i\>-^Jr1*' 



34 FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT 



of this bee-keepers' convention aside from the appropria- 

 tion? I don't care where my account goes, just so it goes to 

 the Treasurer of the accounts. I have only one account, 

 that is the appropriation from the State of IlHnois. Your 

 Secretary and President drawing accounts audit them ; no 

 individual member has anything to do with us. 



Mr. Stone — I let every member of this Association see 

 my book. I don't want it understood that I want to keep 

 anything back. The auditing committee has a right to have 

 it. But as our President says, our Auditing Committee has 

 nothing to do with the appropriation except as our Execu- 

 tive Committee consent, that is the State Auditor's business. 



Pres. Smith — The hour for adjournment has arrived. 



Mr. Stone — We ought to mention whether or not we are 

 going to have a night session. This hall is engaged for an- 

 other committee. We can get a room in the State House or 

 a room in the hotel. 



Pres. Smith — We can decide that this afternoon. 



Mr. Stone — We ought to decide it now, so we can speak 

 to the janitor. 



Motion made and seconded that there be a night session, 

 and motion lost. 



Adjourned. 



FIRST DAY — Afternoon Session. 



Vice- Pres. Black in the chair. 



The meeting was opened by a song by Dr. Miller and 

 Mr. York. 



Mr. Bowen — What objection is there to having a paper 

 read now? 



Mr. Black — None at all. 



Secretary Stone then read the following paper by C. P. 

 Dadant, of Hancock county, on 



CO-OPERATION AMONG BEE-KEEPERS . 



Your invitation to me to attend our annual State Bee-Keep- 

 ers' meeting and deliver an address has been duly received, 

 and I would gladly comply with your request were it not 

 that the date conflicts with that of another congress — ^the 

 Upper Mississippi River Improvement Association — ^which is 

 of very great interest to the cities along the big river, and 

 for which I am delegated by our city. I trust that, in view of 

 the importance of the matter, our bee-keepers will excuse 

 my absence. 



I believe that the most important matter before the bee- 

 keepers of the country at the present time is the matter of 

 cooperation. The methods of bee-culture have been so im- 

 proved in the past 50 years as to make the production of 

 honey an easy matter for all practical men. The old fogy 

 bee-keeper and the "gum" have been relegated to the back- 

 ground. The moth-trap has been put away with the spin- 



