180 



THE AMERICAN APIGULTURIST. 



and practical invention, and then 

 with thundering words of assump- 

 tion, denounce him for having dared 

 to make pubUc his discovery. 



There are those who cry down 

 patents, presumedly ( ?) because 

 they cannot control them, and then 

 if, perchance, something does arise 

 over which they can gain no control, 

 they do their utmost to damage it 

 by depreciating its value, a practice 

 that is only equalled by the wily 

 stranger, who forgets that your 

 pocket-book is not his own. 



If the beekeepers of America ever 

 intend to place apiculture on a firm 

 basis, they must individually put their 

 shoulders to the wheel and hands 

 to the plough, and show that they 

 have some energy and backbone. 



There is enough talk about reform 

 in government to make this country 

 a paradise, or in temperance, to close 

 every dram shop ; but just call for a 

 mustering of the troops who will 

 stand by the banner, and then look 

 with sorrow and regret as the talkers 

 pass into the background, and leave 

 but a handful of devoted followers. 



This appUes to every department 

 of life, and only when an evil strikes 

 hard at our own door, and curses our 

 own home, becoming unbearable to 

 the majority, any move is made. 



Apiculture in this country seems 

 to be fettered with the chains of 

 jealousy. If one dares to make an 

 outcry against any injustice or wrong, 

 even his very friends shudder with 

 apprehension, being fully aware that 

 he will either be treated with silent 

 scorn and cold neglect, or open 

 abuse, and, fearing that their individ- 

 ual interests will be threatened, many 



of those who know him to be in the 

 right, permit him to suffer injury, 

 rather than gather about him and 

 sustain the cause on the side of jus- 

 tice and right. 



There must be some reason why 

 our association work has not pro- 

 gressed, and why the beekeepers of 

 this country have no effective organ- 

 ization. 



We do not. and cannot, believe 

 that it is on account of any lack of 

 interest on the part of the masses of 

 beekeepers, as we have always found 

 them open-hearted, generous and 

 even enthusiastic. 



The trouble is now, and always 

 has been, that those who should be 

 the leaders ?£//// not act in harmony. 

 Why this is so the former must an- 

 swer. 



Of what use is it to produce mil- 

 lions of pounds of honey if there is 

 to be a glutted market? This is a 

 pertinent question, and one that is 

 often put to us. Our only answer 

 is that when the beekeepers are 

 ready to take the proper steps to 

 create a demand, there will be no 

 trouble in disposing of ten times the 

 honey that we now produce. 



Make the subject of association 

 work the theme and burden of your 

 talk at conventions and among your 

 neighbors. Keep the matter alive, 

 agitate it, and ere you are aware, 

 grand developments will be made in 

 our association work. 



Write to Mr. Thos. G. Newman, 

 925 West Madison St., Chicago, 111., 

 and after securing constitution and 

 by-laws of the proposed " Beekeep- 

 ers Union, " join it, and thus form a 

 nucleus for effective work. 



