144 THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



will be compelled to "get together" in some strong, united central selling agency, 

 in order to market their products in a way that will let them live. The great 

 trouble is, that there are too many leeches between the producer and the con- 

 sumer. Understand me, I do not mean to say that all middle-men are leeches 

 or parasites, but some of them are. A more direct marketing scheme or plan 

 will have to be originated. The producer is not getting his rightful share of 

 the consumer's dollar. Far too much of it is going for transportation charges, 

 and for handling the products between producer and consumer. This applies 

 also to honey and its producers. 



One trouble in the past has been that large producers of honey have seemed 

 to think that Chicago and New York were the only cities or markets to which 

 to ship their honey. The result was that so much honey came into those cities 

 that the price was lowered, and the honey prices of those two markets seemed 

 almost to govern everywhere else. 



There are many smaller markets that have been passed by, which, no doubt, 

 would have taken a fair supply of honey, and at a fairly profitable price. Now, 

 what the National Association proposes to do is to put its affiliated Branches in 

 touch with those neglected markets, and thus keep all more evenly supplied 

 Vi'ith honey. This must be a wise thing to do, and when once in operation should 

 go far toward equalizing the honey crop among the places that will take it at 

 fairly remunerative prices. 



Another thing that should be done, is to advertise honey. The amount of 

 general ignorance regarding the healthful qualities of honey is indeed most 

 surprising. I dare say not one person in ten knows anything at all about the 

 value of honey as an article of food. Other things have been successfully ad- 

 vertised, hence their sale is greatly increased. 



One would naturally suppose that butter would need no general publicity in 

 order to sell it, but I have seen certain brands of butter advertised extensively 

 during the past few years. If butter needs advertising, then how much more 

 does honey require it? 



But of course it takes money to advertise. Still, if every commercial honey 

 producer would contribute only a little to a general advertising fund, you would 

 be surprised how soon it would amount to a respectable fund. Say % cent per 

 pound for extracted and J4 cent for comb, that would be $2.50 for every ton of 

 extracted, and $5.00 for every ton of comb honey. The producer of ten tons 

 of extracted honey would pay only $25.00 as his share of the annual adver- 

 tising fund. 



The important question of "brand" always appears when it comes to adver- 

 tising any product. But the National Association will likely be able to take 

 care of that matter whenever it comes to it. 



I wish I could induce every bee-keepers' organization to become a Branch 

 of the National, and send its delegates to the annual meetings, for then, I believe 

 in a few years the National would be in a position to prove to its mem- 

 bership its real value. 'Tn union there is strength." The more local Branches 

 the National has, the stronger it will be, and the more it can do for all. It will 

 then be only a question of time until it can be a power in the marketing of 

 honey, in finding new markets, in advertising honey as a health food, and in 

 doing numberless things for the benefit of honey producers which it cannot do 

 now because of its small resources and limited membership. 



The present Board of Directors are doing all they can to place the Nat'onal 

 on a firm basis, but they need all the help they can possibly get. They are 

 working on a big problem, and must have the combined wisdom and experience 

 of as many live, progressive, honey producers as they can enlist in behalf of 

 the success of the Association. 



I hope the Cincinnati convention will mark an epoch in the history of the 

 National Association, and that in the very near future will be seen just how 

 great things it can do for the upbuilding and extension of bee-keeping and. 

 honey production in America. 



With high hopes for a larger success and development in the business of 

 honey production, on account of the efforts of the National Bee-Keepers' Asso- 

 ciation, and with a deep appreciation of the honor it has conferred upon me as 



