ILLINOIS STATE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION 



25 



prediction had come titue, and we told 

 them it was because the clover, like 

 other blooms, did not secrete any honey 

 to call the bumble a^d honey bees to 

 do their work of poll^nizing the bloom. 



Our last year's . experience with the 

 Legislature has brought us to the de- 

 cision that if 'we do not use the same 

 tactics that our opponent does, we had 

 just as well leave the field. We found 

 that a petition signed by less than a 

 dozen went farther than a resolution, 

 though it could have been unanimous, 

 for the reason that three could report 

 a resolution, but a petition weighed 

 according to the number of signers to 

 it. So let's have a petition with a 

 thousand names, if need be. It is cer- 

 tain that "they who are for us- are 

 more than they who are against us." 



We had five hundred (500) copies of 

 our last report printed — three hundred 

 of them in cloth for the members, and 

 for the call "vve have from State Li- 

 braries and Universities. Our first 

 annual report was all in paper covers, 

 except for the offices. 



When we have a call for all the back 

 reports, they say, "Send them along." 

 If they are not cloth bound, we will 

 have it done. 



When we received the last pall for 

 all our reports, we only found a very 

 small number of several of the copies, 

 and thought perhaps we would be 

 compelled to send out to some of the 

 members in those years to see if an 

 odd copy might be had. So preserve 

 your old reports. 



We have on hand more of the second 

 annual report than of any other. We 

 had more of them printed because 

 they contained a report of the World's 

 Fair year at Chicago. If any one 

 should want one of them, they could 

 be had by paying the postage and 

 wrapping, 10 cents. 



We sent out one thousand letters 

 to bee-keepers of the State, with blank 

 applications for membership. This has 

 proven the best way we have ever 

 tried for securing members. We are 

 assisted very materially in this by the 

 free use of our friend York's Mailing 

 List,* for which he surely deserves a 

 "vote of thanks." 



The Premium List Committee did 

 not suggest any change in the list, 

 from what it was a year ago, but we 

 are of the opinion that some slight 

 change in the wording of some of the 



premiums should be made, as they are 

 construed differently by different 

 judges. 



The crowded condition of our ex- 

 hibit at the last State Fair was almost 

 unendurable, and we urge upon this 

 Association that they petition the 

 State Board of Agriculture for a new 

 •building to be erected, that will be 

 large enouglh' for .the bee-keepers and 

 horticulturists. The latter to occupy 

 the center space and the former the 

 space next to the outer walls. 



The District Horticultural Society 

 that had charge of the display at the 

 last Fair, were crowded about in the 

 same way as the apiculturists, and they 

 are with us in this move for a new 

 building. 



This year is the first since the re- 

 duced railroad rates to 2 cents per 

 mile, that they have offered the I. O. 

 O. F. reduced rates. When our date 

 was made for this meeting, we set it 

 for Thursday, in order that the 

 crowded condition of the hotels might 

 be easing up at the beginning of our 

 meeting, and when we sent out our 

 notices we were not aware that the 

 railroad rates would end on Tuesday — 

 as the Odd Fellows' notices did not 

 name the time. 



In the nineteen years of the life of 

 this AssociatioTi, this year was the 

 first in which death has taken our 

 President from us, and, although none 

 of our former Presidents are now 

 living, our late President was the first 

 one to he called while in office. His 

 life and acts' while with us will long 

 bex remembered, and are greatlj- de- 

 serving of fitting resolutions. 



The seven States having the largest 

 membership in the National, for 1909, 

 rank as follows: 



Illinois ........399 



Wisconsin . .235 



Michigan 189 



Pennsylvania 189 



New York .165 



California 160 



Minnesota 146 



Illinois as many as Wisconsin and 

 California combined. 



■_:/ JAS. A. STONE.: 



President Kildow — ^You have heard 

 the Secretary's report. What will vou 

 do with it? 



By motion of Mr. Dadant, the report 

 was received and placed on file. 



Mr. Dadant — The Secretary's report 



