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Entered at the Post-OfiBce at Chicago as Second-Class Mail-Matter, 

 HiiltliMlied ^Veekly at 91. OO a. Tear l>y <Jeorge 'W. Tork & Co., 334 Dearborn St. 



QBORQB W. YORK, Editor 



CHICAGO, ILL,, JUNE 1, 1905 



VoLXLV— No.22 



The American Bee Journal is absolutely an independent publication, and not 

 connected with any bee-supply business whatsoever. It stands entirely upon 

 its merits as an educative force in the field of bee-keeping, and as a medium 

 for legitimate advertisers in apicultural or other lines. It is the oldest, and 

 only weekly, journal of its kind in America. Its publishers believe that it 

 deserves to be in the hands of every would-be progressive successful bee- 

 keeper in the land. It is in its 4Sth year, and to-day is acknowledged to be 

 better in every way than at any time during its long and honorable history. 



(Sbttortal Hotes ^ (Eommcnts 



\» 



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j^ 



First National Bee-Convention 



Dr. G. Bohrer, on another page, gives a 

 most interesting account of the first attempt 

 to organize a bee-keepers' association in the 

 United States. Being a member himself he 

 speaks as an eye-witness. He gave something 

 along the same line at the opening of the St. 

 Louie convention last September, but the re- 

 porter failed to get it. We regretted it very 

 much, as it was an extremely interesting ad- 

 dress, and being of historical value we felt 

 that it should have been preserved. So, 

 afterward, we requested Dr. B. to write it out 

 as nearly as he could recall, and so we have 

 it for our readers this week. 



In addition to the contribution by Dr. 

 Bohrer, he has kindly furnished a picture of 

 a group of men who helped organize the first 

 bee-keepers' association in America, which 

 we present on the front page. We believe 

 the only members of that group that are still 

 living are Dr. Bohrer, of Kansas, and M. M. 

 Baldridge, of Illinois. If any of the others 

 are still with us, we would be pleased to an- 

 nounce it. 



We are sure Dr. B.'s article will be greatly 

 appreciated by all our readers. 



The Honey-Producers' League 



We believe that so far practically all the 

 bee-papers of this, continent have approved 

 this new organization in the main. Of course, 

 it would be expected that some of the details 

 would not suit all, though the few objec- 

 tions that have been advanced by some are 

 not insurmountable, but can be met and cor- 

 rected later on. What we mean is, that any 

 slight defects in the constitution or manage- 

 ment of the League can easily be rectitied at 

 the annual election next March, if by that 

 time it is thought best to make any changes. 

 What is needed now is to put the League in a 



position to do some effective work for bee- 

 keepers before, or by the time, the new honey 

 crop begins to come on the market. If dur- 

 ing the next 30 days a sufficient number of 

 bee-keepers would send in their annual dues, 

 the Executive Board could plan a great adver- 

 tising campaign that could be put into active 

 operation so as to prepare the public for the 

 reception and consumption of this season's 

 crop ofhoney about as rapidly as it comes on 

 the market. 



We may say that practically all the United 

 States bee-papers have published in full the 

 Constitution and Prospectus of the League, 

 just as we gave it on page 259. 



The Modern Farmer and Busy Bee had this 

 to say about it : 



The latest candidate for favors among the 

 bee-keepers of the United States is The Honey- 

 Producers' League. Its object, as expressed 

 in the Constitution, is to create a large 

 demand for honey by popularizing its use 

 among the consuming public through adver- 

 tising in newspapers and magazines its great 

 value as a food, and by such other methods 

 as may be considered advisable by the Execu- 

 tive Board. Alsu, by publication of facts 

 concerning the production of honey to coun- 

 teract any misrepresentation of the same 



The aim of the Liague is a good one, and the 

 indications are tliat it will receive the hearty 

 support of the leading bee-keepers of the 

 United States. 



Editor Craig, of the Canadian Bee .Journal, 

 in his May issue, writes as follows: 



The Honey-l'roducers' League, recently 

 organized in the ( nited States, is, we believe, 

 going to be one ut the most useful movements 

 yet inaugurated among bee-keepers. We un- 

 derstand that lur the present at least the 

 effort will be CHuuined to the United States. 

 Perhaps by and l' the organization will see 

 its way to extcii.; its border and take in 

 Canada. At any itile, we will be helped in- 

 directly. SomelhiLig of this sort may perhaps 

 be taken up in connection with our Ontario 

 Association. If lace permits we will next 

 month give the td of the Prospectus and 

 Constitution. 



" A Tork County Bee-Keeper," in the same 

 paper, expresses himself thus: 



When reading over the Constitution of The 

 Honey-Producers' League, the thought came 

 to me, "They can fight successfully honey 

 adulteration, but how are they going to get 

 at the producers of unripe honey?" While 

 this organization has plenty of difficulties in 

 the way, 1 think the one mentioned will be 

 one of the most formidable. What's the 

 matter with The Honey-Producers' League, 

 anyway* We think it a splendid idea, and 

 hope that in some way arrangements can 

 be made for us Canucks to take part in the 

 benefits. What say you, brethren? 



Surely, such expressions of confidence and 

 encouragement are appreciated, and should 

 result in bee-keepers coming forward with 

 their dues and thus aid in the proposed effort 

 to help themselves through a general adver- 

 tising of honey among the public. 



On another page of this number Mr. .1. E. 

 Johnson offers some good suggestions and 

 friendly criticisms. We hope his whole arti- 

 cle will be read carefully. What the bee- 

 keepers in his locality propose to do about 

 selling their honey crop should be followed 

 by the bee-keepers of every locality. And 

 that should be done itt addition to the 

 advertising that the League is organized to do. 



Mr. Johnson seems to think that the or- 

 ganizers of the League have made some mis 

 takes. But let us see about that. 



First, we think it is not likely that a bee- 

 supply manufacturing concern that does a 

 business of say S100,000 or more a year, is 

 going to raise prices in order to pay its 

 small annual dues as members of the League. 



As to what Mr. Johnson thinks is a second 

 mistake, we may say that the League has not 

 definitely decided to offer a .?10,U00 reward. It 

 may offer none at all 



As to the third mistake, there is no danger 

 of starting out too big in the advertising line, 

 for even SiiOOO would be too small an amount 

 with which to do big advertising. But we 

 must start in a way that will impress the peo- 

 ple that bee-keeping is more than a two-by- 

 four business. And then, having started 

 the advertising it should be continued several 

 months iu succession in each publication 

 used. 



It may not be known to many, but a single 

 cream separator firm spends over $50,000 a 

 year in advertising; several single poultry in- 

 cubator firms spend $10,000 or more annually. 

 We believe iLere is a certain stock food firm 

 that spends over $100,000 a year in advertis- 

 ing. A ful'-iJtigcadvertisement in the Ladies' 

 Home Joi::- . : .:osts about $4000 for just one 



