894 



Oct. 25, 1906 



American Ttee Journal 



cane-syrup) "better than honey for less 

 money," proved clearly to us that the one 

 who wrote those rhythmical words must have 

 had in mind a poor grade of hoDey-dew, or 

 amber honey spoiled by overheating. It 

 tasted more like New Orleans molasses. He 

 certainly never tasted ihe fine white clover, 

 alfalfa, basswood, sage, or other tine bee- 

 honeys with which to compare his glucose 

 product. 



To be sure, we got about a pint of the stuff 

 for 10 cents. Yes, it's cheap. Everybody 

 knows that glucose is cheap. 



We doubt not some good people will be- 

 lieve the catchy advertisement, and buy a 

 sample of "he-bee melasses," thinking tbey 

 are really getting something better than gen- 

 uine honey-bee honey. After sampling it, 

 we think they would agree with us, that if 

 the fixed-up glucose is " better than honey," 

 we surely wouldn't want either the corn- 

 syrup or genuine honey. 



But we doubt if many people can be fooled 

 into investing very heavily in this " he-bee 

 molasses." 



Well, it seems our prediction came true, 

 that not " many people can be fooled into in- 

 vesting heavily in this ' he-bee molaases.' " 



If we remember rightly, on the label of 

 every can of Karo Corn Syrup was indicated 

 the contents as 15 percent cane-syrup and 85 



percent glucose. And that was to be consid- 

 ered "better than honey!" Well, the good 

 people of this country anew better just as 

 soon as they got a taste of the villainous 

 stuff. One taste — less than a half teaspoon- 

 ful — was enough for us. 



It doesn't pay to misrepresent in advertis- 

 ing any more than in anything else. Neither 

 does it pay to force an untrue comparison, 

 especially when it comes to honey, for what 

 could be " better than honey for less money?" 

 Surely, not a mixture of almost nine tenths 

 glucose. And the great public — the people 

 who eat — soon discovered the misrepresenta- 

 tion, and simply would not be imposed upon. 

 It was a deliberate attempt to displace honey 

 as a table article, but the scheme didn't work. 

 The fact is, there is no substitute for honey ; 

 and if beekeepers could spend as much 

 money to advertise honey as was spent on 

 trying to popularize the miserably tasting 

 " Karo-Korn Konkoktion," we believe it 

 would create such a demand for honey as 

 would take every pound, every year, and at a 

 greatly increased price over present market 

 quotations. 



Miscellaneous 

 flews -Items 



^^ — . _ 



The San Antonio Convention of the 



National Bee-Keepe/s' Association, as most of 

 our readers know, is to be held Nov. 8, 9, and 

 10. The Texas bee-keepers are making large 

 plans for entertaining the visiting bee-keep- 

 ers. One item is a Mexican banquet, and the 

 following is the menu, taken from The Api- 

 arist, a monthly bee-paper published at 

 Waco, Tex. : 



"Tamales, Chile Concarne, Mendo Enchila- 

 dos, Polo Canaros, Corbreto Langua Lam- 

 priodo, Frejoles Tritos, Con Tartillas." 



We believe the Northern bee-keepers were 

 not to be informed of the special menu, 

 but instead they were to be taken by sur- 

 prise. After reading the above suspicious 

 list of dainties, we think there will be enough 

 surprise to last until the close of the conven- 

 tion, even if some of it begins thus early. It 

 certainly will be a kindness to all who ex- 

 pect to go from the North to be forewarned, 

 for if the proposed menu is as deadly as is in- 

 dicated by the unpronounceable names of the 

 various dishe6, it might lead one to be sus- 

 picious; and then, indeed, we should all go 

 prepared for the worst. We can not imagine 

 what Northern bee-keepers have done to 

 merit such a " treat " as proposed by the 

 Texas brethren. It may be, however, that no 

 one will be compelled to consume everything 

 on the menu. At any rate, if our Texas 

 friends can flourish on such bomb-like things 

 all the year around, those of us who will be 

 there for only a few days ought to be able to 

 stand it fairly well, or at least escape with our 



lives and whatever aches may result from in- 

 dulging in a Mexican menu. 



