242 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Apr. 22, 



perfectly square, and drop easily iuto the section, being care- 

 ful to nail them on the base (of J^ lumber) with a space of at 

 least 5/16 inch between each two blocl<s. With a little 

 practice an amateur can put in foundation very rapidly, and 

 make a good job. I have no doubt many of these appliances 

 are in use, but there are many small bee-keepers who know 

 nothing about them. 



I use the same kind of appliance for wiring frames and 

 putting in foundation, with one block fitting in the frame, the 

 top-bar resting on the base with a strip at the opposite edge 

 on which the bottom-bar rests. This insures the fioisht brood- 

 frame perfectly true and square. I cannot understand why 

 the supply dealers do not make and offer these appliances for 

 sale. 



I am very fond of honey and eat it with each meal, and 

 agree with S. La Mont, that the foundation is objectionable : 

 the combs drawn at the end of the season show the fishbone 

 more than that drawn earlier. On Feb. 21 my bees were out 

 in force, reminding me of swarming time. I found some half 

 a mile from home when I went to Sunday school, at 2 p.m. 



I am sorry amalgamation did not succeed, as I was wait- 

 ing to send a dollar for membership to the United States Bee- 

 Keepers' Union. Well, try, try again. 



Passaic Co., N. J. 



A New Bee-Keepers' Ualou Unwise. 



BY PROF. A. .J. COOK. 



I believe fully in the right of majorities to rule. It would 

 seem that the majority of the bee-keepers represented in the 

 National Bee-Keepers' Union desire that that organization do 

 not undertake to perform other work than that which it has 

 already prosecuted so admirably in the past. I am not so sure 

 this is true. I am inclined to the opinion, that many who 

 voted at the last election were not informed properly or 

 fully as to just what was intended. Is it not true that the 

 work of defending bee-keepers against unjust accusation and 

 attack, against ignorance, prejudice and enmity, is nearly 

 done? The success of each defense in the past, together with 

 the valuable precedents now on record in the courts, make it 

 very probable, as it seems to me, that very few such prosecu- 

 tions will be undertaken in the future, and so very few calls 

 will be made upon the old Union to engage further in the work 

 which it first set itself to do. 



If I am correct in the above judgment, then, plainly, the 

 old Union should undertake new work, or dissolve. Organiza- 

 tions, like the individuals that compose them, cannot afford to 

 stop work. It were well if no able-bodied man, who refuses 

 to work, even tho good— or shall we say evil — fortune has 

 made it unnecessary for him to labor to secure a maintenance, 

 could get food to eat. The world has no worthy use for the 

 hopelessly indolent man. I see no reason why a society should 

 not come under the same rule. If the individual has capital, 

 either in money, muscle, brain or soul, then all the more should 

 he be in the very midst of the world's work. Just so any so- 

 ciety or association that has power or prestige because of good 

 work previously done, or capital acquired, is under double 

 obligation to put its shoulder to the wheel of the world's in- 

 dustry. 



That the old Union has justly won confidence is true be- 

 yond question. It has not only a well-earned reputation, but it 

 also has capital, which has come because it has gained confidence 

 by that best of ways — good, efjficient service. The fact that it 

 has done so much less work in the last year or two proves conclu- 

 sively that there is no great call for the kind of work which it 

 has done in the past. The recent vote shows that it still has 

 the confidence of its members. It surely cannot retain confi- 

 dence unless it continues to do good work. Again, the society 

 has funds which are lying idle. It seems to me there is no ex- 

 cuse to withhold from doing any kind of service which will 

 tell for tte good of the bee-keeping fraternity. 



From the above facts I feel very certain that if the exact 

 state of the case were known to all the members of the Nation- 

 al Bee-Keepers' Union, that there would be an almost unani- 

 mous vote to take up the matters which now so sorely press 

 for attention. 



