The Colorado statesman., 1907-01-26
COLORADO BEE KEEPERS.
Twenty-seventh Annual Convention
Meets in Denver.

">SeS III oCnNCT.
Denver.-The establishment of bee
breeding stations by the government
where purely mated queen bees may be
secured by bee breeders in the same
manner as seeds are now distributed
by the Agricultural Department, was
advocated at the afternoon session of
the twenty-seventh annual convention
of the Colorado Bee Keepers Associa-
tion, which opened Tuesday morning
at the chamber of commerce.
To carry out the organizations plans
committee, consisting of Frank
Rauchfuss of Denver, M. A. Gill of Fort
Collins and Oliver Foster, was ap-
pointed to confer by letter with Frank
Bentley, head of the United States en-
tomological department. This depart
ment now breeds bees, imported from
all over the world, but for experimental
purposes only. According to the idea
outlined by the bee keepers yesterday
breeding stations would be established
in Colorado and other sections of the
country under federal supervision with
the mating of bees of the best breeds
as the main object. Queen bees are
wont to mate on the wing so that the
breeders are unable to tell whether or
not the mates which they bring home
are pure.
The only way Of preventing impure
mating Is keeping the swarms in
yards. The stations would not be un-
like the experimental horse station now
conducted at Fort Collins in purpose,
the only difference being that the bees
bred would be distributed On request,
whereas the horses bred by the govern.
ment are only experimental with.
If station was conducted in Colo
RADIO bee keeper living in Wisconsin
could write for a queen bee and mate
and would receive in return the bees en-
closed in a tiny cage made for the pur-
pose. The objection raised by the few
members present who opposed the
idea was that if bee keepers were al
lowed to receive their bees from the
government, cattle owners would have
right to make requests for horses
reared at the experimental stations.
Another question of Importance dis
cussed was the proposed food law now
before the Legislature in it's relation
to the honey interests of the state. A
stringent inspection of honey was ad.
vocated and resolution adopted urg
ing an appropriation of $4,000 for
The convention opened with the an
nual address Of President w. P. Col
Inns of Boulder. He urged co-opera-
tion of the members in securing an i'm
portant place for the honey industry
in Colorado. A paper on How Sue
ceeded in Retailing Extracted Honey"
read by S. Francis of Erie, opened the
afternoon meeting. Mr.. Francis
showed that he was successful in retail
trade, but others who discussed the
paper told different stories.
In my case" declared T. w. Por
ter of Boulder, retail trade has
worked successfully in country towns,
but not in cities. The reason is that
city people are not as honest as coun
try people. I can't afford to lose
money on the jars which they won't
return"
when 1 began dealing in retail
honey in the CITY," said Fred Bidner,
81 informed my customers that every
jar returned meant free jar OF
honey. This plan worked all right at
first, but later found the crafty ones
bringing me every old jar they could
find"
rs the Pure Food Law Responsible
for the Advance in the Price OF
Honey?" was one of the topics on the
program, which produced considerable
diversity of opinion. The consensus.
however was that at least fifty per
cent. of the increase was due to the
laws provision in regard to the use OF
glucose.