May 4, 190S 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



327 



honestv of those who oppose our interests? The comb- 

 honey manufacture yarns, the spraying of fruit-trees in bloom, 

 the prejudice against bees because of the untrue accusation 

 that bees damage flowers or injure sound fruit — all these 

 and many others are to be warred against. To do it safely, 

 we must unite. 



We hear on every side of the success of the great trusts 

 which arc formed in the manufacture of everything, and of 

 the enormous profits derived by cooperation. The truth is, 

 that association is the key-note to success today. I dare say 

 that of those who will hear this paper read, there are very 

 few, if any, who do not belong to some association, for profit 

 •or comfort. The life insurance and fire insurance companies 

 are nothing but trusts for our benefit. The secret societies, 

 for mutual help — Masons, Odd Fellows, etc., are all in the 

 direction of cooperation. Our bee associations, no matter 

 Tiow insignificant and weak they mav be, are all evidences of 

 the need of association for mutual information, and ultimate 

 increased comfort. 



Some of our State associations have already secured 

 some very positive benefits from association. A number of 

 States have efficient foul-brood laws and foul-brood inspec- 

 tors, who help keep down this disease, which is really the 

 only disease that nature has put in our way. As bees in- 

 crease in numbers throughout the country, the danger of 

 epidemics increases, and therefore the precautions against all 

 possibilities of disease should increase. When bee-keepers lived 

 25 miles apart, and bees existed only in the forests, an epi- 

 demic was soon stopped, like a fire without fuel, by want of 

 something to feed on. But since bees are becoming one of 

 the institutions of the farm or of the suburban garden, there 

 is an increase of risk which must be warded off. 



I notice the same danger in other lines. A small vine- 

 yard runs less risk of black-rot than a large one. A farm 

 yard containing a couple pigs is in less danger from hog 

 cholera than one containing a couple hundred. So, as we be- 

 come more and more numerous there is more and more need 

 of cooperation, to defend ourselves by mutual understanding 

 and instruction. It is necessary to obtain laws in each State 

 regulating the control of foul brood, and sustaining the honest 

 producer against the adulterator who tries to sell a manu- 

 ■factured product as a product of the farm. 



There is also need to advertise our business so as to help 

 the sales of a healthy and pure product; there is need of 

 placing before the masses a very plain statement showing 

 that the canards concerning the alleged manufacture of comb 

 honey by machinery are all a fake. For these purposes, and 

 for many others which do not come to my mind now, and 

 also for purposes of which we have no present adequate idea, 

 it is absolutely necessary that we should unite — cooperate. 



The National Association, which a few years ago num- 

 bered onlv as many members as met together each year at 

 one selected spot in the United States, now numbers some- 

 thing over two thousand members. Although this is a great 

 increase, it is nothing compared to the possibilities of co- 

 operation, whenever we convince our brother bee-keepers that 

 it is to their interest to unite for the common good. Instead 

 of two thousand, we must have twenty thousand members. 

 Each State must form a nucleus, sending its delegates to the 

 meetings of the National congress, and the Association must 

 sooner or later send its ramifications to every spot where bees 

 are kept, in the length and breadth of the land. When this 

 is done, our bee-keeoers will no longer go to their town 

 groceries and ask them what prices thev pay for honey, but 

 each will be posted from headquarters, and will go to the 

 retailer with a statement something like this : 



"Our sales headquarters state that the crop is short in 

 such and such States ; that the honey is expected to be in 

 demand in such or such localities ; and that the prices, con- 

 sidering prices of other sweets, may be expected to range 

 about so much. Therefore I have placed the following prices 

 on my honey." 



Let no one think that this is impossible. An impossible 

 thing is to get a fancy price for your product, but there is not 

 the shadow of a doubt that a plain understanding as to the 

 resources and the demand will bring about the securing of 

 fairly profitable prices. No one can produce anything at cost, 

 or below cost, and keep it up. At present we have many 

 friends who produce honey and sell it at less than the cost 

 of production, because they are working individually with- 

 out any information as to the value of their product. VVe 

 may expect paying prices for our crop, if, when we put h on 

 the market, we know just what to expect, and if we feel that 

 there is a distributing point from which our surplus may be 

 handled at the lowest possible cost. 



