cells contain larvæ, it may be given two or three such frames. All queen cells with eggs or larvæ must be destroyed. To miss destroying even one, may mean that it would be developed and a swarm issue. In every

DIRECTOR FRANKLIN WILCOX,

case alternate foundation or empty combs with brood.

In removing combs from the brood-chamber, follow this order: First empty combs and combs of honey until they are out, then sealed brood. If the empties are clean and the honey white, place them in the extracting supers of the same hive (if they will fit). also the brood unless it is needed for making increase or building up weak colonies.

When queen-cells for swarming are found far advanced, the final remedy is to take away all the combs of brood but the one which has the least brood, and give empty worker-combs or frames of wired founda

tion.

Of course the object of the experiment was to secure a comparison of the results obtained from Lot A as compared with those of Lot B.

To producers of comb honey was sent "Experiment No. 2." In this the following ground is held: "About the only way to avoid having natural swarms is to make artificial ones." So instructions are given for weekly examinations, just as was given to the producers of extracted honey, and then when eggs are found in queen-cells, and indications point to swarming a shaken swarm is to be made. That is, the brood-combs are taken away from the hive, most of the bees having been shaken from them, leaving in the old hive the queen, most of the bees, one worker-comb, and enough frames to fill out the hive, these frames containing half-inch starters of foundation. Of course, using such shallow starters is open to the objection that dronecomb will be built, and concerning this Mr. Pettit says:

One disadvantage of hiving on starters is the great quantity of drone-comb that will be built in the brood-chamber. This can not very well be avoided. Owing to the uncertainty of the honey season, and the necessity of having sections well filled we must crowd the super work by giving little or no material to build on in the workerchamber, and the excess of drone-comb is the result. As soon as the white honey is ready to come off. the frames containing most drone-comb must be removed from the

brood-chambers and worker-combs, or full sheets of foundation, put in their place. Then if the fall honey-flow is not sufficient to fill these up for winter, feeding can be resorted to.

Some one may say: "But this can hardly be called experimenting, for these plans of management are in effect well known to experienced bee-keepers." To a certain extent this is true, yet it is probably also true that the great majority of bee-keepers have never tried the plans given, and to them the carrying out of such plans in comparison with their previous plans would be experimenting in a most emphatic manner.

In his report of the results of this cooperative experimenting, Mr. Pettit says reports were received from 62 bee-keepers, 24 of these reports being quite full. As might be expected, some of the bee-keepers were better satisfied with excellent plans that they had previously used. On the whole, however, there was a gain. Summing up the whole of Lot A and of Lot B, it was found that only 18 percent of Lot A cast prime swarms, as against 38 percent of Lot B.

As a result of this control of swarming and the extra attention given to the colonies of Lot A, the average return in honey was 83 pounds per colony as against 75 3 pounds per colony of Lot B. In addition to this, there was an average number of 7 combs per colony built in Lot A, and 5 combs per colony in Lot B.

The likelihood is that this increase of 10 percent in the amount of honey obtained will stimulate others who are not doing as well as they might, and Mr. Pettit will be watched with interest from this side the line to see what further he may do.

Repression of Swarming

On page 263, of the American Bee Journal, was given a brief review of a pamphlet printed in Germany whose title, translated into English, is "Why Do So Many Apiaries in the Villages Stand Empty ?" A correspondent who has this pamphlet is especially interested in one chapter, and writes as follows:

DR. MILLER:-I have a German pamphlet entitled," Warum Stehen auf den Doerfern so viele Bienenhuetten leer?" I understand in every way German as well as English, and think the publication a very good one. A part of same especially of interest to me is under the heading: (3) Excessive Swarming Must Be Prevented," and a way is set forth which includes increase, which, it seems to me, I have not seen suggested elsewhere in its entirety, and I would be pleased not only to have your opinion of it, but hope to see a further discussion thereof in the American Bee Journal by others as well. I translate as follows:

"Nothing is easier than to suppress swarming and bring about increase artificially. It is done as follows: When the colonies are in their highest State of development [he says end of May: I would say for my latitude, end of April 21, dequeen the best colony as apparent by wealth of honey. number of bees, etc. Make use of the queen elsewhere. The colony will make a lot of queen-cells, every one of which will be well cared for, the same being in its fullest strength or vigor Shortly before the young queens are to slip out, divide the colony into as many nuclei as there are queen-cells and frames of brood. Six to 8 nuclei may be expected: with good weather, the young queens will be mated after 3 days, and soon begin to lay. At this stage frames of brood are to be taken away from other colonies in order to bring about their swarming proclivity, and these same frames are given to the nuclei so as to strengthen them. This is of great help to the latter, and the strong

colonies readily bear up with the depriva tion. Frames of foundation [full or starters ?] are given in place of the brood taken away. which will at once be drawn out, and as long as such a colony has that to do, or to care for uncapping brood, it will not give off any swarm.

