'^6 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



to see, I think at least two writers 

 say something like this, " I would 

 suggest sixteen cents for comb and 

 twelve for extracted." Evidently 

 these writers had the thought that 

 beekeepers actually would meet 

 and fix upon a price, and that price 

 would obtain, and they hastened to 

 suggest a proper price. If the 

 thing is to be settled simply by our 

 ipse dixit, I would suggest 22 

 cents for comb, and will be mag- 

 nanimous enough to concede to 

 those who raise extracted honey the 

 privilege of fixing upon a price to 

 suit themselves. I think it quite 

 possible that beekeepers could agree 

 upon a price and just possible, al- 

 though extremely improbable, that 

 all might be induced to hold to 

 that price, but in that case there is 

 the higliest probability that we 

 would keep a large part of our 

 honey. But to fix upon a price, 

 unless a very low one, without ref- 

 erence to the law of supply and 

 demand and sell all the crop at that 

 price for sure, the thing can't be 

 done. Even with so stable an ar- 

 ticle as wheat the thing could'nt be 

 done. If all tlie wheat-raisers in 

 the world should make a cast-iron 

 combination and agree upon a price 

 above the average in a year when 

 the yield was above the average, 

 the inevitable result would be that 

 the wheat would not be used. 



But while there has been much 

 written that is unreasonable I am 

 not with Mr. Demaree in his last 

 paragraph, if I understand him 

 rightly. Tliat is, I do not think 

 there is 7iothing that can be done by 

 some kind of united action. I think 

 he is entirely right that everything 

 possible must be done to cheapen the 

 cost of producing, but I think we are 

 not compelled to take blindly just 

 what is offered us any more than it 

 is possible for us to compel con- 

 sumers to give any price we may 

 fix upon. In middle ground there 

 is generally safety. Just how 



much can be done by united action 

 I am not prepared to say. Tliere 

 is one thing, however, that might 

 be done if all — ah ! that if — if 

 all would pull together. That is, 

 obtaining reliable information as to 

 the supply. There is no use tr}^- 

 ing to ignore the law of supply and 

 demand. If the supply is known 

 and the demand is known, it is not 

 so diflicult to estimate somewhat 

 as to the price. The demand is not 

 so very fluctuating, neither does it 

 fluctuate with great rapidity and 

 might be pretty closely estimated ; 

 but still it could hardly be fixed up- 

 on to a certainty. The supply, how- 

 ever, being all in the hands of bee- 

 keepers, it is possible to ascertain 

 exactly how much is produced each 

 year. Years ago I strenuously urged 

 this, and a plan was devised where- 

 by full information could have been 

 obtained as to the supply, at a cost 

 of not more than two cents to each 

 beekeeper if each had responded. 

 But they did'nt, and the thing was 

 a failure. Not one in ten cared 

 enough to write a postal. Perhaps 

 the time is now ripening for some- 

 thing of the kind. Perhaps I may 

 explain a little how such informa- 

 tion would be of benefit. A few 

 years ago there were buyers who 

 would pay cash for honey in any 

 quantity. I suppose some of them 

 made by it, but one year came when 

 they were badly bitten. They had 

 underestimated the amount pro- 

 duced and had to sell for less than 

 they had anticipated. Some of the 

 largest buyers since then will han- 

 dle hone}^ only on commission. It 

 is too uncertain a matter, and those 

 who now pay cash for honey are 

 fewer in number. If a firm knew 

 just how much honey was in the 

 country they could tell just what 

 they could afford to pay and it 

 would be better for all parties. 

 Another thing: suppose a bu^'er 

 asks me in August or September 

 what I will sell him my crop at, 