At this time, the special car of bee-keepers 

 to start from Chicago at 10:37 a.m., Nov. 6, 

 seems to be well assured. We hope, however, 

 that there will be others who will want to 

 join the company, and will also let us know 

 as soon as possible. We now have a diagram 

 of the tourist 6leeping-car in our office, and 

 are making reservations for berths. The 

 car will hold about 50 persons in all, and we 

 hope that all the berths will be taken. The 



route is over the Frisco System, which is one 

 of the best from Chicago to Texas. It will 

 be a 2 day6' trip, and should be thoroughly 

 enjoyed by all who will be fortunate enough 

 to join the special-car company of bee- 

 keepers. 



The Bee-Inspectors' Meeting to be 



held in San Antonio, Tex., Nov. 12, promises 

 to be a good one. The following provisional 

 program has been arranged : 



Demonstration of Bacteria of Bee-Diseases — 

 Dr. G. F White, United States Department of 

 Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 



History of Bee-Disease Inspection in Wis- 

 consin — N. E. France, Inspector of Apiaries 

 for Wisconsin. 



General discussion of existing bee-disease 

 laws. An examination of laws now in force, 

 and suggestions for most effective legislation. 



The Introduction of European Foul Brood 

 into Michigan — W. Z. Hutchinson, Inspector 

 of Apiaries for Michigan. 



The Inspection of European Foul Brood in 

 New York — Charles Stewart, Inspector of 3d 

 District of New York. 



Foul Brood on the Pacific Coast — F. A. 

 Parker, former Inspector of Santa Barbara 

 County. 



The Present Status of the Investigation of 

 Bee-Diseases — Dr. E. F. Phillips, United 

 States Department of Agriculture. 



Reports of Inspectors from the various 

 States and Counties on the progress of in- 

 speotion. 



This program is subject to such changes as 

 may be necessary, but it will indicate the 

 character of the meeting. All persons inter- 

 ested in bee disease inspection are urged to 

 attend. A number of persons prominent in 

 this work have agreed to be present. 



E. F. Phillips, 

 Acting in Charge of Apiculture. 



Washington, D. C. 



"The Brood Diseasps of Bees," be- 

 ing Circular No. 79 of the Bureau of Ento- 

 mology, Washington, D. C, is on our desk. 

 Dr. E. F. Phillips, Apicultural Expert, is its 

 author. It treats of American and European 

 foul brood principally, giving methods of 

 successful treatment for both summer and 

 fall. A copy of it may be had free by ad- 

 dressing the author. It is a very condensed 

 statement of the subject, and will be found of 

 exceeding interest to bee-keepers. 



National Bee-Keepers' Association 



will hold its 37th annual convention in San 

 Antonio, Tex., Nov. 8, 9, and 10 Will you 

 be there? 



J. E. Johnson. — The engraving of Mr. 

 Johnson, on the first page, was from a photo- 

 graph taken about 18 years ago. It was made 

 in a hurry for the last Illinois State Report, 

 which was published in pamphlet form. 

 There is no photograph gallery where Mr. 

 Johnson lives, and there was not time enough 

 to go away and have a new photograph 

 taken. Mr. Johnson thinks the photograph 

 flatters him very much, but as we have had 

 the pleasure of meeting him within the past 

 year, we can testify to the fact that while 



quite a few years have passed since the origi- 

 nal photograph was taken, yet the subject has 

 been very well preserved — probably in some 

 honey — which would account for his keeping 

 so young and fresh looking. (Please do not 

 think that Mr. Johnson is at all " fresh " in 

 the slang use of that word, for he is not.) 



Mr. Johnson found his first swarm of bees 

 in a hollow tree. His father and the hired 

 man cut the tree, hived the bees in a box, 



(Continued on page 902.) 



