

 during which I have been honored by 

 being your presiding officer. I would 

 suggest the propriety of electing an- 

 other, as tliere may be a commendable 

 desire in others for the honors, and 

 in those who could add new vigor to 

 our Association. We should not let 

 any felling actuate us, but that of a 

 generous rivalry in advancing our 

 mutual good. While fully apprecia- 

 ting your good wishes, and bearing 

 most cheerful testimony to the many 

 kindnesses shown me, I am sincere in 

 the opinion that a change may be of 

 advantage to us all. 



T. L. VONDOKN. 



The above address was referred to a 

 committee consisting of J. R. Ballard, 

 Chas. R. Thompson and Jas. W. 

 Bishop, who, after a short absense, 

 made the following report : 



" In regard to the President assum- 

 ing the responsibility of calling the 

 annual meeting one day earlier than 

 is fixed by the constitution, we heartily 

 approve of, and recommend that the 

 second Wednesday in January be 

 permanently fixed as the time for the 

 annual meeting, instead of the second 

 Thursday. We would further recom- 

 mend that a committee be appointed 

 to confer with the State Board of Ag- 

 riculture, and do all in their power to 

 secure ample room for the exhibition 

 of our apiarian products. Your com- 

 nnttee would still further approve of 

 our President's suggestion that a dele- 



fation of two or m'ore of our members 

 e elected to attend the Northwestern 

 Bee-Keepers' Association at Chicago 

 during the fall of 1SS4." 



The rpjiort was adopted and the 

 committee discharged. 



The committee on Treasurer's and 

 Secretary's report, said they had ex- 

 amined them and found tliem correct. 



The report adopted and bill of $11.50 

 for stationery ordered paid. 



The hour having arrived for the 

 election of officers, the following were 

 unanimouslv elected : T. L. Von Dorn 

 President ; S. L. Thomas Vice-Presi- 

 dent ; R. V. Muir Treasurer, and M. 

 L. Trester Secretary. 



The President and Secretary were 

 then elected as delegates to tlie North- 

 western Bee- Keepers' Society. 



The foul brood question was then 

 taken up and discussed at great 

 length ; it being ascertained that the 

 disease existed at two points in the 

 State — one of them having been cer- 

 tainly brought from Illinois, and the 

 other appeared in bees brought from 

 Illinois, but it is not known whether 

 the disease was brought or not in the 

 last case, but from the circumstances 

 surrounding them, it is reasonable to 

 believe thai they were diseased when 

 received. 



Prof. Culbertson then offered the 

 following remarks on fungus growth, 

 which he stated was a vegetable 



growth, consisting of spores or parti- 

 cles so small and light that they would 

 float in the air, and that each'kind of 

 fungus growth had its own food to 

 live and prey upon, and did no harm 

 in any other place. For instance, foul 

 brood was a fungus growth, and lived 

 upon the larvaj of bees, and from what 

 he had read, did not affect the old 

 bees or the eggs. Diphtheria was the 

 result of fungus growth, and found 

 the place for it to take root and grow 

 in the throat and vicinity of the 

 human family, the condition of child- 

 rens' throats being more adapted to 

 its taking root and growing than in 

 the throats of adults. The smut of 

 corn is a fungus growth, also the rust 

 on wheat ; that Prof. Burrill had 

 shown that the pear blight was a fun- 

 gus growth, that we were indebted 

 to the German scientists for these 

 facts, as there was but few magnify- 

 ing glasses in the United States" pow- 

 erful enough to be used satifactorily 

 in their researches ; that one spore or 

 seed of fundus growth, when coming 

 in contact with its natural food, would 

 in a short time produce millions and 

 millions of spores or seeds, which 

 would, in many cases, float in all di- 

 rections, making destruction in its 

 course. 



The committee on foul brood made 

 their report, wbich was referred back, 

 and the committee directed to consult 

 with the Governor and Attorney-Gen- 

 eral of the State, and recommend such 

 action as to them seems proper. 



The Committee elected to confer 

 with the State Board of Agriculture 

 were T. L. Von Dorn, G. M. Ilawley, 

 and E. Shugart, Beatrice. 



Bee pasturage being brought up, 

 Mr. Ballard spoke very highly of dan- 

 delion and alsike clover, stating that 

 he had seen 4 or 5 bees on one blossom 

 ofdand^lion, and recommends alsike 

 clover, as it will take root on the prai- 

 rie. 



G. M. Cooper, Beatrice, gave it as 

 his opinion that white clover did not 

 secrete any honey last spring, on ac- 

 count of the cool weather. 



P. M. Aldrich said that his bees 

 worked on rape long after frost. No 

 one present had ever seen rape fail. 



Mr. Colwell sowed the roadside 

 twice last year, and had a continuous 

 bloom all summer and late in the fall; 

 puts about one peck to the acre on the 

 roadside. 



Mr. Hawley sows about 6 lbs. of rape 

 seed per acre. 



Mr. Colwell's bees have a great feast 

 on box elder sap, early in spring. 



Mr. Hawley had sown rape several 

 times, but the bees only gathered fast 

 enough to build up; he can tell when 

 his bees are gathering rape honey by 

 the odor. 



C. C. Turney, Ceresco, had seen bees 

 work very extensively on the black- 

 berry, both blossom and fruit, and also 

 on parsely. 



Wm. Sutton, Elk Creek, saw his 

 bees on raspberry and alsike clover ; 

 they did a great deal to stimulate his 

 bees, although the quantity is limited 

 in his locality; they bloom about the 

 middle of June. 



"Races of bees" being taken up, 

 several speakers thought that hybrids 