I know that some of our members may consider this as 

 romance, but let me tell them that this romance is based on 

 facts. We see thousands of plain evidences that an imder- 

 standing of conditions and an increase of facilities for dis- 

 tribution is productive of great benefits to all. The cost of 

 cooperation is insignificant, compared with the results. The 

 only thing that mav discourage some of those who hope for 

 success is that large cooperative combines are not built up in 

 one day. We must unite and stay united until we succeed. 



It is not only in progressive America that the ideas of 

 union are taking root. Even in our pursuit of bee-culture, 

 we see this principle taking the lead a little more every day. 

 The bee-papers of nearly all foreign countries are discussing 

 association and cooperation. In Belgium, in France, there 

 are some tangible steps taken. The October number of the 

 Italian "L'Apicoltore" contains an address from Mr. Cap- 

 poni, before the third National Congress of Bee-Keepers, on 

 "Protection to the Bee-Industry," in which he urges his 

 brother bee-keepers to unite, as "no great results can be ob- 

 tained if we do not act as 'viribus unitis' — united men." 



The United States of America are a living example of 

 what can be done by "united men." C. P. Dad.\nt. 



(Dur-:* Sister 

 Beekeepers 



Conducted by Emma M. Wilson, Marengo, III. 



A Lady President of the British Association 



J 



The Baroness Burdett-Coutts has been unanimously re-elected 

 president of the British Bee-Keepers' Association for 1905, a position 

 she has held for some time. Who says bee-keepers do not honor their 

 women ? 



m I ^1 



A Busy Sister Bee-Keeper 



The letter from Prof. Parrott, which appears in this number, when 

 sent by Miss F. E. Wheeler, was accompanied by a delightful private 

 note, and one part of it will appeal to so many of the busy sisters that 

 Miss Wheeler will just tiave to forgive its introduction here : 



Deab Miss Wilson:— My, but I'm busy! The bees are pretty 

 quiet, but we will get them out soon now. Snow is gone, but we 

 have high, raw, chilly winds. I will start two incubators to-morrow 

 morning, sending ofl a White Holland tom, receiving 10 from Indiana 

 for myself, bossing my man's house-cleaning and mother's dress- 

 making. Can you beat that in a day's work, and add correspondence 

 and some work on an article? Frances E. Wheeler 



Honey as a Health-Food 



Honey is a medicament which can be used for various purposes. 

 Dyspeptics whose real treatment consists in a strict food regimen, 

 should use it as dessert in place of cakes, fruits and nuts, such as 

 almonds. Honey has still one more advantage, which is that it acts as 

 a mild laxative, and that is a valuable property for habitual constipa- 

 tion which gives rise to many disorders. Without doubt it is to this 

 double action that honey owes its reputation. 



As a narcotic it may be recommended for sleeplessness. Two 

 spoonfuls of honey in a glass of water will suffice to induce sound 

 sleep all night. It is probable that honey in such cases serves to dis- 

 place indigestible foods, which, retained in the stomach, disturb the 

 nightly rest. 



That is not all. Honey mixed with water serves as an excellent 

 gargle, and has the merit of being very agreeable to the taste, either 

 swallowed by accident or on purpose, for honey mingled with water is 

 delicious. And the ancient Gauls thought such a beverage was a 

 drink of the gods, and termed it " hydromel."— Medical Talk. 



M I ^ 



That New York City Park Bee-Keeper Contest 



Miss Haggerty, the lady who was so successful in passing the ex- 

 amination for the position of apiarist at Bronx Park, New York City, 

 and who was so unsuccessful in obtaining the position, writes: 



Mt Dear Miss Wilson: — The American Bee Journal has been 

 sent me. I thank you very much for your kind notice, and wish to 

 say you are right in surmising that politics, and not the fact that I am 

 a woman, stood in the way of a position. This fact did help Mr. 

 O'Mara, inasmucn as when Commissioner Schrader filled the vacancy, 

 he worded his request for a " male apiarist." This barred me out, 



