178 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



March 22, 1900. 



from one of our g-atherings the most of us in answer to our 

 dear wife's question, "What have you learned at the con- 

 vention ?" could only scratch our heads, yet I believe very 

 few, if any, will ever go away from a bee-keepers' conven- 

 tion without having received some benefit, having learned 

 something. 



I would not have the reader infer that Mr. Hutchinson 

 discourages, or in any way opposes, bee-keepers' meetings. 

 He does not. He doesn't underrate the value of becoming 

 acquainted with those who are engaged in the same pur- 

 suit with us, for the social intercourse affords us not only 

 pleasures never to be forgotten, but we see and hear what 

 others are doing, get their ideas, form an opinion of them — 

 we become broader-minded and better. 



I want to mention another great advantage which ac- 

 crues from these simple meetings. Even the casual ob- 

 server can not fail to see that organization brings with it 

 benefits which are entirely out of reach for the single indi- ^ 

 vidual. Just see how people in other lines of business or- 

 ganize, and what they accomplish. Notice the coal com- 

 bines, iron trusts, sugar, oil, and other trusts. These peo- 

 ple don't spend their time and money in organizing for fun, 

 but for the money that is in it. If we had a mind to we 

 might get some money out of our organizations, and plenty 

 of fun besides. 



"In union there is strength," is an old adage. And 

 still the majority of us bee-keepers are plodding along 

 singU', each trying to cut his own path thru the bushes and 

 briars, but few succeeding as they might. It seems hard to 

 understand that two with their united efforts can overcome 

 an obstacle much easier than either one alone. Instead of 

 our National Bee-Keepers' Association counting its mem- 

 bers by many thousands, it has in reality but a few hun- 

 dred. And, after all, is it not wonderful what this handful 

 of men have accomplisht ? They are like the 300 Spartans 

 at Thermopyte, holding the Fort against the Million. I 

 can somewhat imagine what we might accomplish if we all 

 would unite our efforts. But should I pen my imaginations, 

 it might appear to many that my pen had run away with 

 my reason, so I defer. 



I am a member of a small county organization, and I 

 am proud of what we, under the leadership of an energetic 

 and progressive president, have accomplisht. As an illus- 

 tration only, I will speak of some of these achievements in 

 the hope to inspire others to do likewise or better : In num- 

 bers few, comparatively, we succeeded in having an anti- 

 spraying bill past. We stirred up the State organization 

 into activity, in consequence of which the adulteration bill 

 is being pusht on. We succeeded in interesting State and 

 Federal government in bee-culture so that appropriations 

 have been conceded. In the State of New York any local 

 organization may now have the aid from the Bureau of 

 Farmers' Institutes. 



We have also shown our influence with the managers of 

 local, county, and State fairs. Very much more liberal 

 premiums have been offered of late years for apiarian ex- 

 hibits than formerly, which, of course, benefits the bee- 

 keeper. His business is in consequence recognized much 

 more as an important branch of agriculture with the gen- 

 eral class of people than it was heretofore. 



When the National Bee-Keepers' Association first 

 started, I joined its ranks ; but I became discouraged and 

 (I may as well say it) disgusted, because the bee-keepers did 

 not support it. I thought then that I had reason to leave 

 the organization, and did so. A better spirit, however, 

 prompted me to again enter the ranks a few years after, 

 and to-day I am proud of the achievements of that body of 

 good men. 



Xerxes with his million warriors tried in vain to subdue 

 the 300 Spartans — he could not do it by fair means. The 

 adulterators of food and honey with their millions of dollars, 

 and the fraudulent commission men — they quake in their 

 shoes before the handful of energetic men in the National 

 Bee-Keepers' Association. It is only by foul means that 

 they occasionally gain a slim victory. It does not often re- 

 quire a lawsuit to bring transgressors to terms. Many a 

 bad debt has easily been collected, the sale of adulterated 

 honeys has been discontinued in instances when the offen- 

 ders were aware that an organization was after them. 



Is it necessary for me to enter into all the details? It 

 seems to me that even the skeptic might be convinced of 

 the advantages to be gained by uniting our efforts in the 

 furthering of our interests and the protection of our pursuit. 



