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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL- 



waste just as much as the wood. But 

 even if Mr. Melbee's figures were all 

 straight, the question remains unan- 

 swered as to how so much more than 

 usual prices can be obtained. Can you 

 tell, Mr. Editor, how people that can buy 

 extracted honey at the groceries for 12 

 or 15 cents a pound shall be willing to 

 give 24 for it ? 



In the imaginary talk with that imag- 

 inary lady, Mr. Melbee thinks I made a 

 rather poor "out" of it, and hints that if 

 I were working for him, I'd have to eat 

 my victuals without salt. Well, I did 

 the best I could in the way of replies, 

 and if it's so easy as he seems to think, 

 why don't he tell us what replies would 

 silence her ? I don't know how to do it, 

 but I'm willing to learn. 



Mr. Melbee thinks he has the right to 

 infer that I am exceedingly wealthy 

 from the sale of my honey crops. That 

 might be a proper inference if my main 

 object in life was to make money, or if 

 that was the reason of my giving up 

 other business to keep bees. As a mat- 

 ter of fact, I don't think I can make 

 more money at bees than at any other 

 occupation," but I think on the whole I 

 can have a happier life at it and do more 

 to make others happy. I am frank to 

 say that money is not my chief aim in 

 life. But will you kindly tell me, Mr. 

 Editor, what in the world that has to do 

 with the subject in hand ? We're trying 

 to find out how to get those big prices, 

 and what has my wealth or poverty to 

 do with it? I think I can see how Mr. 

 Melbee's financial condition may have 

 something to do in the case, for as you 

 have held him up as an example for imi- 

 tation, his success, less or greater, has a 

 direct bearing. 



Just one more thing about what Mr. 

 Melbee says: I'd like to ask, Mr. Edi- 

 tor, what possible bearing on the case 

 one passage has, which reads as follows: 

 "Not many years ago the doctor stated 

 publicly, if my memory is not at fault, 

 that he could not produce first-grade 

 comb honey under a special classifica- 

 tion, whereas there were others who 

 thought they could. And, judging from 

 what was shown at the World's Fair 

 houey exhibit last year, it was plain to 

 see that the Doctor was right in what he 

 thought he could not do in that direc- 

 tion." Now suppose the honey I sent to 

 the Fair was candied and leaking; every 

 comb cracked, the honey the color of 

 New Orleans molasses and the comb to 

 match, with worms crawling over every 

 fifth comb, will you tell us what that has 

 to do with getting 24 cents a pound for 

 extracted honey ? Fortunately for me, 



I do not depend for the sale of my honey 

 upon those who regularly read the bee- 

 papers, so this expose by Mr. Melbee 

 may not do me a great deal of harm. 



Incase, however, that inquiries should 

 come to you, it might be best to have 

 you fully informed. At any rate, I'd 

 just as soon tell you about that honey. 

 You know that the two men that had in 

 charge the Illinois exhibit were the ef- 

 ficient President and Secretary of the 

 Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association — 

 nice men, too. Early in the season one 

 of them asked me to make some prepar- 

 ation for the Fair, and suggested some- 

 thing in the fancy line for me to under- 

 take. Between being very busy and 

 having no desire to have anything to do 

 with what then promised to be a Sunday- 

 opening affair, I made no extra prepara- 

 tions whatever. But toward the last the 

 way seemed clear, and I sent a few 

 cases of as good as I had. Unfortunately 

 it miscarried, and was a long time get- 

 ting to its destination. 



About the last of the time for receiv- 

 ing honey for the exhibit I got a tele- 

 gram, "Can you send us a thousand 

 pounds of honey?" Without knowing 

 whether they wanted to beg, borrow or 

 buy it, I said "Yes;" (I may say in 

 parenthesis, they paid me very promptly 

 a good price for it), and they told me to 

 send by express. I sent in regular ship- 

 ping-cases, and the honey was just 

 about what I had for my regular trade, 

 perhaps sorted a shade closer. One of 

 them wrote me that it was the best lot 

 of honey they had received, and the 

 other endorsed the opinion, and I be- 

 lieve Messrs. Hambaugh and Stone knew 

 a thing or two about what good honey 

 ought to be. So if my honey was the 

 best, or even among the best of the Illi- 

 nois exhibit, I don't feel greatly worried 

 about finding a market for what I can 

 produce, even if I can't "produce first- 

 grade comb honey under a special classi- 

 fication." 



I believe, Mr. Editor, that's all I want 

 to say about Mr. Melbee, unless you are 

 willing to tell me whether he's a man or 

 a woman, and if a man, how much big- 

 ger than I: and if you think it would be 

 safe for me to meet him on a dark night 

 on a lonely road. 



Now, Mr. Editor, I come back to you, 

 as needy as before, and ask if you will 

 tell how. You see, it's no use to tell us 

 a thing can be done, and then leave us 

 without giving us any hint as to how it 

 can be done. I will say to you in all 

 honesty, that while I am skeptical as to 

 putting your plan in general practice, 