The author further asserts that a good point about such nuclei is, that their queens can easily be observed and tested as to their value. He denotes queens by one year cutting the right wing, and the next the left one. He further says that the nuclei often need feeding: viz., with honey and pollen. So much from the pamphlet.

In reply to questions I put by mail to the author, he has answered:

"It is necessary carefully to remove all and every bee from the frames of brood, before giving same to nuclei, as such might otherwise kill the young queen. As the ripe' frames of brood will give to the nuclei (young colonies) thousands of young bees within a few days, a strong colony should soon result. More than one frame of brood should not be given at a time, because the bees can not care for more; the cells of the frame of brood must all be capped, as the young bees of the nuclei can not do this, not as yet flying out A strange bee on the frame of brood to be given might kill the queen."

My idea is that one might follow this method when both swarming is to be prevented and increase made, by working an apiary in series of 10 or 12-i. ., for every unit of such number, dequeen one of the most vigorous colonies and proceed as stated. It seems to me that the mode of procedure first given is worthy of wide discussion, and, so far as I am concerned, I could not see it too widely commented upon, criticized, supplemented, bettered, or more especially adapted for our country.

My home is 12 miles south of the center of the New York and Pennsylvania State line. With the coming season my inclination is to give this a thorough trial. I wish, on behalf of same, to be as well posted as possible. The only question in my mind now is whether to give the colonies from which frames of capped brood are taken, frames with but starters or full foundation. I notice that with "shook swarming" some advocate giving only starters.

I have naturally compared the method re

give the bees so much to do, that, as it were. the swarming impulse is aborted. And in "shook swarming this is done by a deple tion of the brood-chamber.

According to the Biggle Bee-Book," and Lyon's bee-book, on "shook swarming," it is best to let the colony to be shaken, have only narrow strips or starters of foundation. And this, to my mind. indicates the degree of depletion necessary, in this country, at least, for the purpose intended.

Now, it seems to me, that the German method does not by far involve as much depletion to most of the colonies that are not to swarm. Suppose, as stated, the German plan is undertaken in units of to colonies; the one which is to be dequeened and divided up into colonies is, of course, depleted. But how about the other ? Suppose there would be 8 queen-cells started; that would afford 8 nuclei. Now, as each nucleus can take only one frame of brood at a time, there would be 9 colonies to supply each all but one) one frame of capped brood; it would take probably 8 days for the same to hatch, and then another frame could be taken from each of the colonies. But would not such depletion be too slow require or extend over more time than available) to prevent swarming?

Compare the depletion in "shook swarming"-leaving to the bees at once starters of foundation only-with this German method. wherein only one frame of brood is to be taken away. I have 10-frame hives; this would leave each colony with o frames of comb, with honey, brood and bees.

Does it not look as if the German method at best, in this country-i. e.. considered climatically, latitudinally, and generally idiosyncrally-might prove a failure?

I wish to be enabled to size up the matter as thorougly as possible. Ulster, Pa., Dec. 9.

CHAS. REYNDERS.

It is hardly wise for one to commend or condemn any plan without first committing it to the bees to see how it may pan out. Besides, what may be very good for one bee-keeper may not always be good for another. Yet for the sake of bringing out some general principles, it may be worth while to give a close discussion to this matter.

The heading of the chapter to which particular attention is called is: "Excessive Swarming Must Be Prevented." If the only object be to prevent excessive swarming, then a much simpler and easier plan is the common one that has been given so many times in these columns: Set the swarm on the old stand with the old colony close beside it; a week later move the old colony to a new stand.

Your desire, however, is doubtless to use the plan to prevent swarming altogether; and so to learn about any possible danger-points.

