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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



April 11, 1901. 



Association's influence {jets every possible profit and delight out of liis 

 bees. 



2d. — To protect and defend its members in their lawful rights. We 

 maintain that bee-lveeping is a lawful and honorable occupation, as old 

 as history, and as much deserving of protection as any other rural pur- 

 suit, but ignorance and jealousy are not yet outgrown, and bee-keepers 

 are sometimes annoyed and threatened unless they understand and 

 maintain their rights. An eflacient organization can do much good 

 toward this end, as has already been proven. 



3d. — To enforce laws against the adulteration of honey. This is a 

 matter that needs and is receiving the aid and encouragement of the 

 Association. Pure food is of vital importance, and where the legisla- 

 ture of any State has enacted laws to protect the purity of honey this 

 Association purposes to spend money if necessary to enforce them. 

 Pure honey can not be produced and sold in competition with glucose 

 syrup, and" as this substance is the chief adulterant of honey, there is 

 need of anti-adulteration laws in every State, and strict inforceinent of 

 the same. 



SOME OF THE THINGS THIS PRESENT OBGANIZATION HAS DONE. 



It has endeavored to prevent quarrels and litigation. The present 

 Manager is for peace if it can be obtained honorably. He does not carry 

 a chip on his shoulder daring some one to knock it off. He tries to 

 avoid troublesome lawsuits, and believes he has done .so in many 

 cases. This doesn't bring any glory to the Association, but it is bene- 

 fieial and praiseworthy nevertheless. 



With that object in view, a 12-page pamphlet on the benefits of 

 bees to horticulture, and the danger and uselessness of spraying when 

 trees are in bloom, has been prepared for distribution where needed. 



Many jealous neighbors have been deterred from threatening 

 attacks on bee-keepers by judicious circulars and letters. 



The aid given by this Association to prosecute adulterators of 

 honey in Chicago, in 1899, had a wholesome effect, as we have been 

 credibly informed. It not all was accomplisht which was desired 

 and aimed at, the results hastened the branding of adulterated honey 

 in that city, so as to denote its true character. 



During the fall of 1900 there appeared in many of the Eastern 

 papers highly sensational accounts of a lawsuit between a fruit-grower 

 and bee-keeper in the State of New York. The contention was that 

 defendant's bees had ruined plaintiff's crop of peaches. In justice 

 court the beekeeper lost. The Association had the case appealed, 

 and after a thoro trial, at which every argument and artifice known to 

 skillful lawyers was resorted to by plaintiff, the Association produced 

 enough expert evidence to completely turn the tide, and the bees were 

 exonerated. Had this case gone the other way there is no knowing 

 how many other bee-keepers would have had to quit business or defend 

 a like suit. 



The winning of this case, and the valuable precedent establisht, 

 which will be quoted in all the courts of the country for years to 

 come, is a triumph for the National Bee-Keepers' Association, and 

 worth many times its cost. 



If an Association for mutual protection and the general advance- 

 ment of the art and science of apiculture meets with the approbation 

 of any bee-keeper who is not already a member, he is hereby invited 

 to co-operate. 



The annual membership fee is SI. 00. It may begin at any time 

 desired, and the amount sent to the undersigned will be duly entered 

 and ackowledged. Eugene Secor, 



Forest City, Iowa. Oeueral Manager and Treaaurer. 



The Number of Drones Needed in an apiary is a thing 

 upon which all are not yet agreed. At this time of year, when one 

 begins to plan tor the next season, it may be well to make an effort to 

 have one's ideas somewhat settled on the subject, so as to know 

 whether to encourage the production of drones or to discourage it by 

 controlling the kind of comb in the hive. Mr. Dadant's series of 

 articles on this subject will be of great service in the way of helping to 

 decide this question. 



The first objection likely to be urged against allowing the presence 

 of many drones is that it is allowing a horde of useless consumers that 

 add nothing to the common store. But if they are of service in other 

 ways, they may earn the food they eat without gathering it for them- 

 selves. 



It can not be denied that drones may be of real service to help 

 keep up the heat of the colony, but it is replied to this that in the 

 spring, when there is the most need of heat-producers, the drones are 

 wanting, and when they are present in numbers the weather is so hot 

 that a set of fanners must keep at work to make their lordships com- 

 fortably cool. Further, it is argued that a pound of workers are just 

 as useful in keeping up the heat as a pound of drones; so the argu- 

 ment for drones as heat-producers is hardly valid. 



