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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Bee. 30, 



No pure food law evp.r was or ever will be enacted unless 

 In answer to the demand of the people. Neither will It en. 

 force itself when on the statute books. Somebody must look 

 after it. It is the aim and purpose of this Association to aid 

 in the enactment and enforcement of laws in States and Na- 

 tion, protecting apiarian interests. 



Another field of usefulness which this association has out- 

 lined is the bringing to justice of dishonest honey commission 

 men. I believe the simple fact of our organization and declar- 

 ation of intentions has already had a wholesome effect on this 

 class of swindlers. We purpose, if evidence is produced show- 

 ing fraudlent dealing with our members, to employ the best 

 legal talent obtainable, and to make it so hot for all such fel- 

 lows that they will want to emigrate to the Klondike or some 

 other cool region where the stings of conscience and a bee- 

 keepers' union are supposed to be unknown. 



We have been solicited more than once to help bee-keepers 

 out of trouble who are not members of the Union. It ought 

 not to be necessary to say that this organization was effected 

 " to protect the interests of its members ; to defend them in their 

 la^vf^^l rights." While we intend to protect the industry ot 

 bee-keeping, and promote its interests in every way possible, 

 no one can reasonably expect personal aid who does not afSli- 

 ate himself with the Union. Let us learn a lesson from simi- 

 lar industrial organizations, the dairy associations for in- 

 stance. Let us put aside jealousies and bickerings and unite 

 in one powerful organization and march to victory. 



FINANCIAL STATEMENT. 



Amount received from Secretary Dr. A. B. Mason. . .$180 09 

 Amount received from members direct & other sources 23 00 



Total receipts to Dec. 10, 1897 $203 09 



Paid for letter heads, postage, postal cards, 

 envelopes, and printing annual report and 

 other blanks $ 21 00 



Balance on hand 182 09 



$203 09 

 It may be thought by some that the net balance from 

 about 250 paying members is quite small. It should be borne 

 in mind, however, that the necessary expenses growing out of 

 two annual meetings had to be met by the Secretary. These 

 expenses, such as printing programs, publishing proceedings, 

 badges, postage, etc., and $25 as a very inadequate compen- 

 sation to the Secretary, all amount to $57.16. The other ex- 

 penses shown above are unavoidable. If our membership 

 were 1,000 the expenses would be but little more. 



Trusting that Information I have given you will be satis- 

 factory and that during the year to come you will all be blest 

 with health, prosperity and happiness, I am 



Sincerely and fraternally yours, 



Eugene Secor, Treas .t Oen. Man. 

 Forest City, Iowa, Dec. 19. 



Honey as Food is the name of a 24-page pamphlet, 

 3l4xi}i4 inches, which we are now printing for general dis- 

 tribution among those who should bo users of honey. It is 

 just the thing for bee-keepers to hand to every one of their 

 customers, and also to those whom they would like to have as 

 customers. It is very handy In size — just right to go into an 

 ordinary business envelope. It contains 12 illustrations, five 

 of which are somewhat comic, and help to make it attractive. 

 There Is a blank space for your name and address. About 

 X of the pamphlet was written by Dr. Miller, and then we 

 added thereto many new and valuable honey recipes — for 

 cooking and for medicinal purposes. In all, it makes a neat 

 little pamphlet. Send name and address and we will mall you 

 a sample of " Honey as Food." 



Prices for quantities, postpaid — 25 for 30 cents; 50 for 

 50 cents ; 100 for 85 cents : 200 for $1.40. By express, 

 not prepaid. 500 (or $3.00; 1,000, $5.00. 







Selling Honey — How to Develop a Demand. 



BV C. V. DADANT. 



I notice in Gleanings a very good method for attracting 

 the attention of the public to the bee-business, and selling 

 large quantities of honey at retail. It is by the exhibition of 

 bees in an observing hive in the grocery in connection with the 

 honey exhibit. The only objection I can see to this method 

 is that it can only be followed successfully in mild weather 

 without injury to the bees thus exhibited. In cold weather the 

 bees would be sure to suffer and would make a sorry sight, and 

 I could point to many a bee-lover who would hesitate to sacrifice 

 even but a few of his bees for the sake of the gain this might 

 bring him. 



The method given shows that it is only necessary to at- 

 tract the consumer's attention to the honey-business, and to 

 show him conclusively that it is wholesome and pure, in order 

 to sell large quantities of it. Thus it is much easier to culti- 

 vate a home market than a foreign demand, since we are best 

 known by our neighbors. I will here give an account of the 

 most successful home advertising we ever succeeded in, altho 

 without premeditation on our part. 



The undersigned is a member of the Warsaw Horticul- 

 tural Society, one of the oldest local horticultural associations 

 in Illinois. It has long been the custom for this association 

 to meet monthly at the home of one of its members. In 1889 

 it was our turn to entertain them, and as the year was a suc- 

 cessful one for bees, I askt the Secretary to give us the July 

 meeting, with the view of giving them the pleasure of an ex- 

 hibit of honey-extracting and comb-foundation making. This 

 was promptly acquiesced in. 



It so happened that Mr. Jonathan Perlam, then editor of 

 the Prairie Farmer, had promist to attend this meeting and 

 deliver a speech. The announcement of this, together with 

 the promise of our intended exhibit of work attracted a crowd 

 larger than had ever been seen at any of the meetings of this 

 association. Not only did the farmers come en masse, but 

 more than 400 business men of the cities of Keokuk, Warsaw 

 and Hamilton attended the meeting, and our extracting-room 

 was literally packt with men, women and children during the 

 greater part of the day. Three men were kept busy explain- 

 ing the mysteries of bee-keeping and of honey-extracting, and 

 nearly every visitor tasted of the honey. 



This meeting did more to make our business known in our 

 immediate vicinity than any amount of printed advertising 

 could have done, and our sales of honey were henceforth 

 much facilitated. 



Any method that will attract the attention of the public 

 and create any enquiry will prove beneficial to the honey in- 

 terest. Altho honey is the very best of sweets, it is still con- 

 sidered as a luxury by many, and by many others there is such 

 a fear of adulteration that they are afraid to buy it. Do away 

 with the fear, replacing it with confidence, and sell at low 

 prices, and the sales will be almost unlimited. The greatest 

 trouble with our bee-keepers is that they dislike pushing their 

 goods forward, even among their neighbors. They prefer to 

 ship in bulk to some commission-man who will perhaps return 

 to them a price which they would have considered unaccept- 

 able If It had been offered them by the home trade. Neither 

 can we blame the commission-man, for it is not his fault if 



