illi^ ^m^rt4an gee j0ttpal 



DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO BEE CULTURE. 



Vol. XIII. 



Chicago, Illinois, February, 1877. 



No. 2. 



Honey Producers and their Interests. 



The American Bee Jotjknal, ever on 

 the alert to advance the interests of honey- 

 producers, would inquire, Why they should 

 not combine for mutual protection and the 

 enlargement of their business? 



The many letters in this and other issues 

 of the JouKNAL from those of the smaller 

 producers who have sold large quantities of 

 honey in their home markets, prove that 

 local demands may be largely increased — 

 that a trade for the " concentrated sweet- 

 ness," sealed up in the honey-comb, can be 

 developed in almost every village and ham- 

 let all over the broad acres of this land — 

 east, west, north and south ! Local meet- 

 ings of the bee-keepers in each township or 

 county would greatly assist in this matter, 

 by bringing the subject under discussion — 

 and by the adoption of a systematic plan of 

 action. 



The larger apiaries, with their increased 

 yields of nectar, demand larger and wider 

 fields of operation. Why should not the 

 proprietors of these form combinations 

 similar to the California organization, that 

 we briefly alluded to in the October number 

 of the Bee Jouknae for last year, on page 

 253? Such associations should take special 

 interest in the packing, shipping and sale 

 of honey from designated Districts or 

 States. This would greatly assist bee-keep- 

 ers and protect their interests generally. 



The many very interesting essays read 

 before the JVIichigan Bee-Keepers' Conven- 

 tion, which we present to our readers in 

 this issue, proves that there is talent 

 enough in the line of theory, and experience 

 enough in the line of wintering, springing, 

 how to produce the best-selling honey, and 

 plenty of it. Now why should not all this 

 knowledge and experience be turned to 

 sound business account? Why not make it 

 tell in the line of a combination to dispose 

 of the surplus after supplying the home 

 markets? 



The San Diego Bee-Keepers' Association 

 received honey from their members, repack- 

 ed, assorted and graded it, ready for ship- 

 ment. They then sent their agent, Mr. C. 

 J. Fox, to the Eastern and Southern cities 



to receive orders for it by the car load. He 

 contracted about a dozen car loads and re- 

 turned home as the Association, we are 

 told, had no more to sell ! "Now, if they 

 have done these things in the green tree, 

 what may they not do in the dry?" To 

 take off the figure: If, with the thousands 

 of intervening miles between California and 

 the great commercial centres of the East 

 and South, they have been able to sell 

 honey vi such large quantities and at good 

 figures, why may not the apiarists of the 

 Eastern, Western, Southern and Middle 

 States, almost within " hailing distance " 

 of the great centres of commerce— nay 

 more, having these very marts of com- 

 merce in their midst— organize such associ- 

 ations and sell thousands of tons of honey 

 annually, that now run to waste, for the 

 lack of bees to gather, apiarists to husband, 

 and wide-awake organizations to handle it? 

 Their magic hand could turn it into gold to 

 scatter among the apiarists, by which they 

 may bless their families with food and rai- 

 ment, necessaries and luxuries, that would 

 gladden their hearts and decorate their 

 homes! 

 Again we ask: Why not organize? 



The Sea son of 1876-7. 



The universal verdict is that the present 

 season has been one of the most rigorous 

 within the memory of that venerable per- 

 sonage—the oldest inhabitant ! From the 

 Atlantic to the flocky Mountains— from the 

 Canadas to the Gulf— all over this vast 

 country Jack Frost has waved his ice- 

 bound sceptre, and held every living thing 

 beneath his unyielding grasp ! For nearly 

 two months has his sway been undisputed 

 by Old Sol's rays of light and heat— but it is 

 consoling to know that ere many days the 

 spell will be broken, and Earth will again 

 be decked in her beautious garb of verdure, 

 and lovely flowers will bloom, inviting the 

 bees to their daily labor with busy hum ! 

 But just at present the world at large pre- 

 sents a varied picture. 



A letter from the Pacific Slope, received 

 just as we were going to press with this is- 

 sue, states that "the sun is shining glorious- 