The best colony is to be dequeened when at the highest point of development. The author thinks that would be about the end of May, and you think it would be the end of April in your latitude. You are in latitude 42 degrees, the same as the latitude here. If bees were forced to start queen-cells here in April, the queens would generally be worthless. Of course, some seasons are earlier than others, but April would always be too early, and often the first of June would be too early for good queens. At any rate, wait till the bees begin naturally to start queen-cells preparatory to swarming.

You are planning on one frame of brood for each nucleus, and then to give to the nuclei frames of brood without any bees. That will be likely to result in more or less chilled brood, for the nuclei will have few bees, and you will not find it easy to have no unsealed brood in the frames given. It will help matters if the brood be kept for a week or so over an excluder on a

strong colony. Even so there may be danger to the sealed brood if there be too few bees to cover it.

Taking brood from the strong colonies is expected to prevent their swarming. This is very unreliable unless all but one frame of brood be taken. Sometimes taking a single frame will prevent swarming; sometimes taking half the brood will not seem to make a particle of difference. So you can place no certain dependence upon it.

I do not understand how queens in nuclei can be "tested as to their value." To test a queen as to its value is to find out about its prolificness as a layer, or the amount of honey stored by its worker progeny. You could not tell much about either of these in a nucleus.

When you take away a single frame of brood from a strong colony, the case is quite different from a shaken swarm. The latter is much like a natural swarm, and much of the comb built will be worker-comb. When only a single comb is taken, if the frames given them in return be not entirely filled with foundation, the bees will be almost certain to build a large proportion of drone-comb.

There is a very wide difference be

MISCELLANEOUS

Prof. A. J. Cook, of California, so well known to the older bee-keepers everywhere, has recently been appointed Horticultural Commissioner for the State of California, by Gov. Johnson. This is indeed a magnificent appointment, and things horticultural in California may soon be expected to go forward by leaps and bounds. And, then, with Prof. Cook's bee-keeping proclivities, we may in the near future see the horticulturists of California holding joint conventions with bee-keepers. When these two allied interests once pull together we may expect to see such an advance in both fruit-growing and honey-production as this world has not yet dreamed of. We hope that the great State of California may be the leader in such united effort.

We hardly know which deserves the more congratulation, Prof. Cook upon his appointment, or the State of California upon its good fortune in securing the services of such an experienced, loyal and worthy Horticultural Commissioner as Prof. Cook. Perhaps it is equal. At any rate, we wish Prof Cook unbounded success in his new position, and California great progress along every line of work which Prof. Cook directs.

Association of Apiary Inspectors. We have received the following which will surely be of interest to inspectors of apiaries the country over:

On Dec. 30, 1911, in Washington, D. C., there was formed a temporary organization of the Association of Apiary Iuspectors of the United States and Canada, with a view to increasing the efficiency of apiary inspection, to bring about a greater uniformity

tween the amount of depletion that takes place in shake-swarming, as compared with taking away one frame at a time. Take away all the brood, or all but one, and you have put the colony in much the same condition as a natural swarm, no matter whether you use starters or full sheets of foundation. When you take away only one brood the depletion is so little that it will generally have no effect in the way of prevention of swarming. In reply you may say that if one brood be taken away each week for 9 weeks, the total depletion will be just as much as if the whole 9 brood had been taken at one time. That's true, but the result will not be the same. If you should go without food or drink for 100 days, it would probably end your career as a bee-keeper. Instead of that, suppose you abstain for 200 days the half of each day, say from 6 each evening to the next morning. The abstinence of half a day each day for 200 days would make a total abstinence of 100 days; but the result would be quite different from taking the abstinence all at one dose. Just the same with the swarming. Taking away one brood each week would not prevent swarming_one time in 50. C. C. M.

NEWS ITEMS

in the laws, and more active co-operation between the various inspectors.

A committee on permanent organization was formed to report at a meeting to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, in December, 1912, in connection with the meeting of the Association of Economic Entomologists. Prof. Wilmon Newell, of College Station, Tex., is chairman of this committee.

A standing committee was also appointed on Legislation, for the purpose of drawing up a law incorporating the necessary and desirable features. The undersigned was appointed chairman of this committee.

