SKCTKMI5KK 1".. 1015 



EEKEEPING IN THE SOUTHWEST 



Louis H. SchoIL New Braumfels, Texas. 



EH A NOVKL AND PROFITABLE WAY TO 

 ^ SELL HONEY. 



^J While at the recent meeting of 

 M the State Beekeepers' Association 

 ■ at College Station we learned of a 

 yi unique way of disposing of large 

 quantities of honey profitably. The 

 plan was used successfully by Mr. J. H. 

 Meeks, of Ncderland, Texas. He had a 

 large quantity of honey to sell. It was 

 somewhat ditticult for him to sell it direct 

 to the merchants for them to sell again to 

 their customers. They believed there would 

 be few if any calls for honey, and conse- 

 tiuently they were afraid to stock up with a 

 supply. 



Mr. Meeks' plan was like this: He ob- 

 tained permission of the merchants to leave 

 at each store in town a supply of honey 

 without obligating the merchants to pay for 

 any of it unless it was sold by them. Then 

 he went to the newspapers and placed in 

 the classified "want ad." columns such ad- 

 vertisements as, " Eat IMeeks' Honey. To 

 be had at all gi*oceries." '*' Meeks' Fresh 

 Honey. Call at your grocer's." Other 

 similar, short, catchy advertisements were 

 used. These were placed in nearly all the 

 columns, scattered under the heads of 

 "Help Wanted," "Live Stock," "Type- 

 writer Supplies," "Poultry and Pet Stock," 

 and almost all the other captions. The 

 result was good, for a demand was created 

 for this honey, and the merchants sold 

 honey when they had believed they could 

 not get rid of it. Mr. Meeks worked this 

 scheme in a series of towns that could be 

 reached by the same newspapers. 

 • « « 



THE FOUL-BROOD WORK IN TEXAS. 



Thirteen thousand dollars was appropri- 

 ated by the last legislature of Texas for 

 foul-brood eradication — a larger sum, we 

 believe, than has ever been appropriated 

 for this purpose at any one time. Three 

 thousand dollars of this amount was an 

 emergency appropriation for the rest of 

 this fiscal year ending Sept. 1, as there had 

 not been made any appropriation for the 

 last two fiscal years. There was no money 

 with which to look after the work, and con- 

 sequently it became necessary to get some 

 money with wliich to resume the abandoned 

 ins))ec(ion work. Five tliou.sand dollars 

 each year for the next two fiscal yeare was 

 allowed in the regular aj)propriations for 

 the State Experiment Station. This will 

 give us sufiicient monev to do some effective 



work. It is to be hoped that it will be 

 spent advantageously, and efficiently ap- 

 plied, and that the work will result in 

 eradicating the disease to such an exent, at 

 least during the next two years, that there 

 need be less fear from its ravages than now 

 exists. 



We are only hoping that those in charge 

 of the work Avill give it their proper atten- 

 tion. We know it is quite a difllcult task 

 to take care of as large an undertaking 

 properly, involved with so large an appro- 

 l^riation. With the right man at the helm 

 it will be less difficult, and it is our fondest 

 hope that the Texas Experiment Station 

 will obtain a man who will be well qualified 

 to handle ably the funds for this purpose. 



It is my opinion that the beekeepei-s 

 sliould themselves take a bigger interest in 

 this work and in the sjoending of this 

 money. It was appropriated for them and 

 their cause, and they ought to see to it that 

 they receive " their money's Avorth " out of 

 it. As a member of the legislature myself, 

 as well as one of the beekeepers, I feel that 

 I understand the situation somewhat better 

 than the average person. I should like to 

 urge a stronger co-operation among the 

 beekeepers of this state in foul-brood in- 

 spection and eradication work. The bee- 

 keepers can be of vei-y material aid in more 

 el'licient work being done with the money 

 appropriated for their cause. With the 

 beekeepei's working hand in hand with the 

 State Entomologist at College Station, 

 greater good may be obtained. A united 

 effort of all concerned will mean more than 

 a haphazard, go-lucky manner of proced- 

 ure. Let us hope that every beekeeper, 

 whether his bees are diseased or not, will 

 take an earnest interest in this Avork. Get 

 in correspondence with the State Entomol- 

 ogist, at the above address, wlio has charge 

 of the funds and the foul-brood work of 

 Texas. We liave the chance of a lifetime 

 to do some good work with the generous 

 appropriation now at hand, and it is my 

 keenest desire to see the funds well spent. 

 1 should regret to have to appear in the 

 legislative sessions hereafter and have my 

 colleagues, who so kindly aided us in get- 

 ting the money, call my attention to the 

 fact tliat tiie money was nol well used. I 

 am not anticipating this, and feel tiiat the 

 l)eekeepei's and the State Entomologist will 

 work for a united effort toward stamping 

 out the dread disease that is a menace to 

 oui- industry. 



