STATE bee-keepers' ASSOCIATION. 47 



gradually quitting; but I think it was in 1881 we had that 

 great honey-flow in this State. I had 40 colonies that year 

 and my bees stored 500 pounds of honey to a colony. Every- 

 one kept bees the next year, not getting such results, but 

 the practical men kept right at it; the little fellows quit. 

 If I go to a sale in the country, and there are any bees, I 

 buy them up. They sell cheap at sales in February or March. 

 I buy them and transfer them, render up the wax, and if 

 practical men would follow that we would soon get rid of 

 little bee-keepers. If the people who want to keep -bees will 

 take hold of this matter and help us, and by getting the 

 people to work, I believe it will be better than to have a half- 

 dozen inspectors. 



Mr. Becker — This is quite a bee-country. I believe there 

 are 5,000 colonies of bees between here and up and down the 

 river both sides in Mason and Cass counties. I went there 

 last summer and met a man who takes a bee-paper, and had 

 me come in to see him. He asked right away about this 

 foul brood, what it was, and I had to explain it to him. I 

 mef at least a dozen who had bees, and of course they all 

 knew I kept bees and had exhibits at the Fair every year, 

 and that I sometimes bought honey, and it seemed that every- 

 one there was interested in foul brood. It is a good honey 

 country, and has no foul brood. I said their bees were all 

 right, and it seemed as if everyone in the country asked the 

 same question. People have read about it. I believe that 

 the money we have spent on these reports and pamphlets 

 on foul bi'ood has done as much good as the inspectors 

 themselves, because it is educating the people. The people 

 keeping bees don't want any foul brood, and if they have 

 honey-bees they don't want them to die from it. One doctor 

 there, an old friend of mine, well up in the bee-business, has 

 about 50 colonies and everything necessary to take care of 

 them. I wanted to buy some of his honey. I could give 

 him a good price a pound for it, but I could not use it at 

 all. It was in such a shape; it was unfilled sections, so it 

 was nothing but chunk honey, and I don't think in one case 

 there was a straight section. 



Mr. York — According to the last census there are many 

 bee-keepers in this State, and while these pamphlets are a 

 good thing, unless you can get the names of the bee-keepers 

 you can't reach them, and so far as I know we have only 

 about 1,500 names of bee-keepers in this State. I don't doubt 

 that the printed reports are good things. About the new law. 

 I believe that if the things go right, we can have as good a 

 law as Wisconsin has. I realize it will take some work to 

 do it. I have not forgotten what we did two years 

 ago to get the law we have now. I remember 

 the Chicago-Northwestern Association had subscribed $100 

 to pay the expense. That was spent in endeavoring to get 

 the law. I repeat, I believe that if things go right we can 

 have as good a law as Wisconsin has. I know if we get 

 this law it will cost some money, we cannot get it for nothing. 

 We are in touch in Chicago with members of the Legislature, 



