Dec. IS, 1904. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



839 



■near the entrance of the bee-hive. Should they fall right 

 ■on the hive, many bees will be smashed and crippled. 



By taking the proper bearings at right angles, the exact 

 spot can easily be ascertained where the cluster must strike 

 "the ground. 



I always shall use the shot-gun on bees when they clus- 

 ter high up in trees and the cluster swings free and is not 

 -settled on a big limb or the trunk of the tree. 



METHOD OF TREATING ROBBING. 



In treating cases of robbing, I found long ago the fol- 

 lowing procedure the most effective, and as I have tried it 

 frequently, and always found it satisfactory, and far ahead 

 of the advice generally given in the bee-papers, I will give 

 my way of doing here : 



Unless general robbing is going on throughout the api- 

 ary, such as I had two years ago, when returning home 

 after being away some three weeks, copious feeding out- 

 doors, and right in front of the apiary is, as far as I have 

 tried it, and know, the only sure and quick way to stop it. 



But when robbing has just begun, and but two colonies 

 ■are affected, the one doing the robbing, and the other being 

 assailed, robbing must be treated accordingly. Almost 

 always the robbing bees come from a strong and populous 

 colony, while the robbed colony almost always, unless it is 

 queenless, is weak in bees, and not able to withstand the 

 attack of its assailants. 



In such a case I close the entrance of the hive of the 

 assailed colony, with a wire-screen covered frame, of which 

 I have always several ready for immediate use. Even if 



thousands of robber-bees have taken full possession, it takes 

 but a little while until I have the last robber out. 



When the surface cage thus applied is filled with home- 

 hurrying robbers, I dash a handful of flour through the 

 wire-cloth on to the bees, and at once release them ; but 

 fasten the screened frame again, thus keeping out all new 

 would-be intruders. At the same time the robber colony is 

 located by the returning flour-marked bees. 



It takes but a little while when the last robber-bee has 

 filled up and is allowed to return home, and the assailed 

 colony is cleared from intruders. 



Next, the screened frame is fastened for the day, and 

 shaded by a board large enough to cover the front of the 

 hive. At night, when all bees have returned to their hives, 

 I slice an onion and push three or four slices well into the 

 entrance of each hive (of the robbers as well as of the 

 robbed), thus making them all smell alike, and exchange 

 the locations of the two hives, opening at the same time the 

 hive-entrance of the colony assailed, full width. 



On the following morning it is amusing to watch and 

 see the actions of the robbers. They will carry quite a lot 

 of honey, and more than the previous stolen booty, out of 

 their own home into the hive they have robbed. Thus 

 stores as well as bees of both colonies affected are equalized, 

 and very soon quiet and peace will be re-established. 



But few bees are killed by this method, and those that 

 have to suffer the penalty of death are largely the most 

 greedy and guilty robbers. 



I wish we could find a way as effective and applicable 

 for the treatment of all monopolists and legally privileged 

 robbers in the human bee-hives of the world. Wouldn't 

 that be a God-send ? Hall Co., Nebr. 



THE ST. LOUIS CONVENTION. 



Report of the 35th Annual Convention, of the 



National Bee-Keepers' Association Held at 



St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 27-30, 1904. 



[Coatianed from pa^e 824.J 



Pres. Harris called upon Mr. York to read a paper on 

 the subject of "Advertising and Selling Honey," and stated 

 that Mr. York was so well known he needed no introduction 

 to the bee-keeping industry of the United States. 



Mr. York — When our secretary, Mr. Brodbeck, who un- 

 fortunately cannot be here, wrote me saying that he wished 

 ■me to write a paper, and to select my own subject, I rather 

 declined because I had been on the program so often, How- 

 •ever, he insisted on it, and I suggested the subject of "Ad- 

 vertising and Selling Honey." and so I have prepared the 

 •following paper on that subject: 



ADVERTISINQ AND SELLINQ HONEY. 



Advertising, in these latter days, has become almost a 

 -science as well as an art. To the business that hopes to be 

 successful advertising is a necessity. While in some in- 

 stances it is rather expensive, it must be indulged in, and 

 that liberally and constantly. 



.-Advertising as applied to honey as a table article has 

 never been attempted in more than an occasional and very 

 limited way. There has been no systematic, businesslike ap- 

 plication of modern methods of acquainting the consuming 

 public with the value of honey as a daily food. Its medicinal, 

 "health-giving and health-keeping qualities are also less known 

 than they should be. But just how to initiate a propaganda 

 of advertising that shall interest consumers in honey in a 

 manner mutually helpful, is a great auestion. However much 

 I might desire to be the modern Moses to lead you through 

 this wilderness into the Promised Land, I fear I shall fall 

 far short of attaining such coveted honor. But there must 

 always be a beginning, .iiul some one who shall start. And 

 1 may as well be the vne who attempts to blaze the way, 

 even though I fail to ror. :h the desired goal of success. 



In the first place, no plan of advertising honey that would 

 promise results can be inaugurated without the expenditure of 

 cold cash. Yes, and lots of it. It takes capital nowadays to 

 do things — to accomplish objects worthy our civilization and 

 people. 



In my humble opinion, the National Bee-Keepers' Asso- 

 ciation can undertake and continue an advertising campaign 

 to increase the general demand for honey, better than any 

 other organization, firm or individual. The .Association stands 

 for all beedom. What it does should be in the interests of 

 every one who produces honey, and not alone for the benefit 

 of its members. We need to get rid of a whole lot of self- 

 ishness that seems to be on board in some quarters. Only 

 he lives truly, or in the highest sense, who helps to make the 

 pathway easier and brighter for others. No one liveth unto 

 himself, no matter how much he thinks he desires so to do. 

 We are all dependent upon our neighbors whether we realize 

 it or not. And so in advertising honey, it will benefit all pro- 

 ducers as well as consumers. 



I have believed for many years that the reason -why the 

 price of honey is so low, is because of the unequal distribu- 

 tion, and under-consumption. I know some think that the 

 trouble is over-production and stagnation of the principal mar- 

 kets. But once let the dear public know — or be assured — that 

 they can get the pure honey every time they buy, and also 

 impress upon them its great value as a food, and there 

 wouldn't be enough honey produced in all the world to sup- 

 ply a quarter of the people, and at a good price. 



I know there are a few among us who are advising bee- 

 keepers to "keep more bees." I suppose one idea is to keep 

 more bees, to produce more honey, so as to buy more bees 

 and bee-supplies, and then keep more bees to produce more 

 honey, etc. My theory is to advertise the uses of honey so 

 that what is nott.' produced will bring a higher price. Then 

 if a bee-keeper decides to keep more bees to produce more 

 honey he will also get a great deal more money for his crop, 

 and so be better paid for his labor, and receive better returns 

 for the capital invested. I doubt not more rapid progress will 

 be made if the advertising line be followed for awhile, than 

 to attempt to keep more bees so as to increase the flood of 

 honey to be sold at a bargain-counter price. Why, honey 

 should bring at least ."JO percent more per pound in the mar- 

 kets today than it does. But the demand must be increased 



