14 First Annual Report 



Resolved, That it is the sense of this Association that arrangements be 

 made for holding the meetings of the respective organizations, composing 

 the Illinois Farmers' Club, in the day time, and the mass meetings com- 

 posed of all the members of the several societies, be held in the evening in 

 the Hall of Representatives, in the Capitol building during the continuance 

 of the session of the Illinois Farmers' Club. 



Resolution adopted as read . 



On motion, the Chair appointed a committee of three to draft By-Laws, 

 and report at next regular meeting 



Committee as follows: C. E. Yocom, Aaron Coppin, and Geo. F. 

 Robbins . 



Motion prevailed that the Executive Committee be the Board of 

 Directors for incorporation . 



Motion that this Committee be authorized to procure the articles of in- 

 corporation, and be furnished with required amount to pay for same. 

 Prevailed. 



Motion by Mr. Newman that our State Legislature be asked for an ap- 

 propriation of five thousand dollars (fs ooo) to represent our interests at the 

 World's Columbian Fair. Pending this question Mr. Newman gave us a 

 very eloquent address on the importance of bee ketpers making exhibits be- 

 fore the public. 



Mr. Thomas G. Newman, of Chicago, editor of the American Bee 

 Journal, by request, addressed the convention on the subject of "The Im- 

 portance of Displays or Exhibits of Honey at Fairs." 



Mr. Newman said that the magnitude of the industry of "bees and 

 honey" could be estimated by the fact th^t there were in North America 

 300,000 people who keep bees, and if these apiaries average but ten colonies 

 each, the number of colonies reaches 3,000,000, and if these produce but the 

 , ver^^ small average of 25 pounds of honey per colony, then the product is 

 75,000,000 of pounds of honey, worth |io,ooo,oco; and if each colony of bees 

 yields but one pound of beeswax yearly, then the wax product at 20 cents 

 per pound is worth |;6oo,ooo. 



The speaker said that notwithstanding the many improvements that had 

 been made in apiculture, it was but yet in its infancy^that the flora now 

 going to waste in America could, if properly gathered by bees, produce a 

 revenue of|2co,ooo,ooo. 



He said that in view of the fact that Illinois was expected to make a 

 grand exhibit at the World's Columbian Fair, of the products of the State, 

 apiculture should have its appropriate place in that display. Illinois stood 

 second in the galaxy of States as to honey production, and it is asserted 

 that there are within its borders 20,000 persons who keep bees. Tl^e 

 speaker said that he was heartily in favor of a good appropriation by the 

 Legislature so as to secure a creditable display. 