All apiary inspectors and official entomologists of the United States and Canada, who are interested in the advancement of apiculture, are invited and urged to join in this movement for an increased efficiency in the fight against the brood-diseases. For the present it was decided to levy an assessment, $1.00 per year, on each member, to pay necessary expenses. It is hoped that arrangement may later be perfected for affiliation with the Association of Economic Entomologists. Requests for membership and the assessment may be sent to the undersigned. Respectfuily, E. F. PHILLIPS, Bureau of Entomology, Washington, D. C. Secretary. DR. BURTON N. GATES.

Amherst, Mass., Chairman.

We hope that every inspector of apiaries in the United States and Canada will unite with the new organization. Its efforts can but result in good to the whole bee-keeping industry. Let every inspector send at once his annual dues of $1.00 to Secretary Phillips, and get in line for more advanced and efficient apiary inspection.

Growing Sweet Clover.-We have no doubt that if more bee-keepers knew how to grow sweet clover they would be sowing acres and acres of the seed. A very good way to learn is to read how other people have succeded. In a

41

recent issue of Gleanings in Bee Culture we find the following from two successful growers of sweet cloverone in Iowa, and the other in New York:

AN IOWA EXPERIENCE.

PLAN NO. 1.-Sweet clover must be sown on land well supplied with humus or lime, or both, as it will not grow well on ground badly worn, nor in soil that is strongly acid or sour. In order to start sweet clover on such land, plow the ground to a fair depth; pulverize, and top-dress heavily with manure. Then sow the seed and harrow in the manure and seed together. A light application of lime would be of great benefit; but a good catch can be secured without the lime.

PLAN NO 2.-Another way to secure a stand is to plow a field that has been seeded for at least two seasons to timothy, clover. or both. While it is better to plow in the fall. the spring will do. Before seeding work the ground just as you would for corn; sow the seed, and cover, using a common harrow, and your success will be sure. Many have old hog-pastures that are overgrown with bluegrass. Those fields, when broken up, make very excellent ground for sweet clover. Sow one-half of such fields to sweet clover, and note what nice, green, succulent feed the pigs will have all summer long, when the bluegrass is dead and of no use to pigs.

PLAN NO. 3.-Any field that has grown 50 or 60 bushels of corn an acre can be sown to Early Champion oats, barley or wheat, and still make possible a stand of clover. Sow 11⁄2 bushels of oats, and less of either barley or wheat, taking care that the ground is fairly smooth. This nurse crop will work well, provided there is not a severe drouth to spoil the clover. This seldom happens in the corn belt. The clover should be well up in the grain at harvest time. If the grain is cut high from the ground it will be better for the clover. Often a fine cutting of hay will be secured later in the fall, about Oct. Ist, or a fine pasture for stock. There is much to recommend this plan.

COMMENTS. The seed can be sown any time between early spring and the last week of July; but it makes such a strong growth the first summer, seeding should be done when convenient in April or May, using 20 pounds of hulled seed per acre. The seed should be hulled. If unhulled seed is sown, about one-third of it fails to germinate the first season, and doesn't come up until another year. Then, again, the unhulled seed often results in uneven growth, too thin in some parts of the field and fair in others. The sower should bear in mine that proper elements of the soil are necessary at first. because of the lack of sweet clover bacteria in the fieids. Just the right conditions are required to start the nodules on the sweetclover roots, which, in time, burst and multiply and fill the soil.

Do not make the mistake of trying to grow two or three crops of corn and then sow to sweet clover, as the land has not yet a supply of the bacteria required to grow it. After it has been growing on the land for a few years, and the bacteria are started, you will notice how much better it thrives. Many hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of bushels of this seed have been thrown away because it was not sown on the right kind of ground. The bluff deposits of the Missouri River basin seem to grow sweet clover at once under any conditions, and in all of the States it appears to have much less trouble in getting a stand. Sweet clover succeeds on lands so filled with alkali that nothing else grows well.-FRANK COVERDALE, of Clinton Co., Iowa.

A NEW YORK EXPERIENCE.

I have never tried to raise a lot of sweet clover, but have always had several small patches around our premises. It has come up almost as quickly and as surely as radish seed, whether I have sown it in the spring, summer, or fall. About Aug. 15 we gathered some seed (stripped it off by hand), some being black and some green. I sowed this where I had had a small patch of early potatoes, first going over the ground several times with a hand cultivator. In a little over a week the ground was all evenly covered with young plants. I doubt whether they will winter; but as the seed was put on fairly thick, I think there will be enough that did not come up to make a stand in the spring. The seed was unhulled, of course, and the white variety. My experience, although on a small scale, is that it has never been praised too highly as a fertilizer of the soil.

