Miscellaneous Information 431 



Some of the journals devoted to beekeeping have contained 

 articles of lasting practical value but unfortunately these 

 journals are too often read and at once cast aside, not being 

 properly filed and indexed for future references. The Bureau 

 of Entomology has a working bibliography, arranged by 

 authors and subjects, which is far from complete but which, 

 nevertheless, is helpful and is probably the most extensive 

 so far attempted for beekeeping literature. It contains 

 about 20,000 titles. 



At present there are four journals devoted to the interests 

 of the beekeeper published in the United States and one 

 in Canada. A larger number appear regularly in various 

 European countries to which unfortunately few American 

 beekeepers have access. There should be regular summaries 

 and abstracts of the best articles in these journals prepared 

 for American beekeepers either in a bee journal or separately. 



Several valuable bulletins have been issued by state insti- 

 tutions. 



Organizations of beekeepers. 



There are in the United States probably 100 societies of 

 beekeepers, organized to protect the interests of those now 

 engaged in the work, to educate their members in the prac- 

 tical and scientific phases of beekeeping and to promote 

 the industry. Most of these associations are active and help- 

 ful and they are nearly all growing and being improved. 

 Every beekeeper should be a member of one or more of these 

 organizations, to help and be helped. The National Bee 

 Keepers' Association is an association of affiliated societies, 

 the business being conducted through annual meetings of 

 delegates. 



Laws. 



It is not proposed in this place to discuss the legal status of 

 bees or to delineate the legal rights of their owners. Some 

 of the associations of beekeepers offer protection to their 

 members in case of legal complications. 



