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GEORGE \V. YORK, Editor 



CHICAGO, ILL., AUGUST 30, 1906 



Vol. XLVI— No, 35 



CdifoHal Mote 

 and Comments 



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LcG=2ii 



Fresh Blood in the Apiary 



Experienced bee-keepers need no advice on 

 this point. Some of the most successful with 

 bees giving satisfactory service, have still 

 thought it advisable to get fresh queens from 

 a number of different sources, in hopes that 

 something better might be found, or that the 

 intermingling of new blood might infuse at 

 least a little additional vigor. If. out of 6 

 queens bought, 5 proved inferior, there was 

 no lamentation, provided the sixth proved at 

 least a little better than the old stock. 



There are thousands of bee-keeper6 going 

 on from year to year with bees not up to the 

 average, and yet never having made the 

 slightest effort toward improvement. The in- 

 vestment of a few dollars, or even a single 

 dollar, would be likely to yield a profit not to 

 be despised. Suppose we figure a little. One 

 of these men has such bees that in a series of 

 years he has a yield of honey that yields him 

 on the average a certain amount — say S2.50 

 per colony. If he will spend a dollar for an 

 untested queen, and requeen his apiary of 50 

 colonies with that blood, the likelihood is that 

 instead of S2.50 per colony he will have $3. 

 In many a case the increase would be a good 

 deal more, and in some cases less. Let us, 

 however, be very conservative, and estimate 

 that the increase will only come a year after 

 the purchase of his new queen. At 10 cents 

 per colony, the gain on the 50 colonies would 

 be So. In 5 years it would be {35. Would he 

 not consider it a profitable thing to have the 

 investment of a dollar bring him in $25 with- 

 in 5 or 6 years? The average apiary, however, 

 which has never before had fresh blood intro- 

 duced can be pretty safely counted on to 

 gain 5 times as much. 



Neither should the figuring in this line be 

 confined to those with stock away below the 



average. Not many apiaries are stocked with 

 bees of such character that fresh blood might 

 not bring material gain. In any case it may 

 be well worth while for many a reader to do 

 a little figuring and thinking as to whether 

 he might not do a profitable thing to make a 

 little change in his stock; this without in the 

 least conflicting with the thought that proper 

 selection and breeding from the best in his 

 own apiary is always in order. 



Co-operation Among Bee-Keepers 



In several parts of the country there seems 

 to be a desire on the part of bee-keepers to 

 benefit themselves through some plan of co- 

 operative effort. This is an excellent idea. 



There are two directions in which, so far, 

 something has been attempted that promises 

 success, and, in fact, has succeeded to an ex- 

 tent. One line is that of buying bee-supplies ; 

 and the other, marketing the honey crop. 



As to buying bee-supplies, it certainly is a 

 good plan for a number of local bee-keepers 

 to club together, and have one of their num- 

 ber order for all, then on receipt of the goods 

 distribute them. Or, if the local bee-keepers 

 are not too widely scattered, they can form a 

 bee-keepers' organization, then select some 

 member as manager, and have him order sup- 

 plies for all the members. 



In either case, whoever is to do the order- 

 ing, can write to several manufacturers for 

 prices on whatever goods are wanted. In 

 that way, doubtless, almost wholesale prices 

 could be secured, as it would be buying in 

 large quantities or in something like a whole- 

 sale way. It seems to us that quantity should 

 govern prices, and not the fact that a bee- 

 keeper is a member of a certain organization. 

 We should think that dealers and manufac- 



turers would save themselves much trouble 

 and annoyance, and could allow even lower 

 prices, if goods are ordered in large quanti- 

 ties, and to be shipped to one place. 



When it comes to selling honey, surely it is 

 a splendid way for several producers to load 

 a car; or, if a bee-keepers' association, to 

 load several car6, rather than to sell and ship 

 individually, and thus run the risk of more or 

 less breakage and loss in shipping. 



We believe that bee-keepers would do well 

 to get together in local groups, and work at 

 least the co-operation plans mentioned. Of 

 course, when it comes to State or National 

 co-operation among bee-keepers, that is a dif- 

 ferent matter. Bee-keeper6 are usually too 

 much scattered over a State, or throughout 

 the United States, to make much of a success 

 of co-operation on such large scales, but if 

 limited to localities we believe it could be 

 done all right. 



We used to think that something could be 

 done in a national way to handle the honey 

 crop. But there seems to be too much dis- 

 trust existing ever to accomplish anything if 

 a whole State, or the whole United 8tate6, 

 were taken in on a co-operation plan. There 

 are always some who are afraid the other fel- 

 low will make a nickel for himself in the 

 deal, no matter how much he may have done 

 to help put dollars into the pockets of all. 

 But if a few local bee-keepers get together, 

 where all are personally and intimately ac- 

 quainted with each other, we believe a satis- 

 factory business can be done for all who join 

 in 6uch co-operative effort. 



We should be glad to hear from any who 

 think they have really practical plans along 

 these lines; and especially from those who 

 may already have succeeded satisfactorily, if 

 there are such. 



Where Best to Market Honey 



Even though the present 6eason has been 

 rather unfavorable for a great many bee- 

 keepers, no doubt there are others who have 

 been more fortunate, and will have some 

 honey to dispose of. In such latter cases the 

 question will arise, Where can I sell honey to 

 the best advantage? 



Perhaps in the majority of instances the 

 home market will prove best, especially where 

 the honey crop is not a large one. It rarely 