About six years ago one of our neighbors gave us a small handful of sweet-clover seed for our flower garden-perhaps a tablespoonful. I sowed it in a shallow trench and covered it with about half an inch of soil. It came up all right and made a rank growth. The next spring, after it bloomed. I dug out the dead roots, spaded it well, and planted a row of sweet peas in the same spot.

We have always had very pretty sweet peas; but these were a marvel-great sturdy stalks, large dark-green leaves, and the bloom was wonderful-the finest sweet peas I ever saw. I puzzled my head trying to find out what I had done to those peas to get such fine plants; then after a while I tumbled." It was the sweet clover of the year before.-GEO. SHIBER, of Cattaraugus Co., N. Y.

Our Government and Bee-Keeping. On page 8 we referred to some good work done by the Legislative Committee of the National Bee-Keepers' Association. As a partial result the Secre tary of Agriculture has sent out the following to the various publications: FOUL BROOD,

The census of 1910 shows a decrease of almost 800,000 colonies of bees on the farms of the United States. There is also a considerable decrease in the number of farms reporting bees. Since bee-keeping is one of the important and profitable minor branches of agriculture, this decrease among farmer bee-keepers is unfortunate. No returns are available for bee-keepers in towns and cities.

Bee-keeping is fast becoming the business of the specialist, and the number of men who devote their entire attention to the business is rapidly increasing. However, there is no reason why the average farmer can not keep a few colonies of bees to supply honey for home consumption with perhaps some surplus for sale in good years.

The United States Department of Agriculture attributes most of the reported decrease to the brood-diseases of bees, which are now found widely distributed in the United States. The Department has knowledge of these diseases in about 20 percent of all the counties in the United States. Where disease exists bee-keepers often lose colonies, and attribute their loss to some other cause. Because of these facts, the Department advises persons interested in bees to inform themselves concerning these diseases. It is quite possible to keep bees with profit with disease prevalent in the neighborhood, provided the bee-keeper knows how to treat the disease. Farmers' Bulletin No. 442," The Treatment of Bee-Diseases, will be sent free on request to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

We hope that the foregoing announcement will be widely published, for it can only result in benefit to beeculture. If any of our readers have not had a copy of Farmers' Bulletin No. 442, we hope they will send for it at once. It can be had for simply the asking.

Grafting-Wax. As there are doubtless many among our readers who have occasion to use grafting-wax, we take the following from that unusually good farm weekly, the Rural New-Yorker:

Will you give me a recipe for making grafting-wax? What I bought, when the hot weather came, ran off, leaving the graft open, letting the air in. J. S. M.

A standard grafting-wax calls for rosin, 4 parts by weight; beeswax, 2 parts by weight, tallow, rendered, one part by weight. Melt all carefully together, but do not let it boil. Pour the hot liquid quickly in a pail of cold water, and with greased hands flatten the wax under the water so that it will cool evenly. Let it get cold and tough, but not brittle; then remove from the water and pull like taffy until it is alike ductile and fine in grain. If lumpy remelt and pull again. Make into balls or small skeins and put away in a cool place. When wanted soften with heat of hand or in hot water.

This is an excellent wax for all purposes; it may be made softer by using a little more tallow, or tougher by a rather larger proportion of beeswax.

The Banat Bees. As we have had several enquiries about the Banat bees, we have requested Mr. Grant Anderson, of Texas, who is familiar with them, to tell of their important points:

For the benefit of those who have never had the pleasure of handling or seeing the Banat bees. I will give a description of them in the columns of the "old reliable " American Bee Journal.

The Banat bees are natives of Hungary. and are neighbors to the famous Carniolan bees, which you know come from Carniola, Austria.

The Banat bees are classed by some men as cousins to the Carniolan bees, which they very much resemble.

In color the Banat bees are a dark gray, somewhat darker than the Carniolan, and have no trace of yellow on them; while the Carniolan may show some copper bands and yet be pure.

In size the Banat bees are a trifle smaller than the Italians, and a little more pointed at the tail.

Their actions are the same as the Carniolans, being very quiet and gentle under ma nipulation, and go on with their work while you handle the combs.

The queens are very gentle, and good, prolific layers.

