336 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



stop the adulteration of all kinds of sweets, we will be helping all 

 honest producers and purchasers of such articles, and create a bet- 

 ter market for our honey. If adulteration is dishonest and injurious 

 to health, what is the dutj'of this association and all honorable men 

 and women? It is to join in a' crusade against the nefarious prac- 

 tice. Let us here and now pass resolutions condemning all adulter- 

 ation in all forms, as dishonorable and a crime against health; ap- 

 point a coimnittee whose duty it shall be to appoint a sub-committee 

 in every countj^ state to circulate and cause be circulated, petitions 

 asking the next legislature to pass stringent laws to prevent adul- 

 teration of all sweets and articles of food, and put the same under 

 the control of the Dairy and Food Commissioner; to see that all 

 candidates for the legislatvire, irrespective of party, are pledged to 

 this end; and to ask all honorable persons to join us in this effort. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. West: I have an explanation to make in regard to this 

 matter. A year ago this winter I was appointed to draw up a 

 bill to present to the legislature to prevent the adulteration of 

 honey. It' was brought before the legislature and passed. It 

 'was amended, and it is considered a very good law to prohibit 

 the sale of adulterated honey. There was another bill up in 

 regard to the adulteration of coifee, which was killed, and the 

 Dairy and Food Commissioner supposed it was the honey bill 

 which was killed, and so when they got out their little book 

 they did not include that law. Sometime after, when I arrived 

 home I saw an article in the American Bee-Keepers' Journal 

 from J. A. Homburg saying that a man from California was in 

 St. Paul selling adulterated honey, and that he had been to the 

 Dairy and Food Commission about it and they had told him 

 that there was no law against it. I went over to St. Paul the 

 next Saturday, pretty hot, and they told me they did not know 

 there was any law against it. I took down the law and showed 

 it to them, and they were very much surprised. The Dairy and 

 Food Commission did not intend to do anything injurious to the 

 bee-keepers of Minnesota, but it was simply one of those mis- 

 takes that will sometimes happen. They are getting samples 

 now and will prosecute those who are selling adulterated honey. 

 I think it is due the commission to make this explanation, as 

 they had supposed the law was killed. But we have noway to 

 reach this man; he has left the state and we cannot bring him. 

 back to prosecute him as he ought to be. 



I have a resolution here which I will offer to bring the matter 

 before the association. 



