td 



THE BEB-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



has his money. Therefore, if the com- 

 bine is to succeed, it must knock out 

 the wholesaler, sell to retailers only, 

 pack its honey in retail packages, and 

 make shipments direct from producer 

 to retailer. 



TWO HEI<PFUI/, I,EGITIMATE FIEIvDS OF 

 I^BOR FOR THE NATIONAL, 



There are, however, two fields in 

 which I believe a National organiza- 

 tion may legitimately and profitably 

 labor. Fu-st, and most important, 1 

 think. Is the manufacture of cans of 

 different sizes and kinds to meet the 

 demands of the retailers. I believe 

 that with enough money to put up a 

 first-class plant (unless the tinplate 

 trust sat down on it) it ought to be 

 able to sell cans to the bee-keepers at 

 quite a reduction from the present 

 American Can Company prices. 



Another important line in which the 

 National Association might engage is 



the gathering of honey crop reports, 

 and publishing the same to the bee- 

 keepers, thus giving them a guide to 

 go by in setting their prices, and even 

 making suggestions as to what the 

 ruling prices ought to be. Work in 

 this line would be of great benefit to 

 bee-keepers, and is one in which ft 

 National organization could very prof- 

 itably engage. Then there might be 

 a third work for an organization, and 

 that would be getting out a suitable 

 trade-mark and allowing of Its use by 

 all honest producers. 



Now, bee-keeping friends, if a Na- 

 tional organization, or combine, as 

 planned, can be made to work, the 

 writer and the company he represents 

 will be glad to join in and say hur- 

 rah for the combine; but it Is my sin- 

 cere belief after studying the matter 

 carefully, that the combine will not 

 succeed very well when it comes to 

 controlling the honey business. 



Floresville, Texas, Nov. 28, 1902. 



CAUSES OF PEAR BLIGHT. 



BY J. E. JOHNSON. 



Superabundance of Sap Caused by Heavy Manuring and 

 Rich Soil the Chief Cause. Bees Seldom Spread it. 



In the American Bee Journal for 

 October 16, 1902, page 664, Prof. A. J. 

 Cook quotes Prof. Waite has having 

 proven beyond doubt, that bees are 

 the chief agents in spreading pear 

 blight. Now, I have always thought 

 rery highly of Prof. Cook, and we all 

 know him to be one of the brightest 

 and best informed professors, and his 

 honesty Is above question, yet it Is 

 possible for the wisest men to be mis- 

 taken. Now, in all kindness, I wish 

 to ask Prof. Cook if he has thought of 



the harm he may do to thousands of 

 happy homes by holding that bees are 

 the prinpcipal agents in spreading 

 pear blight? The pear men of Cali- 

 fornia look to him as an authority, and 

 may carry things much further than 

 he thinks. 



My experience in pear-growing be- 

 gan many years ago. I have visited 

 many orchards, have read nearly 

 everything I could find on the subject 

 of pear culture, and I know the ex- 

 perience of nearly every pear grower 