In color the queens range from an orange to a jet black, and it is a common thing to see light and dark queens hatch from cells grafted with the larvæ of one queen,

The yellow queens produce workers a shade lighter than do the dark queens, and it is reasonable to believe that a golden bee can be produced by careful selection in breeding for color.

The Banats are white cappers, and good honey-gatherers. They are not bad swarmers, and gather but little propolis. They defend their hives well.

As breeders the Banats are about the same as the Italians, and let up on their breeding when the honey-flow lets up. The Banats are good all-purpose bees. GRANT ANDERSON.

"First Lessons in Bee-Keeping."-In the course of a short review of this book the British Bee Journal says:

The present edition has been revised by Mr. C. P. Dadant, one of the most successful honey-producers and the reviser of the last edition of Langstroth's book, so this is a guarantee that the work is well done. The book before us is principally intended for beginners; it contains the foundation principles of bee-keeping, and is not meant to take the place of the larger works on the subject. Progress in bee-keeping has been so great during the last 30 years that we are not surprised to find that much which appeared in the earlier editions has had to be left out, new matter taking its place.

Iowa Bee-Keepers' Association.-De cember 29, 1911, the Tri-State BeeKeepers' Association met in Sioux City and at this meeting the Iowa delegation organized the Iowa State Bee-Keepers' Association, with W. P. Southworth, of Salix, Iowa, as president; C. L. Penny, of Le Mars, Iowa, secretary and treasurer. Three vice presidents were chosen to boost the organization in their districts-Frank C. Pellett, of Atlantic; Frank Coverdale, of Delmar; and J. L. Strong, of Clarinda.

As a committee on program for the next meeting, the following were named: C. L. Penny, J. B. Espy, R. A. Morgan.

Iowa needs the Association, and its organizers expect the enthusiastic cooperation of every bee-keeper in the State, and each one is urged to send in his name and membership dues at once to the secretary, C. L. Penny, of Le Mars, Iowa.

To be in harmony with the new Constitution of the National Bee-Keepers' Association, the membership dues were fixed at $1.50 per year. Some may say

that their dues are paid up in the National, and, therefore, they will delay sending their dues to the State Association; please do not do this, but send in your dues at once, and your membership in the National will be extended.

The new Association needs funds with which to begin work at once. The first business will be to arrange for a big convention to be held at a time that will be most convenient for the largest number of bee-keepers, when the organization will be perfected and immediate steps taken to secure legislation to assist in checking the spread of bee-diseases in the State.

No State in the Union can produce better honey than Iowa, and by mutual assistance the bee-keepers can greatly increase their yields, and improve market conditions.

Let every one interested in bee-culture join the big cluster at once by sending in his name and any suggestion that he has to offer. REPORTER.

The Northern Michigan Bee-Keepers' Association will hold its next annual meeting at Traverse City, Mich., March 13 and 14, 1912. Whiting Hotel will be the headquarters. Special rates have been arranged for, and also the Hotel's parlor on the second floor has been offered to us for the meetings. A good program will be provided, and we would like to see many new faces. If you are so you can come, better do so. We are sure you will have a pleasant time. IRA D. BARTLETT, Sec.

East Jordan, Mich.

Ventura Co., Bee-Keepers' Club.-At a meeting of the Ventura County BeeKeepers' Club, held at Fillmore, Calif., Jan. 6, 1912, it was unanimously voted to join in a body the California State Bee-Keepers' Association.

Inspector Allen was upheld in the matter of quarantining all queens and bees from outside of the county on account of bee-diseases. All queens and bees shipped into Ventura county must bear an inspector's certificate, or they will be destroyed when they arrive. E. F. McDONALD, Sec.

Santa Paula, Calif.

Northern California Convention.-The Northern California Bee-Keepers' Association held its 6th annual meeting at Sacramento, Calif., on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 27 and 28, 1911. The sessions were fairly well attended, and had a good representation from all parts of the State, the north and central parts especially.

The topic, "The Value of Organization," was thoroughly discussed, and a committee was appointed to meet with a committee from the California State Bee-Keepers' Association from Los Angeles, and see if it could not be arranged to have one State organization.

Both organizations were requested to make some alterations in their constitutions, and report at the next meeting for final hearing.

A State Inspector was agreed upon, and the necessary steps taken to have such an office created; and all societies

were urged to co-operate and prepare a bill to present to the Legislature some time this session.

