1902 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



939 



org-anization and co-operatiou in some lo- 

 calities, notably in Colorado, where, in- 

 deed, the bee-keepers have been able to 

 corner the market on their product. 



The bee-keepers of California have been 

 R-rappling- with this problem, but have not 

 been as successful as their Colorado breth- 

 ren. So far no efl'ective plan has ever ma- 

 terialized by which the product of the poor 

 man as well as that of the one better fixed 

 financially, outside of Colorado and Cen- 

 tral New York, can be handled and dis- 

 posed of at the best price obtainable. Under 

 present conditions the poor man must mar- 

 ket his product as soon as he gets it off the 

 hive, and with the natural result that he 

 sells it to the first buyer who comes along-, 

 at a price that is ruinous to the market 

 g-enerally. There is no need of his selling- 

 at such fig-ures, but he has no means of 

 knowing- whether he would g-et a better 

 l)rice by holding-; and even if he had such 

 means at his command it is possible he 

 would have to sell at once at a sacrifice in 

 order to be able to get the ready cash. But 

 the bee-keeper who has hundreds and pos- 

 sibly thousands of colonies, and who has a 

 bank account, can afford to hold his honey 

 until the market rises; but when all the 

 small bee-keepers sell all around him at 

 ruinous prices he may have to wait months 

 and months for the market to seek its prop 

 er level again, with the possibility that it 

 may never rise above the low-water mark. 

 The uncertainty of what the market will 

 be puts our more affluent friend in position 

 where he maj' feel disposed to sell his honey 

 at a sacrifice, even after he has held it for 

 two or three months — possiblj^ longer. 



These, in fact, are the conditions that 

 prevail at present, and both of my brother- 

 editors show very clearly the urgent neces- 

 sit}% both of organization and co-operatiou. 

 If, in fact, the bee-keepers of Colorado can 

 organize and thus secure better prices for 

 their honey, why should not we, the bee- 

 keepers of the United States, in a larger 

 way carry out the same principle, and thus 

 see that the bee-keeper, whether rich or 

 poor, is protected from the buyer who is 

 anxious to get the lowest price possible, or 

 the commission man, who is not over-zeal- 

 ous to carry out the principles of the golden 

 rule? 



Whether or not the National Bee-keepers' 

 Association should establish warehouses at 

 various points is a question. The Associa- 

 tion as now organized could not very well 

 undertake a work of this kind; and it is 

 doubtful in my mind whether it should do 

 so; but it might work in harmony with 

 another organization kindred to it. F^or 

 example, the bee-keepers of Colorado have 

 what is called the Colorado State Bee-keep- 

 ers' Association — an organization that has 

 for its object the holding of conventions at 

 certain seasons of the year. Then they 

 have also another allied to the first one, 

 known as the Colorado Honey-producers' 

 Association, which has for its object the 

 receiving of the crop of the members and 



placing it on the market to be sold when 

 the market reaches its highest notch in the 

 mind of an expert employed by the Associa- 

 tion. 



I remember it has happened several times 

 that a buyer has gone through Colorado 

 attempting to break down the market es- 

 tablished by the Association. In vain did 

 he try to get honey at less than the ruling 

 prices; for so well were the Colorado bee- 

 keepers organized that he went back home 

 almost empty-handed, and finally had to 

 pay the price simply because the bee-keep- 

 ers of Colorado were so well organized that 

 one central head controlled the price de- 

 manded, and, of course, obtained it — not 

 only for one man's crop, but for all the 

 members who put their honey into the hands 

 of the central organization. 



It is possible, then, that the National 

 Bee-keepers' Association might be affiliated 

 with and indirectly connected with anoth- 

 er organization which could take care 

 of the commercial interests of bee-keepers, 

 the same to receive their crops, properly 

 grade them, and then dispose of the product 

 after the market has been cornered, at a 

 price that is not exorbitant, but which 

 would give bee-keepers a fair living profit 

 on the investment. 



While I do not feel extremely hopeful 

 that one central organization, national in 

 its character, will be able to control prices, 

 yet Gleanings is willing to do any thing it 

 can to help along any thing in that direc- 

 tion that promises success; and I join hands 

 with my brother-editors, and wish to assure 

 them that I stand ready to co-operate and 

 help along any feasible and businesslike 

 scheme. 



colorado convention report, contin- 

 up:d from last issue ; presi- 

 dent's ADDRESS. 



Pres. Hutchinson showed that modern 

 bee culture had advanced by distinct stages. 

 The Langstroth invention laid bare the 

 secrets of the hive. Next followed the me- 

 chanical stage in which were brought forth 

 hives, smokers, sections, comb foundation, 

 and the extractor, along with minor me- 

 chanical improvements like the bee-escape. 

 Next on the list was the methodical stage, 

 or the development of methods and S3^stems 

 of management. Some of the present meth- 

 ods would certainly be improved upon ; but 

 he thought it was doubtful if bee-keepers 

 would secure their crops with much less 

 labor. But the improved methods had called 

 for greater skill, and greater skill requires 

 specialists. Bee-keeping- had become a dis- 

 tinct branch of agriculture, and was large- 

 ly in the hands of the specialists who own- 

 ed and operated hundreds and perhaps 

 thousands of colonies. 



The next stage of development he thoug^ht 

 would be org-anization and co-operation. 

 An industr^^ without an organization was 

 practically helpless. Organization had 

 saved the fruit industry of California, and 

 right in Colorado bee-keeping would have 



