PUBLISHED EVERY WEEK 



AT $1.00 PER ANNUM. 



35th Year. 



CHICAGO, ILL., OCT. 31, 1895. 



No. 44. 



Report of the Proceedings 



OF THE 



Twenty-Sixth Annual Convention 



OP THE 



North American Bee-Keepers' Association, 



HELD AT 



TORONTO, Ont., Sept. 4, 5 and 6, 1895. 



W. Z. HUTCHINSON, SEC. 



(Continued from pa^e 679.) 



The following address should have appeared the first 

 thing in the report of the morning session of the second day, 

 but owing to an unavoidable delay in receiving a copy of it 

 from Mr. Holtermann, I am compelled to put it in out of its 

 proper place : 



Xlie President's Address. 



In the few remarks to which I shall confine myself I would 

 say, that looking upon bee-keeping as an occupation, we are 

 making progress in many desirable directions. There is still 

 with some, unfortunately, a slight tendency to belittle bee- 

 keeping by giving the impression that any one can keep bees 

 and succeed with but little capital, no experience, no labor ; 

 and others we find, who, if they do not express it, have a ling- 

 ering thought in their mind that the advantages of the occu- 

 pation and the experience of able men should not be presented. 

 All this we are leaving behind us, and we are emerging, in 

 fact standing upon a broad and liberal platform, our industry 

 being recognized as a wealth-producing power of the country ; 

 and we can justly be proud of our occupation. 



Much has been said, and much has been conceded along 

 the line of the interesting study of the marvelous honey-bee. 

 The study of its life history has thrown open to scientific men 

 some of the most beautiful laws in Nature, in that way in- 

 creasing our reverence for the Creator of all things, who has 

 set these laws in force. But we cannot emphasize too much 

 the facts that bee-keeping may offer an opening to many in 

 rural districts, who otherwise have to resort to the city, un- 

 able to find profitable openings in the country with the capital 

 in hand; that bee-keeping displaces no other crop on the 

 farm ; that in taking the honey crop it takes nothing from 

 the fertility of the soil ; that bees are great public benefactors 

 in the pollination of flowers, and that day by day, as inves- 

 tigations are being made, importance is being added to the 

 honey-bee in its relation to plant-life : that honey is one of the 

 best and most economical of foods. While we state these and 

 many other facts, we might in justice point out that it takes 

 care, experience, and time to succeed in bee-keeping; that it 

 Is a legitimate business, and that the cost of the production 

 taken from the price at which the honey is sold, leaves but a 

 moderate margin of profit to the bee-keeper. 



During the past season the most of us have passed 

 through trying times, very few indeed having made a living. 

 The United States, as well as portions of Europe, have had a 

 very light crop — probably after leaving enough for winter, no 

 crop at all. In Canada, some districts such as British Colum- 

 bia, Northwest Territories, Manitoba, in Ontario along the 

 Ottawa river, and Northwestern Ontario have done well, but 

 unfortunately in these portions bee-keeping is engaged in by 

 but few. 



As to our own organization, the "North American Bee- 

 Keepers' Association," it has been claimed by some that it is 

 not sufBciently representative. This is perhaps true, and yet 

 it is the most representative body of bee-keepers on the conti- 

 nent, meeting here and there, north, south, east and west. It 

 undoubtedly has had a comparatively small number of mem- 

 bers, yet many have faithfully and steadily supported it 

 throughout, and when we come to a term of years it embraces 

 a very large membership. During the past year the Associa- 

 tion has conferred a lasting benefit upon bee-keepers and 

 railroads. The committee appointed by this organization suc- 

 ceeded in getting important concessions from the 'j. Western 



President R. F. llnltcrmiuni, Dranlford, Ont. 



Classification Committee, and other districts will no doubt 

 follow in their own interests. 



As an Association, and as individual bee-keepers, we 

 might do more to draw attention to the value of honey as a 

 food, and in other ways increase the consumption of one of 

 the healthiest and most economic of foods. Pear of adultera- 

 tion has much to do with the limit of consumption. As bee- 

 keepers, we must use every means in our power, or that can 

 be put within our power, to convince our customers that honey 

 is a sweet with essential oils added, distilled by Nature's lab- 

 oratory, and gathered from the fragrant blossoms in the fields 

 and forest. If we desire to gain ground, or even hold our own 

 in the markets of the world, in this matter bee-keepers must 

 stand shoulder to shoulder. 



In closing, I need not point out that this is an age of con- 

 ventions, where man to man we can discuss the great and 

 minor questions affecting our calling. We are not supposed 

 to see eye to eye, but we meet together to discuss methods, to 

 pass resolutions, to convince and be convinced by every hon- 

 orable means in the discussions. The greatest freedom of 



