312 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



May 20. 



CBORGB 'W. YORK, • Editor. 



PUBLISBT WEEKLY BY 



CEORCE W. YORK & COMPANY, 

 IIS Mtcbtgan St., - CHICAGO. ILK. 



$1.00 a Year— Sample Copy Sent Free. 

 (Bntered at the PoBt-Offlce at Chicago as Second-Class Mail-Matter. 



yoLinVII, CHICAGO, ILL,, MAY 20, M No, 20. 



Editorial Con)rr)cr)i$^ 



What Shall the Harvest Be?— If we may judge 

 from the reports we have received from almost every nook 

 and corner of the continent this spring, a good honey harvest 

 may be expected this year. In many localities the white 

 clover has once more made its appearance as of old, which 

 many take as a prophecy that better honey years are about to 

 re-appear. But whatever comes, let all be prepared. If that 

 " whatever " should prove to be a rich harvest of sweetness, 

 then don't run the risk of missing it by being unprepared to 

 take advantage of it. 



In a few short weeks now, many will be able to answer 



definitely the interesting question — " What shall the [honey] 



harvest be ?" 



•»-—- 



The St. Joseph Convention Report, whkh 

 should have been completed in December, 1S9J: (and would 

 have been had the Secretary done his duty), is taken up again 

 on page .309 of this number. We will publish the balance as 

 taken by the stenographic reporter, Mr. Louis R. Lighten. 



We thought best to delay giving the remainder of the 

 report until all others were done with, this spring, so now we 

 can go right through with what is left without any break. 

 We supposed there was quite a good deal left, but three or 

 four numbers will probably end it. What a pity it is that we 

 couldn't have had it all when it should have been here, in 

 November, 1894:, for then we could have completed it that 

 year. But history is quite interesting reading to many, and 

 so this closing part of the St. Jos^eph convention report may 

 prove to be. We hope it will be so. 



Keeping: Qualities of Extracted Honey.— 



Mr. C. H. Clayton, of Los Angeles Co., Cal., the framer of the 

 excellent anti-adulteration of honey law in that State, wrote 

 us as follows. May 1 : 



Editor YoHK : — A recent issue of the California Fruit- 

 Grower calls the attention of dealers, grocers and shippers of 

 honey to the new law alTectlng their interests (the anti-adul- 

 teration law which it publishes), and among other things has 

 the following choice gem : 



"They cannot put uu an extracted honey which in any 

 way is a compound, even tliiiiiijli il lie a fnel IIkU (in (ihsnlnWy 

 pure himcy in laekimj in l.eeiiinii iituiliiics. They cannot manu- 

 facture or sell a hoin^y which is an admixture, no matter how 

 Innocent or desirable that admixture may be." 



I Italicise the part of the foregoing that deserves our 

 attention, as It foreshadows the defense, or justification, 

 which will be set up by the adulterators. What have you to 

 say as to the keeping qualities of pure extracted honey ? 



As to the desirability of manufacturing an "admixture" 



— frankly I don't believe either the producer or the consumer 

 desires it, so it remains only "desirable " to dealers, grocers, 

 and shippers. I wish you would take up this subject of keep- 

 ing qualities, and bring out all the real information obtain- 

 able. It's going to be t/ic fight. Yours truly, 



C. II. Clayton. 



It will be noticed that Prof. Cook, in his article on page 

 307, also refers to this same subject. 



We think Mr. Clayton has it exactly right, when he sug- 

 gests that the "admixture" is desired only by dealers, 

 grocers and shippers, and for the simple reason that they 

 have been getting a bigger profit out of handling the fraudu- 

 lent article than out of the pure honey. 



The idea that a properly ripened article of "absolutely 

 pure honey Is lacking in keeping qualities '.'' That will be 

 news to bee-keepers. What excuses won't the dishonestly in- 

 clined hatch up in order to create prejudice and to uphold 

 their miserable cause ? 



But suppose we help out our California friends — the bee- 

 keepers — with a little testimony along the line of the keeping 

 qualities of extracted honey. How long has it been kept in 

 perfect condition by the older readers of the Bee .Journal? 

 Let's hear from a few, just on a postal card. 



Our opinion is that first-class extracted honey will keep 



indefiuitely. 



^ . » 



New Union and the Bee Journal.— In order 

 to help our subscribers, and also the United States Bee Keep- 

 ers' Union at the same time, we have decided to offer a year's 

 subscription to the American Bee Journal and a year's mem- 

 bership dues in the New Union, both together, for $1.75. 

 But it must be understood that in order to get this rate, all 

 arrearages of subscriptions must be paid, and the $1.75 rate 

 to apply on advance subscription. 



Now send us your orders, and we will attend to turning 

 over the $1.00 membership fee to the New Union, on each 

 subscription to the Bee Journal as per the above offer. This 

 ought to add 500 members to the New Union by June 1. If 

 it does, our contribution will be just $125. 



Now, if you want to see the New Union succeed in its 



grand work, in the interest of all the bee-keepers, come on 



with your cash. General Manager Secor is just aching to do 



his part whenever he sees sufficient funds in the treasury to 



pay the bills. 



•»-»-* 



Noticing- New Bee-Papers is thus very aptly 

 referred to by Editor Holtermaun, of the Canadian Bee Jour- 

 nal : 



" It is no kindness to draw attention to a paper which in 

 nine cases out of ten is trying to occupy a field already well 

 covered, which will give inferior service, and when, often, the 

 unlucky subscriber gets after a few months nothing for his 

 money." 



Thai's it, exactly. Why in the name of creation should 

 any new papers in any line be encouraged by those already 

 fully occupying that line ? We could mention several outside 

 of bee-keepitig that would better never have been started at 

 all, for they proved only a source of loss to their publishers. 



liut it seems some people have a sort of itching to get into 

 the publishing business, and that often without the slightest 

 adaptation to that very risky field. What, then, can be kinder 

 on the part of every one, than to discourage all such ventures 

 when it is known that only loss and disappointment can be 

 the legitimate and final result? 



New papers in any field already fully occupied must ex- 

 pect to have a hard road to travel, and then feel pretty well 

 assured that success is well nigh unattainable. 



In view of the wreck-strewn shore of the tempestuous 

 sea of bee-journalism, it would seem that no sane person 

 would for an instant entertain the Idea of starting a bee-paper 

 those days. But, then, 'tis said that the fools are never all 

 dead. 