In an aptary of 50 colonies thousands of drones are flying that are 

 never needed. Why not restrict the number to the 50 or 150 that will 

 actually meet the virgin queens ? The answer is not difficult. With 

 the large number always present, it has been many times observed that 

 a virgin makes a successful flight not until the second or third attempt. 

 If no drones were in the air except the one she was expected to meet, 

 the cliance of such meeting would be rather small, and the chance of 

 being caught by some bird rather large. Besides, when a large num- 

 ber is present, there is a chance for selection. The most active and 



vigorous drone is the successful one, and this tends to the improve- 

 ment of stock. One has but to observe Nature to note that each col- 

 ony has a large number of drones, and it may not be wise to make so 

 violent a departure from Nature as to suppress nine-tenths of the 

 drones she would provide. 



But it is a departure from Nature to mass 10, .50, or 100 colonies in 

 one place, and no more drones are needed for the whole lot than would 

 be needed for a single colony. Consequently the drones may be re- 

 stricted to two or three of the best colonies, thus adding greatly to the 

 selection of the best. 



So the probability is that in the average apiary there need be no 

 anxiety lest there be a lack of drones, and the wise bee-keeper will 

 take advantage of this by seeing that no drones are encouraged in 

 mediocre colonies, but that they are supprest in all but a few of the 

 very best. If more attention were given to this, there would be a 

 distinct increase in the average yield of honey per colony. 



i * The Weekly Budget. * \ 



C~ The Frank B. White Company, 

 of Chicago, is one of the cleanest and 

 most honorable advertising firms in the 

 world. It is an organization of young 

 men who are banded together to handle 

 the advertising for such firms or busi- 

 ness men as desire to use the columns 

 of the general agricultural press. Mr. 

 Frank B. White is the much-respected 

 president or head of the Company, and 

 a man whom to know is to love. 

 Recently he conceived the idea of 

 tendering a dinner or banquet, and 

 sent out invitations, the following be- 

 ing a sample : 

 FraJik B. White. 



Chicago, March 20, 1901. 

 Mb. George W. York, Editor American Bee Journal. 



Dear tiir: — I desire to give my business associates, and those 

 occupying the more responsible positions in connection with our busi- 

 ness here, a dinner at the Union League Club, Thursday evening, 

 March 21st, at 6:30 p.m., and I tru.st nothing will prevent your being 

 present. Very truly yours, 



Frank B. White. 



Of course we were there, and it was a most delightful occasion. 

 After doing full ju.5tice to the bounteous and tempting viands placed 

 on a circular table before the assembled guests, several hours were 

 spent in "after dinner '' toasts or short speeches. There were about 

 20 of the employees of the firm present, and tho.se financially inter- 

 ested. Each departmeut of the rapidly developing business was called 

 on to respond to an assigned topic, and each indicated the sprouting of 

 Chauncey Depew wings of eloquence and wit, Mr. White, as host, 

 speaking first. 



The last speaker was the editor of the American Bee Journal 

 after which one of the prominent employees presented to Mr. White a 

 written and signed expression of appeciation and esteem in which he 

 is held by all the employees. It was a sincere testimony, and one 

 highly prized by the recipient, who merits all the kind things that 

 were said of him on that enjoyable occasion. 

 * # # « « 



Mr. C. Theilmann, of Wabasha Co., Minn., about' six weeks ago 

 met with a serious accident, his horses running away with him in a 

 sleigh. He was thrown out on a lot of logs lying along the roadside, 

 while the horses were going at a furious rate of speed. They were 

 frightened by dogs running against them, causing them to become 

 unmanageable. While no bones were broken, Mr. T.'s neck and hips 

 were badly bruised and strained. He is improving slowly, we are 

 glad to report, and all will unite in the hope that he may soon fully 

 recover. 



« # * « * 



Prof. Cook having been quite sick recently accounts for the non- 

 appearance of " Tbe Home Circle" departmeut in several issues. He 

 has recovered now, so we trust that all may go on again without 

 further interruption after this week. 



