May 4, 1905 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



325 



ized factory 6re-fighting crew, a pay-roll of $2000 a week, daily ship- 

 ments of goods by the car-load to all parts of the world, are also promi- 

 nent features of " The Home of the Honey-Bees." 



Immense lumber-sheds, capable of holding at one time anywhere 

 from $50,000 to $75,000 worth of lumber, have been erected so that 

 timber of the right season and dryness may be used for the exacting 

 demands of bee-hive work. 



In order that The A. I. Root Co. might perfect its already large 

 equipment, and thus serve its customers better, the capital stock was 

 increased in 1904 to $300,(K)0, all paid up. 



Few people can realize what it means to build up and conduct a 

 business of such proportions, and especially on the results of the work 

 of so small a creature as the honey-bee. 



On the first page we give some pictures of this great factory and 

 the officers of the company responsible for its management. 



Mr. A. I. Root is getting somewhat along in years, and yet he 

 tries to keep a watchful eye on all that is being done around him. 

 True, he devotes a good deal of his time in the spring and summer to 

 the raising of " garden sass,'' but he is ever on the lookout that things 

 are kept straight. And then he has two sons and two sons-in-law to 

 " see to," besides their increasing families, so it is no wonder that he 

 is kept " on the trot" about the place pretty much of the time. 



Ernest R. Root, as nearly all our readers know, ably edits the 

 bee-department of fileanings, and is as royal a man and friend as one 

 would wish to know. 



.John T. Calvert is the hustling business manager of the concern. 

 He knows how to " make a good bargain," and also sees to it that his 

 firm's share of the apiarian trade is secured. 



Arthur L. Boyden is not only secretary of the company, but also 

 looks after the advertising in Gleanings, as well as that done elsewhere 

 by the firm. He is affable and kindly, also a good entertainer, for we 

 were invited to dine at his hospitable board while there. 



We must not omit the mention of W. P. Root, who conducts, un- 

 der the nom de plume of " Stenog," a department in Gleanings known 

 as "Picking from Our Neighbors' Fields." "W. P.,"as he is also 

 familiarly known, has been with the Root Co. — well, a quarter of a 

 century, we should say. But he seems to " renew his youth " as the 

 years pass on. Really, he seems to look younger now than when we 

 first saw him 10 years ago. He is what might be called " a jack at all 

 trades " and master of all. What he can't do, from typesetting up to 

 proof-reading and translating a dozen or so of both dead and living 

 languages into modern English, is hardly worth mentioning. The 

 word " versatile " best expresses him. He's " all right." Nothing at 

 all the "matter with him." (We didn't ask him, but would be 

 willing to believe that middle initial " P." in his name stands for 

 "Prohibitionist.") 



We were not in Medina long enough to take in the whole of The 

 A. I. Root Co.'s extensive plant and business, but we saw enough to 

 convince us that they are doing business— they know what they are 

 there for without being told. They have built up a great institution 

 by energy, industry, and push — and the end is not yet. 



-V (Eontribiitcb ^- 

 Special Clrtides 



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Foul Brood Law— Early Honey-Flora 



BY PROF. A. J. COOK 



TAKB the country over and foul brood is one of the three 

 serious evils that go to form the most menacing trio 

 that stands in the way of successful bee-keeping. As I 

 size up the situation, these worst enemies are. Uncertain 

 Markets, Winter Losses, and Foul Brood. I believe foul 

 brood is the equal of either of the others in the heavy liand 

 that it lays in the way of our progress. Yet we know that, 

 like the others, we can face it and down it if we only fash- 

 ion and use the right weapons. These weapons are intelli- 

 gence and action. 



Mr. James Bryce, the great statesman and writer of 

 England, is very brainy and possessed of a most caUiolic 

 spirit. He knows a whole lot, and his judgments a c as 

 kindly as they are reliable and accurate. His great vork, 

 " The American Commonwealth," should be read by .very 



citizen of our country. I believe he measures as with a cor- 

 rect top-line, and that all his criticisms may well lead us to 

 pause and ponder. After a lapse of several years he has 

 visited us again, and, as before, he pens a graphic picture. 

