Pres. Crane said he had noticed bees working in red clover early and late in the season; bees will not work where they get no honey.
In the evening, after a few preliminaries, Mr. E. A. Hasseltine read a sensible and witty poem on “Prospects and Retrospects,” which was well received by the audience.
The talk on Sweets, by Prof. Seely, was a learned dissertation on the chemical properties and qualities of the various kinds of sweets that are offered in our markets. He exhibited over 20 different kinds of sugar; spoke of the various substances from which sugar was extracted, as trees, plants, roots and fruits; some specimens would solidify sooner than others; sugar from cane, corn, beets and maple, were all of the same chemical formation.
J. E. Crane spoke on the Individuality of Bees; there was a marked difference in the character of colonies, some were industrious, others not so; some prefer some kinds of flowers, others reject them; Italians dislike buckwheat, while black bees work well on it. Every colony has some peculiar character. He showed several samples of honey from different flowers, and explained their various qualities, and also exhibited specimens of bees from the Holy Land.
Dr. F. Bond said that the Creator had placed the sweets in flowers to attract the bee, to carry out nature's laws, by carrying the fertilizing pollen to the unfertile flower, and thus showing a wise and beneficent Providence.
On Friday, Jan. 21, after some preliminary business, the following were elected officers for the ensuing year: President, J. E. Crane; Vice-Presidents, H. L. Leonard, E. P. Wolcott, E. A. Hasseltine; Secretary and Treasurer, Hon. T. Brookins.
Mr. O. C. Wait spoke of the bad condition he found honey in the Boston market, and of the manner of awarding premiums at fairs.
Mr. Manum remarked that it was important to have good queens, he advised all to raise their own; old queens were best to rear queens from, say 2 years old or more; it is best to rear queens in warm weather, when honey is plenty.
The question “how to prevent bees from dwindling” Mr. Leonard answered thus: In this case as in all other ills to which bee-keepers are heir to, keep the colony strong and healthy. Mr. Leonard read an essay on “Bee-culture for Women,” giving instances of marked success. He said women in Vermont were as capable and had as good facilities as in any part of the country, and would succeed as well, if attended to.