By the way, I hold that it is about as essential to sup- 

 port the local bee-keepers' association as it is to give your 

 support to the National. I am afraid there are a great 

 many bee-keepers who stand idly by waiting to see some 



one else, more determined, more progressive, haul the chest- 

 nuts out of the fire with their own paws, as it were ; and as 

 soon as they find the danger of burning 1/tcirpa.vfs is over, 

 they will flock around the fire and try to get their fill free 

 of cost. 



Friends, is that strictly honorable, or even fair ? 



Let us stand by another by thousands, not merely a 

 few hundred. Germany's bee-keepers are setting us a good 

 example : one we might well follow. A petition regarding 

 adulteration of honey has lately been sent to the Reichstag 

 in Berlin with 34,62^ signatures ! 



Brethren, are we asleep ? If so, let us bestir ourselves. 

 It costs but one dollar per annum to be a member of the 

 National Bee-Keepers' Association, and perhaps SO cents a 

 year membership fee in your county association. Give 

 these associations your support. If you can not for some 

 reason attend the annual meetings, send in your dues, any- 

 how. It requires some money to conduct the business of 

 the association properly and decently, and very often the 

 larger part of the expenses has to be borne by the ofiicers. 



The new constitution of the National Bee-Keepers' As- 

 sociation provides that all members of any local bee-keep- 

 ers' association may become members of the National on 

 application of their secretary and his paying SO cents per 

 annum for each local member. If the membership of a 

 local association will act in unison, every member may for 

 $1.00 be a member of both organizations. It seems to me 

 that is " dirt cheap." No bee-keeper in our land ought to 

 miss this opportunity ; no bee-keeper can afford to get 

 along without the benefits accruing from belonging to 

 these associations, and the protection and insurance guaran- 

 teed by them. Let us all join I Ontario Co., N. Y. 



No. 8. 



-The Honey-Knife— How to Get the Most 

 Out of It. 



BY "OLD GRIMES. 



A SIMPLE tool is a honey-knife. All there is of it is 

 the handle, the shank, and the blade. We can all re- 

 member when the latter was a long, thin, flexible 

 blade, and the best in that line was the Novice honey-knife. 

 But since the introduction of the heavier Bingham and 

 Hetherington knife but few of these light knives are used. 

 The Bingham and the Cowan now take the lead, with the 

 Bingham the greater favorite, which seems to be just the 

 right weight to avoid clumsiness. 



In selecting a knife for rapid work there should be a 

 proper balance between handle and blade, and the bent 

 shank should be very rigid. A good share of the shanks 

 are made too light, and give too much, and not infrequently 

 break. When said broken shank is mended, and made so 

 heavy that there is no give to it, there is much more com- 

 fort in working with it. 



A honey-knife is immerst more or less in cold or hot 

 water, and this has a tendency to loosen the shank in the 

 handle, and when this occurs while busy extracting it is no 

 small vexation. Manufacturers shovild be sure to make a 

 hold-tight connection. 



It may be entirely superfluous to say that to get the 

 most out of a honey-knife it should be kept sharp ; still we 

 have known men to haggle away with a dull knife to the 

 detriment of the comb and the temper of the operator. 

 While we have seen knives sharpened on grind-stones, 

 emery wheels, scythe-stones and files, I consider the grind- 

 stone the right tool to keep the proper bevel on the blade, 

 and an oil-stone to finish up with. Always have the oil- 

 stone handy, and keep a razor-edge on the knife. 



To get the most out of a honey-knife have plenty of 

 light. We have seen many dingy honey-houses and the un- 

 capping-can in the most dingy corner. The full light of a 

 large window should fall upon the work. 



We have our knife in hand and are ready to uncap. We 

 will suppose that we are working our bees in a Langstroth 

 hive, and have before us a Langstroth frame nicely filled 

 and capt. The value of a comb for rapid work depends 

 upon its age and the uniformity of surface. If we have used 

 foundation and carefully spaced the frames we will have 

 combs of full value. Now, before we make a cut on the 

 surface of that beautiful comb, we must decide whether we 

 shall use a hot or a cold knife. In any event we must have 

 two honey-knives, and a shallow pan in which to place 

 them. A long bake-tin about three inches deep will do, but 

 where there is much extracting to be done a dish that will 

 hold a gallon of water is better. 



Ordinarily we can use this water cold, but if the honey 