 He calls attention to one of our most serious perils. This 

 is municipal corruption. That word " graft," as now used, 

 I'ike the social evil, may well make us shudder for what is, 

 and tremble for what may be. Honesty, like purity, is a 

 transcendent virtue, and it behooves us all to magnify its 

 importance, and we should begin with our little ones as 

 soon as they begin to prattle. 



I am led to these remarks from a letter received from 

 one of our most respected bee-keepers, who uses this same 

 word " graft " regarding one of our Southern California 

 bee-inspectors. I know nothing of the merits of the case in 

 question ; but I do know what is required, and what we 

 should and must demand. 



Our California law, thanks to Mr. J. M. Hambaugh 

 more than to any other one man, is well-nigh perfect. If it 

 does not give good results it is because the bee-keepers 

 themselves are asleep to their duty and privilege. 



The good points of our law are : It makes the super- 

 visors appoint upon the petition and recommendation of 

 the bee-keepers themselves. It pays good wages— $4.00 per 

 day — which ought, and will, command ability, honesty and 

 energy— a most-needed trio. It gives the inspector power 

 to exterminate the disease wherever found. 



It is now up to the bee-keepers to nominate the right 

 man— such men as the author of our Bill. They must know 

 that he is a student, and will keep informed as to the very 

 latest and best known regarding the nature and cure of this 

 and kindred diseases. They must be equally certain of his 

 absolute integrity, and must know him to be most thorough 

 and energetic. 



The inspector must be fired with enthusiasm m two 

 directions. He must be determined to find all cases of the 

 disease in his district, and must act with the keenest energy 

 to stamp out the disease wherever it has gained a foot-hold. 

 He must be just as eager to save expense to the county. He 

 can often plan his work so as to make a horse unnecessary 

 for days at a time, and thus save both hire and keep. He 

 can often enlist the aid of the bee-keepers themselves, and 

 thus accomplish much more in a given time, and at the 

 same time the bee-keeper is gaining just the knowledge and 

 experience that every capable bee-keeper should possess. 

 By working in a locality continuously till apiaries of the 

 region are all examined, and so far as necessary treated, he 

 will save a vast expense. He will not object to ofl'ered 

 entertainment, or to permit any bee-keeper to transport 

 himself and his equipment to the next apiary, as this will 

 save expense to the county, and will reduce his bills, and 

 make his work more popular. Nor will such courtesies on 

 the part of the bee-keeper be really an imposition. He will 

 often receive rich pleasure and very helpful instruction in 

 the company of the inspector ; indeed, it ought to be worth 

 more to him than the cost of entertainment and other cour- 

 tesies rendered. He will also gain in the fact that the work 

 will not be so likely to be criticised and cut short if the ex- 

 pense account is held down. We are all interested that the 

 work shall be thoroughly done, and that no foul-broody col- 

 ony be overlooked. 



There is just one more duty that the bee-keepers are 

 bound to keep in mind. If they find that they made a mis- 

 take, and recommended the wrong man for appointment- 

 one who is not competent, one who does not watch care- 

 fully to save to the county, one who is not full of energy 

 and telling enthusiasm in his work— then it is their duty to 

 petition, ves, demand the supervisors or appointing power 

 to remove the incumbent, and replace him with one com- 

 petent for the duties and demands of the position. 



With such an admirable law as we now have, we should 

 reach almost complete success, to the saving of untold 

 thousands of dollars to our bee-keepers. Let us do our part, 

 that the best possible results may be secured. I believe 

 other States can do no better than to copy substantially our 

 California law. But when we have the statute we must not 

 think our work is all done. We must insist that we have 

 the right man, and that he works with the best skill and 

 energy, not only in extirpating the dread malady, but also 

 in whittling expenses to the very minimum. 



EARLY FLORA IN CALIFORNIA. 



In this charming climate of Southern California we 

 have two reasons to rejoice in the abundance of rain, 

 warmth and sunshine that have gladdened our hearts and 

 landscape the present winter. They not only offer almost 

 certain promise of abundant prosperity along all agricul- 



