h f-: 1- 



40 First Annual Report 



Whereas, The proposed Sabbath opening would deprive the men in 

 charge of exhibits from the rest which is in the institution of the Sabbath. 



Therefore, The Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association respectfully and 

 most earnestly petition the proper authorities that the Columbian Exposition 

 be closed upon the Sabbath day, that we may be spared the stain of a 

 conspicuous and flagrant act of disobedience to God. 



Committee— C. E. Yocom, Sherman. 



Resolution offered by the Secretary : 



Resolved, That the thanks of this Association be extended to I. N. 

 Pearson, State Secretary, and to W. E. Savage, chiei janitor, for the use of 

 the Senate judiciary room, and for the kind treatment we have received at 

 their hands during our most pleasant sessions; also, to the St Nicholas hotel 

 for their kind entertainment. 



A motion by A. N. Draper, Upper Alton, 111., prevailed, that a com- 

 mittee of three be appointed to visit the different societies of the State (at 

 their own expense) to visit and confer with them. 



Committee — A.N. Draper, W. J Finch, Jr., and C. E Yocom. 



In the discussion on Alfalfa, which followed, it was a question whether 

 it was desirable to sow it here as it might not produce honey on our soil . 



Motion by A. N Draper, that a committee of three be appointed to find 

 out from the State Board as to the value of Alfalfa and other plants foreign 

 to our soil as honey plants, and have it published in the report. 



Committee— Geo. Poindexter, S. N. Black and L. Mason. 



Reported from the report of the Experimental Station, not favorable on 

 Alfafa. And Mr. Mason, of Auburn, reported on same later, as follows : 



"In the winter of 1885 and '86 I was in California and sent home some 

 Alfalfa seed to a near neighbor, Mr. H. S Winman, who had formerly lived 

 in California and had there raised it. The seed was good and he prepared 

 the soil in good shape and did not sow till danger of frost was over— he 

 thought. It came up nicely, and late in March there came .several hard 

 freezes that heaved most of it out of the ground and that proved failure No. i. 



"The next experiment I will mention, as coming under my personal 

 knowledge, was by one of my near neighbors in the village of Auburn. He 

 sowed about one-half acre. It came up and grew nicely for a number of 

 years While at first it appeared thick enough on the ground it gradually 

 grew thinner until there was but little of it left. He cut it for hay and seed 

 some three or four years . 



"As a forage crop it was not equal to clover or timothy. 



"It was in bloom at the same time there was a heavy crop of white clover 

 in bloom, and therefore the bees did not appear to give it much attention. 

 This we will call failure No. 2. 



"The last experiment of which I have any knowledge was this: I spaded 

 very deep a plot of bluegrass sod near my house and sowed some seed I had 