The matter of honey-adulteration is really one of the most 

 Important that can now receive attention. There Is no ques- 

 tion but what a great deal of adulterated honey is now sold in 

 all our great markets. This is to bo condemned from many 

 points of view. In tho first place, It Is a lie, and no lie is over 

 defensible. To sell a thing for what It is not, is and must ever 

 be demoralizing. Such practice should be denounced on every 

 hand, and no pains should be spared to stamp it out of exist- 

 ence. Again, this practice Interferes with the sale of the gen- 



uine, and so Is a wrong and injustice done to every producer 

 of honey. This is not all ; I am entirely certain that all honey 

 adulterated with glucose will soon become distasteful, and 

 thus the purchase of adulterated honey must ever tend to in- 

 jure the market for the pure article. People think they do 

 not like honey, whereas if they had only eaten genuine honey, 

 they still would have craved it, and would have continued to 

 buy. It seems to me, then, true beyond question, that r]0 bet- 

 ter service can be given to beekeepers than to unite all our 

 forces to drive this nefarjpus fraud out of existence. 



During the present winter, owing largely to the enter- 

 prise and hard work of one of California's most able and en- 

 terprising bee-keepers — Mr. Clayton-our State now has a 

 splendid law regarding adulteration of honey. Mr. Clayton 

 not only studied the subject thoroughly himself, but he called 

 to his assistance all available aids that the Bill might be as 

 near perfection as was possible. After perfecting the Bill, 

 Mr. Clayton, sustained by the State Association, and by indi- 

 vidual influence, prest the matter before the Legislature with 

 such emphasis, that I believe the Bill was the first one to pass 

 this session ; at least it was one of the first. The same energy 

 will bring the same result in every other State of our country ; 

 and what will still be better, unanimous effort throughout the 

 country would secure national legislation in this matter. 



Thus we have now only to see that this law is enforced. 

 We all know how difficult it is even when we have good legis- 

 lation, to execute laws where there is any considerable money 

 influence against such enforcement. Thus we need more than 

 law, in order to stop the work of honey-adulteration. We 

 must have just such an effort as the old Union has made in its 

 past struggles. I have not a question but what if the Nation- 

 al Bee-Keepers' Union would take up this matter with the 

 same wisdom and energy that carried on its past contests, we 

 should soon have as great victory in this line as we secured in 

 our past action. I cannot see how any one could oppose such 

 a course, if the matter was fully understood. I believe if we 

 will all unite and push this matter, we can soon secure action 

 that will make itself felt throughout the whole country. 



As one of the Vice-Presidents of the old Union, I most 

 earnestly urge that we commence action at once, in such 

 States as have efficient laws regarding honey-adulteration. I 

 know of no better place to begin work than right here in Cali- 

 fornia. No individual should be askt to do this work at his 

 own expense. The old Union can afford to do it, and could 

 commence operations with far greater hope of success than 

 could any Individual. I hope that all the other officers of the 

 Union will at once speak their mind on this subject, that we 

 may begin work at once, and press the matter to a speedy is- 

 sue. I thus urge every one of the officers to express opinion 

 through the American Bee Journal. In this way we can get 

 sentiment without being obliged to enter into correspondence 

 for a vote. 



It seems to me unwise to form a New Union. I have read 

 with much interest Mr. Mclntyre's article in last Gleanings. 

 I have great confidence in Mr. Mclntyre, know him to be one 

 of our best and most intelligent bee-keepers, and have the 

 most thorough respect for his judgment; yet I do not agree 

 with him in this matter. It seems to me that in this work, as 

 in all matters of this kind, it Is very important for all to hang 

 together. I have never seen any good results come from divi- 

 ded counsel. 



It has been made evident above, as it seems to me, that 

 the old Union is fully prepared and can now well take up this 

 new work. To double the organization, create a new set of 

 officers, and build up all the new machinery necessary to or- 

 ganize the new association, seems to me utterly unwise and In- 

 defensible. I believe Mr. Mclntyre will think the same, as he 

 T?ives the matter further consideration. We have an organi- 

 zation all ready to go to work. It has funds lying idle. It has 

 the prestige of past success. It certainly is just tho associa- 

 tion to grapple with this terrible enemy of adulteration. I 

 sincerely hope we may have an expression of opinion at once, 

 and that there may be no delay in taking hold of the new fight 

 with all the energy possible to command. 



Los Angeles, Calif. 

 [See page 248, for editorial comments on the above arti- 

 cle. — Editor.1 



Chatiglng the New Union's Name. 



BY EMERSON TAYI-OR ABBOTT. 



I have read the editonlal on my article, on page 178, and 

 I can agree with some of it, but not with all of it. As to the 

 name suggested, I am not over particular about that. 

 " League " would suit me very well, but I confess it does not 

 strike my fancy quite as well as " Alliance." The words are 