Prof. A. J. Cook was present, and gave an hour's talk, and one and all desired that he go on longer, as his discourse was very interesting, and the only regret was that there were not more present to enjoy the important facts that he brought out.

C. Hauser was elected president, L. D. Walker, vice-president; Win Gear, of Vorden, secretary and treasurer; and Mrs. L. D. Walker and Harry Hill directors.

The meeting proved a benefit to all present, and the other counties in the State were urged to organize similar associations, then to have inspectors appointed, and all to agree upon the State Inspectors' Bill.

J. C. FROHLIGER.

Berkeley, Calif., Dec. 20.

Finally

The National Association. we have something of great interest to present to our readers concerning the proposed work of the National BeeKeepers' Association under its new Constitution, adopted last November, and as interpreted by the Board of Directors elected at the same time.

As announced in last month's American Bee Journal, the Board met, and the following is a condensed report of the work they expect to undertake for the members of the National Association during 1912, as reported by Secretary Tyrrell, who was also elected as secretary of the Board for the Detroit meeting:

What the National Bee-Keepers' Association Will Do this Year

The meeting of the Board of Directors held in Detroit, Mich., Jan. 23, 1912, was probably the most important of any Board meeting held in the history of the Association. Plans of reorganization had to be considered, as well as just what the Association would and should do for its members.

HONEY-CROP REPORTS.

One of the most important needs of the bee-keepers, as it appeared to the Directors, was an accurate knowledge of crop conditions. To get this, it was decided to send out crop reports early in the season to every member, and from the information so obtained, advise the members, either direct or through the bee-papers, as to the conditions.

PACKAGES FOR HONEY.

The Board also found that the question of honey-packages was an important one. At the present time there is not near the uniformity there should be. No special weight of tin or size of can has been adopted in the past, and many shippers were using a tin entirely too light. Samples of honeycans were inspected by the Board, with the decision that the Secretary be instructed to make the best possible arrangements for furnishing the members with the tin honey-packages the coming season. The orders will be

handled directly through the Association office, and will not be sent by the member to the can manufacturers as in the past.

In discussing the question of packages for comb honey, and realizing that there are a number of different kinds and shapes in the market, it was thought best that in order to promote uniformity of a comb-honey package the Association should take steps to secure for its members, at the lowest possible prices, the double-tier 24-pound shipping-case, which was adopted by the Association at its last convention.

These cases could be furnished according to specifications so that every member buying through the National would be using exactly the same case as every other member. In order to induce a more general adoption, it was thought advisable to furnish them at a low price.

The Secretary was also instructed to investigate paper shipping-cases, as well as glass packages. This action was not taken with an idea of getting into the bee-supply business, but to promote the using of uniform packages by the members, which, then, will simplify the question of marketing, and eventually raise the price the bee-keepers can obtain for their honey.

MARKETING HONEY.

The question of marketing honey was thoroughly considered, and many plans presented. The one finally decided upon was that for the coming season the National Association should act in the capacity of a broker for its members where desired. It is not expected or desired that all members will ship their honey through the Association, but realizing that many are not in touch with the best markets, it was thought that no better move could be made than to assist these members in obtaining the proper returns for their honey crop. To do this, selling agencies will be established in several of the larger cities, and the sales will be directed through the Association. A member having honey to sell could first get instructions from the Secretary, who is expected to keep in close touch with market conditions, take into consideration the freight-rates, and then give the member full instructions as to shipment. The Association does not intend to buy and sell honey, but simply to assist the producers in finding the best possible market.

ORGANIZING LOCAL BRANCHES.

The promotion of local branches will be encouraged, and wherever a local branch desires to get out a booklet, such as has been used by the Michigan Association, assistance will be given by the National Association. This feature will be encouraged. The advertising of this booklet will be cared for by the National, but will probably be confined to the four_bee-papers on the start. E. B. TYRRELL, Sec. 230 Woodland Ave., Detroit, Mich.

We hope that every member of the Assciation who has not as yet paid his dues for 1912, either direct or through his local organization or branch, will do so at once.

Perhaps it will be well for us to give

here a copy of the new Constitution, as adopted in November, 1911, and which went into effect Jan. 1, 1912:

Constitution of the National BeeKeepers' Association

ARTICLE I.-NAME.

This organization shall be known as the National Bee-Keepers' Association.

