896 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Nov. 1 



DEATH OF AN OLD BEE-KEEPER ; THAT AR- 

 TIFICIAL-EGG STORY. 



We are pained to learn of the sudden 

 death of Mr. S. P. Newman, of Norwalk, 

 Ohio. No particulars have come to hand, 

 but we understand he was killed on a rail- 

 road crossing- by a moving- train, on Satur- 

 day, Oct. 11. 



Our friend was one of the most successful 

 and intelligent bee - keepers of Northern 

 Ohio. While his business was priinarily 

 real estate and insurance, he carried on 

 bee-keeping quite extensively. 



It was this same Mr. Newman who, years 

 ago, started the story about artificial eggs, 

 and how these eggs would hatch chickens, 

 but that, unfortunately, the chemist had 

 not discovered the ingredients for making 

 feathers. Up to the time the story was pro- 

 mulgated the chickens had to be kept in a 

 hot-house until some ingredient could be 

 put in the artificial eggs to make clothes to 

 cover their naked skins. 



Mr. Newman, in putting forth this ingen- 

 ious story, did so with the sole intention of 

 offsetting the comb-honey lie by telling an- 

 other so ridiculous and impossible that the 

 dear public would discredit both ; but in 

 this he was mistaken. So credulous was 

 the undiscerning- reader that he actually 

 believed that the skill of the chemist was 

 such that the principle of life could be put 

 into a concoction of chemicals that could be 

 molded into an artificial &^^ that would 

 hatch featherless chickens. 



It is an actual fact that hundreds and I 

 do not know but thousands of people be- 

 lieved this yarn; and when I tried to argue 

 some of them out of it I found the task al- 

 most hopeless; but I believe the story did 

 some good by making some people turn away 

 in disgust at every suggestion of the "skill 

 of scientists" wherever it relates to the 

 wonderful and sensational. 



bly would not do in localities subject to 

 considerable moisture. Dry candied honey 

 will draw moisture if there is much of it in 

 the atmosphere, and instead of being dry 

 it will be a sticky, mushy mess. But Bro. 

 Aikin's bags would hold the honey, even 

 then ; but they would not stand very much 

 roug-h usage, of course. 



aikin's BOLOGNA-SAUSAGE PACKAGE FOR 

 CANDIED HONEY. 



Elsewhere in this department I refer to 

 the bologna-sausage candied-honey pack- 

 age brought up by R. C. Aikin, of Love- 

 land, Col. I saw these dry packages of 

 candied honey put up in neat paper bags, 

 just like so much brown sugar on the mar- 

 ket. The bags were nicely printed, with 

 directions for liquefying the honey, ex- 

 plaining that honey in that form was the 

 best test of its purity, etc. I tried to en- 

 gage a small quantity in that shape from 

 Mr. Aikin ; but he told me his crop had 

 been so light the past season that he could 

 not furnish any, and how all that he had 

 had been disposed of to his local trade. 



Bro. Aikin is to be commended for the 

 persistency with which he has hung to the 

 idea that extracted honey can be put up in 

 the candied form, in a package that would 

 cost next to nothing. 



While such package would be practica- 

 ble in Colorado and other very dry climates, 

 and in localities where the workingman 

 must have a cheap form of sweets, it possi- 



WHO shall be GENERAL MANAGER FOR 

 1903? 



Our readers will remember that some 

 complications arose this year over the 

 selection of General Manag-er, and it has 

 been a question on the part of some as to 

 whether Mr. Secor or Mr. Abbott was ac- 

 tually in office. But the Board of Directors 

 decided ag-ainst Mr. Abbott, and Mr. Secor 

 was requested to fill out his unexpired 

 term. At first Mr. Abbott seemed disposed 

 to contest his claims; but finally, "in view 

 of the good feeling and harmony that pre- 

 vailed at the convention in Denver," and, 

 as he says, "being desirous of doing- all 

 he could to promote the interests of the As- 

 sociation," withdrew, stating that he was 

 perfectly willing- to leave the matter with 

 the membership at the next general elec- 

 tion. He forwarded to the Secretary a list 

 of the names of persons who had sent in 

 their dues, together with his check covering 

 the entire amount. 



In the mean time, the name of Mr. N. E. 

 France, of Platteville, Wis., a successful 

 bee-keeper, foul-brood inspector of his State, 

 and one who seems to show many of the 

 qualifications for so important an office, 

 has been nominated by Secretary Dr. A. B. 

 Mason. See Gleanings, page 867. 



On an informal ballot Mr. France was 

 almost the unanimous choice of the Board of 

 Directors, who, after having- canvassed the 

 situation very carefully, seemed to be of the 

 opinion that he would be one perfectly ca- 

 pable of filling that important office. Mr. 

 France is a man of ability. He is a power 

 in his State, and I think I am safe in say- 

 ing he has done more to advance foul-brood 

 legislation that any other man in the coun- 

 try. He knows how to appear before legis- 

 lative bodies, ask for what he wants, and 

 get it. 



Gleanings wishes to take no sides in 

 this anj' more than to saj' that it would fa- 

 vor some candidate who has been in no way 

 connected with the "recent unpleasant- 

 ness." Mr. France has had absolutely' noth- 

 ing to do with that controversy. He never 

 thought of seeking the office, and consented 

 to make the run only on the urgent request 

 of some of his friends. It is a case of the 

 office seeking the man — not the man the 

 office. Any candidate who may subsequent- 

 ly come into the field, who has been in any 

 way identified with the General-Manager- 

 ship muddle, would have, necessarily, 

 friends and enemies. For the good of the 

 Association it would seem as if the member- 

 ship ought to unite on some one person con- 

 cerning- whom there would be no factional 

 fight. In union there is strength. The old 



