172 



THE AMERICAN APICULTUEIST. 



hand ; and now, in the hour of trial, 

 they begin to realize their true sit- 

 uation, and beg for recognition., 



Organization will benefit bee- 

 keepers most in marketing their pro- 

 ducts. We are now on the verge 

 of marketing our new crop, and are 

 anxiousl.y awaiting reports in re- 

 gard to prices, and the amount of 

 honey that is likely to be placed 

 upon our larger markets ; whether 

 the quality is A No. 1, or inferior, 

 and what proportion will grade first, 

 second and third ; whether the east- 

 ern crop is short, thus causing a 

 a demand for our western brothers 

 to supply ; or if the yield west is 

 below an average and theii- markets 

 must be supplied from the east. 



We want to know the amount 

 and quality of the crop in California 

 and also the condition of the mar- 

 kets in Europe ; we want to know 

 if the English buyers feel disposed 

 to purchase on the Pacific coast, or, 

 if they anticipate buying east of tlie 

 Mississippi ; we want to know at 

 all times the movements of honey 

 and thus be able to take advantage 

 of anj^ weak point, and avoid rushing 

 all of our honey upon some market 

 (that opens with a strong demand 

 and good prices) and causing a glut- 

 ted market. There are many other 

 points we would like to keep posted 

 upon, but these are a few of the 

 principal ones, and are questions 

 of great importance to every apia- 

 rist. 



I heav some one say — very true, 

 you are right, but how can this val- 

 uable knowledge be attained? If 

 you will impart such knowledge to 

 me I am willing to pay for it, but 



I cannot afford to spend m}- time 

 and rack my brain, for the sake of 

 imparting this information to my 

 neighbor, who is alread}^ crowd- 

 ing me, and who never gives a dol- 

 lar, or an}' time, in any such good 

 work. Furthermore, I don't believe 

 such information is obtainable. 



But wait a little, don't be too 

 hasty, and I will try and tell you 

 about this a little farther along. 

 Let us look at our present situa- 

 tion, and see our real condition : 

 first, some few who possibly have 

 only a few colonies, comparatively 

 speaking, and being favored with 

 a splendid locality, and propi- 

 tious weather, obtain a large sur- 

 plus of honey : the}' run over with 

 enthusiasm and rush to some bee 

 journal to have their report pub- 

 lished. The yield with the special- 

 ists or larger producers in the same 

 state may be much below the aver- 

 age. The}' do not inform their 

 brother beekeepers of such fact, 

 and make no report (as this class 

 of apiarists seldom do), for fear of 

 being laughed at, or classed as 

 second-rate beekeepers. Then 

 again two neighboring beekeepers 

 make reports ; the one, reporting 

 last, wants to outdo all the rest 

 and greatly exaggerates the facts. 

 Well, our journals publish these re- 

 ports and what is the result? 



Our dealers in honey, and our 

 commission merchants, take the bee 

 journals. They see these reports, 

 and at once take up the argument 

 that there is a very large yield in 

 the country. Ask them what leads 

 them to such belief; they will an- 

 swer you thus : why, if a compara- 