ARTICLE II.—OBJECT.

The object of this Association shall be to aid its members in the business of bee-keeping; to help in the sale of their honey and beeswax, and to promote the interest of bee-keepers in any other direction decided upon by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE III.-PLAN OF ORGANIZATION.

This organization shall consist of one central organization with its various branches. These branches may be in any locality where 25 or more members of the National Association decide to form a branch.

ARTICLE IV.-MEMBERSHIP.

SECTION 1.-Membership shall be extended to any person interested in beekeeping, and who is in accord with the purposes and aims of this Association. The annual membership shall be $1.50; one-third, or 50 cents, of which shall go into the fund of the local treasury where such a branch is maintained.

SEC. 2. Whenever a local bee-keepers' association shall decide to unite with this Association, it will be received upon the payment by the local secretary of one dollar ($1.00) per member per annum to the Secretary; but all active members of such local association must become members in order to take advantage of this provision.

SEC 3.-Membership in the National Association will begin Jan. 1st each year. Those joining previous to Sept. 1st will be credited paid to Jan. 1st following. Those uniting after Sept. 1st will be credited paid to one year from Jan. 1st following.

ARTICLE V.-NATIONAL MEETING.

SECTION 1.-The National meeting shall consist of delegates duly elected by the various branches. These meetings shall occur during the month of February, the exact date and place to be decided by the Board of Directors.

SEC. 2.-Each branch shall be entitled to elect one delegate to attend the National meeting, who shall present proper credentials, and, if correct, such delegate shall be entitled to one vote for every 50 members or fraction thereof in his local branch.

SEC. 3. At the annual meeting the delegates may hold one or more sessions open to bee-keepers for the consideration of such special or general topics as the Board of Directors may decide upon.

ARTICLE VI.-OFFICERS AND DUTIES.

SECTION 1.-The officers of this Association shall be a President, VicePresident, Secretary, and TreasurerGeneral Manager. These officers shall be elected at each annual meeting of delegates and serve one year, or until

their successors are elected and qualified.

SEC. 2. The President shall preside at each annual meeting of delegates, and at any special meetings which may be called. He shall also preside at all meetings of Directors, and perform any other duties which may devolve upon the presiding officer.

SEC. 3.-The Vice-President shall perform the President's duties in his ab

sence.

SEC. 4.-The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the annual meeting; maintain a list of all members of the Association, with their addresses; collect, receipt and pay over to the Treasurer-General Manager all dues and membership fees; keep a proper record of all business transactions, and perform such other duties as may be required of him by the Association or Directors.

SEC. 5.-The Treasurer-General Manager shall care for the funds of the Association, depositing the same in such depository as may be approved by the Directors. He shall also pay such orders coming to him as may bear the signature of the one authorized by the Directors to draw orders.

ARTICLE VII-BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THEIR DUTIES.

SECTION 1.-At each annual meeting of delegates, in addition to the officers named in Article VI., there shall be elected a Board of five Directors. (For the year 1912, the officers and Board of Directors shall be elected at the regular ballot election of the Association, to serve until their successors are elected by a meeting of delegates.)

SEC. 2.-These Directors shall care for the business of the Association between the annual meetings. They shall have full supervision of the work of the officers elected, and shall have power to remove from office any officer or director not acting in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Association.

SEC. 3.-The Board of Directors shall decide upon the compensation of the various officers, authorizing the amounts so decided upon to be paid from the general treasury.

SEC. 4.-The Board of Directors shall have power to elect a General Organizer whose duty it shall be to promote the organization of branches throughout the United States and Canada. They shall also decide as to his compensation.

ARTICLE VIII.-ORGANIZATION OF BRANCHES.

SECTION 1.-Local branches may be established in any locality, but not interfering with a branch already established, whenever the membership in that locality so desires.

SEC. 2.-A local branch shall consist of not less than 25 members.

SEC. 3.-A local bee-keepers' association already established may become a branch by a majority vote of its members, either by mail or at a meeting, and accepting the Constitution and By-Laws of this Association.

ARTICLE IX.-AMENDMENTS. SECTION 1.-This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of

delegates by a two-thirds vote of the delegates present and voting, provided that at least 90 days' notice of the proposed amendment be given to the secretaries of the branches.

ARTICLE X.-RULES OF Order. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern all meetings of both the National and branch organizations.

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