182 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Mar. 15 



by sterilizing in the Boardman way, is it pos- 

 sible that this change may be nullified by 

 turnng the bottle of honey over and stand- 

 ing it on the other end? 

 Naples, N. Y., Dec. 26. 



[Our correspondent expresses pity for the 

 consumer who has to pay 25 cts. for X lb of 

 honey. While we share to a certain extent 

 this feeling, yet when we come to consider 

 the cost of the package cutting up the hon- 

 ey into small squares, of taking care of tne 

 drip, and the further fact that the railroad 

 companies must have a reasonable profit, 25 

 cts. IS not out of the way; and we must not 

 lose sight of the fact that comb honey put up 

 in this way is a choice tidbit, and so far from 

 beihg a staple it is a luxury. It is fully the 

 equal of other choice desserts found in the 

 Pullman diners. 



Why not go out on a campaign, as ^he mak- 

 er.s of cheap syrups do, and get s^meihrng 

 nearer the value of our honey in comparison 

 with some of the stuff that ought never ♦o 

 go into the human stomach? If we bee keep 

 ers encourage low prices and sell at low 

 prices, there is danger that our product will 

 go down to the level of table syrups when 

 in fact it should go higher. 



When % lb. of comb honey is sold for 25 

 cts we must take into consideration that it 

 costs money to get these small portions be- 

 fore the trade, and that it must be of the very 

 finest quality Any ihing but the very best 

 wou d ruin the trade instanter. Travelers 

 on Pullman cars, and patrols of high- class 

 restaurants, do not care so much for the cost 

 of an article provided it is of first quality. 

 They are will ng to pay the price for they 

 have the money, and in our op nion it is not 

 necessary to v^aste any pity on them. 



It has been demonstrated that honey can 

 be sold ata f dr price providing the right kind 

 of educative advertising is used. We must 

 dissii'ate the notion that comb honey is man- 

 ufactured, first of all. We must show that 

 the flavors of honey vary as do the fruits 

 from the orchard. We must show that our 

 product is more easily diges<"ed than any oth- 

 er sweet known, and that, while it costs 

 more, it is worth m^re. Why. then, be con- 

 tent to get a paltry 10 or 15 cts. per lb for an 

 article that is intrinsically worth 20 or 25 cts. 

 as compared with other sweets. 



Admitting that there is a demand for a low 

 priced honey, bt us supply that trade with 

 candied honey in paper bags, or extracted m 

 tin bucke's or paper pails In thi'- campa en 

 of advertising we should show that extract- 

 ed is just as good as co nb honey We must 

 first of all convin e th»* consume" that it is 

 not glucose, but much better than glucose or 

 any of t^^e cane syrups. 



Bulk omb honey can be sold in the North- 

 ern S'ate-?; but re*^ailers must be cautioned 

 to ke p such goods at a temperature not 

 lower than 70 ^ezr es Fahrenheit. A srreat 

 m<»ny groceries have a temperature of about 

 70 during the day, while at n ght it goes down 



to nearly freez'ng, and Sundays it goes even 

 below that. Bulk comb honey can not be 



sold in su h stores. It is doubtful if any sort 

 except that which is candied could be sold 

 in such places. This is one serious objection 

 to chunk iioney in the Nortu. — Ed.] 



NATIONAL BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIA- 

 TION NEWS ITEMS. 



The Wisconsin State Bjj^keepers' Association was 

 first to join the National in a body, and has ever since 

 continued in th-it relation. It was also the first this 

 year to vote to send a delegate to the National conven- 

 tion of 19111. Let other State and local associations do 

 likewise, and thus build up both. The membership of 

 the National to-day, Feb. 19, is 3600. 



The Executive Board asks all to report to President 

 York or the G-'neral Manager any suggestions as to 

 how the National Association can be of more help to 

 its members. Several suggestions have been received 

 already, but others are wanted. 



The revised edition of " Bee-keepers' Legal Rights" 

 is now in the hands of the printer. A copy will be 

 mailed free to any member requesting it. 



There have been two more recent cases of bee-keep- 

 ers sending in their dues and asking for help afU r get- 

 ting into trouble. This is contrary to the constitu- 

 tion. No insurance company insures burning houses. 

 The poison-spraxing of open fruit bloom in the 

 Southern "States has begun, and some apiaries are al- 

 ready affected by it. Complaints of bee" spotting the 

 washings hanging on lines in the South are coming in. 

 The North will have similar complaints later. The 

 long cold winter Is likely to cau«e much spotting of 

 washings when bees have their first flights. The bee- 

 keepers should try to nlan the wash-days and place 

 their bees out afterward. 



It h IS been suggested that the time and place of the 

 bee-keepers' conventions throughout the country be 

 arranged with the Executive Board of the National 

 Association. If this is done, it may be that dates can 

 be selected when certain officers of thp National can 

 be present at nearly all local meetings; and it may be 

 that the syste " of meetings for the good of all can be 

 planned, something like the various State fairs in the 

 fall. 



Director R. A. Morgan, of South Dakota, suggests 

 that the National issue quarterly instead of annual'y. 

 and save postage; also, the more frequent reports will 

 help to create more interest among bee-keepers. 



Director J E Crane, of Vermont, thinks it would be 

 a good thing if the National would own and rent to 

 member'' stereopticon views for bee-lectures, and thus 

 better advertise the use of honey, and also have the 

 National advertise in papers. 



Thomas Chantry, of Utah, suggests that the dues of 

 the National be increased so that there wil' be more 

 money in the treasury for use in the interest of mem- 

 bership, and he wou'd urge every present member to 

 get in new members for the National. 



Up to this date, Feb. 19. since the last National re- 

 port was issued, the General Man^^ger has received 

 $t 00 from eaf*h of XO members, and 50 cents from each 

 of 545 members. This far exceeds any other year for 

 fifty-cent dues, and shows that the local associations 

 are co-operating verv nicely. The fifty-cent rate to 

 local associations when joining in a body helps the 

 National, both in number of members and financially. 

 Invitations for the 1910 meeting of the National have 

 been received from Toronto. Can.: Buffalo. Albany, 

 and R'^chester, N. Y.; Nashville, Tenn., and Zanes- 

 ville. Ohio 



The Executive Committee will not decide as to the 

 time !>nd place of the next meeting until, perhaps, the 

 first of .lune. so thei^e will be plenty of fi "e for other 

 cities to get in their invitations to the General Man- 

 ager before the final decision is made. 



There ought not to be verv much trouble in getting 

 the desired 5000 membership by the time of the Na- 

 tional convention of 1910. There are now 3600 mem- 

 bers, so that onlv 1400 more would be necessary. 



Those who are in arrears in their membership dues 

 are kindly urged not onlv to remit at one to the Gen- 

 eral Manager, hut also, if possible, to get their neigh- 

 bor bep-keeper to become a member also. In this way 

 the 5000 membership could be gotten within the next 

 sixty days. Why not do it? 



N. E. France, General Manager, Platteville. Wis. 



