MARCH 15, 1913 



191 



question arose whether the Directors had 

 the authority to adopt and publish an or- 

 gan, and expend a thousand dollars for the 

 good will of a paper. Some took the gTound 

 that the Directors had exceeded their au- 

 thority. Others held that the National or- 

 ganization could not afford at this time to 

 pay out a thousand dollars. These matters 

 wei"e thrashed over in convention, and at 

 one time the discussion became somewhat 

 warm. The matter was finally referred to 

 a committee, with instructions to report at 

 a later session. The committee were out 

 for a considerable leng-th of time, but final- 

 ly turned in their report, questioning the 

 policy of the Directors, but finding that the 

 latter had not exceeded their authority. At 

 the same time, they made certain recommen- 

 dations, some of which related to the edi- 

 torial policies of the Review, while others 

 had to do with the question of the purchase 

 of bee supplies for the members of the 

 Association, as well as to the selling of 

 their product — in short, carrying out the 

 general principle of co-operation. 



There was considerable discussion as to 

 the price that should be charged for mem- 

 bership. It finally ended with the recom- 

 mendation, which was adopted, that the 

 fee of $1.50 should be retained as before. 

 Fifty cents is to be used for branch or 

 afiiliated societies, and $1.00 for The Bee- 

 keepers' Bevieiv. Sec. Tyrrell explained 

 that this money could not be used to cover 

 both the Revieiv and membership dues, as 

 that would be contrary to the postal regu- 

 lations. This leaves, as we understand it, 

 no funds for the National Association ex- 

 cept the profits that may accrue from the 

 publication of the official organ. A mem- 

 ber may elect not to take the Review, and 

 apply his dollar to the National. 



There was considerable discussion as to 

 whether the whole membership fee should 

 not have been increased so that a part could 

 be devoted to the branch, a part to the Re- 

 view, and a part to the National itself, 

 a; art from the Review; but Sec. Tyrrell 

 did not believe it was wise at this time to 

 charge the extra price. The committee, 

 therefore, made its report accordingly . 



Other routine matters of business were 

 transacted, such as revising the constitution, 

 passing resolutions of thanks for courtesies 

 extended, etc. While the committee were 

 out preparing their reports, there was a 

 general discussion of several subjects. One 

 of these topics was 



THE DECLINE IN THE PRODUCTION OF COMB 

 HONEY AND THE INCREASE IN THAT OF 

 EXTRACTED. 



While poor grading and poor packing 



were given as a cause for a part of this, 

 several contended that the present market 

 prices were more favorable to extracted. 

 Two or three claimed that there was actual- 

 ly more money in the production of ex- 

 tracted at eight cents than comb honey at 

 sixteen. The discussion finally centered on 

 the subject of the granulation of Western 

 comb honey; for it was contended that this 

 granulation evil was disgusting the dealer 

 so that he was refusing to buy. Mr. Muth, 

 one of the largest honey-buj-ers, in a half- 

 facetious and half-serious waj^ said he felt 

 as though he were being swindled when he 

 bought Western comb honey. He complain- 

 ed that he had a large quantity on hand 

 that has granulated, and that was fit to sell 

 only to Dagoes, and he thought it was time 

 that some of these Western producers 

 should produce extracted rather than comb 

 honey. Mr. W^eber, another dealer, said he 

 had had a similar experience. Dr. E. F. 

 Phillips, of the Bureau of Entomology, 

 was glad that this matter had come up, for 

 r.ow the Western men present would have 

 a chance to know that there was a general 

 comijlaint about Western alfalfa honey 

 granulating while in the hands of Eastern 

 dealers. Like Mr. Muth, he believed that 

 some of them, at least, ought to produce 

 extracted rather than comb honey. 



Mr. Wesley Foster, of the Colorado 

 Honey-producers' Association, contended 

 that not all Western alfalfa honey would 

 granulate. There are certain districts in 

 Colorado where a mixture of alfalfa and 

 other sources would granulate much more 

 readily than the pure alfalfa. He said he 

 hoped the Eastern buyers would under- 

 stand there is a large amount of Colorado 

 alfalfa honey, and a good deal of it, too, 

 that does not granulate. 



]Mr. Anderson, of the Idaho Beekeepers' 

 Association, indignantly denied that Idaho 

 honey granulates. Their honey, he said, 

 was made up largely of sweet clover and 

 alfalfa; that the combination would remain 

 liquid as long as any comb honey in the 

 world if properly taken care of. With all 

 deference to Mr. Muth their honey Avas " fit 

 for the gods " and not for the Dagoes only. 

 In support of Mr. Anderson's claim, we 

 may say in this connection that the comb 

 honey of Idaho, so far as our experience 

 goes, does not gxanulafe readily. 



GRADING COMB HONEY. 



The question of grading-rules was given 

 considerable attention. Mr. Muth, of Cin- 

 cinnati, offered a set of rules which provide 

 practically for only a fancy and a No. 1. 

 No other honey, he said, ought to be ship- 

 ped to market. Attention was called to the 



