DECEMBER 15, 1915 



1009 



subsequent editions, was as entrancing as a 

 romance. When the edition was exhausted 

 a larger and more pretentious volume was 

 gotten out by the doctor, entitled " Forty 

 Years among the Bees." This was in 1902. 

 This again was exhausted in 1911, when the 

 fii-st edition of " Fifty Yeare among the 

 Bees " appeared. This, like the previous 

 volume, contained a good many original 

 photogi'apbs and a general revision. Still 

 again another " Fifty Years among the 

 Bees " has come from the Gleanings press. 

 " It's a dandy," It still beai-s the title of 

 half a eenturj', notwithstanding four years 

 more have been added to the time. The last 

 edition was not revised as extensively as the 

 former editions, and this only goes to show 

 how nearly Dr. Miller in the first edition of 

 " Fifty Years " got down to rock bottom. 

 But, nevertheless, here and there occur 

 slight changes. The most important changes 

 relate to hio record-breaking honey crop in 

 1913, to his later experiences in fighting 

 European foul brood, and to minor changes 

 in methods here and there; othei-wise the 

 two editions of "Fifty Years" are very 

 much the same. 



In all there have been sold of Dr. Miller's 

 books under the various titles, or will have 

 been when the present edition is sold, some- 

 thing like 18,000 copies. 



Dr. Miller, notwithstanding he is past 84, 

 when most men would have passed to their 

 reward, is still very much alive and very 

 much of a beekeeper. By Dr. E. F. Phillips 

 he is considered to be the best comb-honey 

 producer in the United States if not in the 

 world. At all events, Dr. Miller's methods 

 have been utilized and copied all over the 

 world. He has originated methods and 

 processes in the matter of swarm control 

 and in the production of comb honey that 

 help make him "the grand old man" that 

 he is in the bee-world today, revered and 

 respected everywhere, not only for his beau- 

 tiful spirit, but for what he has done. 



Just in the matter of comb-honey pro- 

 duction alone " Fifty Years among the 

 Bees" is worth many times the price, $1.00; 

 or clubbed witli Gleanixgs for .$1.50. Ca- 

 nadian postage 30 cents extra, and foreign 

 postage 60 cents extra. 



A Serious Situation in Florida 



Our readers will remember Wilmon 

 Xewell, formerly State Entomologist of 

 Texas, who did such good work in bee-cul- 

 ture investigations and who for years was 

 unremitting in his efforts to secure a foul- 

 brood law in Texas. He finally succeeded, 



but failed to get the necessary appiopria- 

 tion to carry it into eifect. Later on this 

 was secured ; but along about this time the 

 powers that be in Florida began to look for 

 a good man to handle a most alarming situ- 

 ation in their state. To make a long stoi'y 

 short, Mr. Newell was called to and accept- 

 ed the position of Plant Commissioner by 

 the State Plant Board, Gainesville, Florida. 

 The announcement of liis acceptance was 

 given in this joumal for September 1st, 

 page 696. 



In his new position Mr. Newell has not 

 been idle. He and his associates are doing 

 all in their power to avert a situation more 

 serious than foul brood — a situation that 

 has already cost the state of Florida many 

 thousands of dollars; and unless it can get 

 more money to handle the problem it will 

 be the ruination of the citrus groves of the 

 whole state. 



It appears that the disease known as the 

 citrus canker was imported a couple of 

 years ago into Florida from Japan. This 

 disease is awfully virulent, makes rapid 

 headway, and has now found its way into 

 seventeen counties. The worst thing about 

 it is that there is no cure except the com- 

 plete extermination of the orchards, tree, 

 root, and branch, by fire. The sprays that 

 are effective for ordinary diseases are abso- 

 lutely powerless. 



Florida has already appropriated $125,- 

 000, and a like sum has been contributed by 

 the Florida orange and gi'apefruit growers. 

 The result has been that, so far, every in- 

 fected tree or orchard has been bui-ned. Mr. 

 Newell and his associates say their funds 

 are running low, and that the disease will 

 break out again, because there are other 

 trees and orchards that are probably dis- 

 eased, but where the canker has not as yet 

 shown itself. What are now most urgently 

 needed are funds to provide adequate in- 

 spection work to catch the disease as soon 

 as it breaks out. 



Florida is appealing to the United States, 

 which has already appropriated $35,000, 

 $22,000 of which went to Florida, to hold 

 the disease in check; but before tlie Florida 

 legislature can meet again, there is urgent 

 need that Uncle Sara reach down in his 

 pockets and help not only Florida but other 

 states like Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, 

 and Texas, where the disease has already 

 taken a foothold. 



Our readers are urged to write to their 

 Senators and Representatives, urging them 

 to support any bill or appropriation that 

 will tend to prevent the utter annihilation 

 of the orange, grapefruit, and lemon busi- 

 ness. 



