(Entered at the Post-oaBcu at Chicago as Second-Class Mail-Mattur.) 

 Published Weekly at $1.00 a Year, by Georse W. York & Co., 334 Dearborn Street. 



GEORGE W. YORK, Editor 



CHICAGO, ILL., JANUARY 10, 1907 



Vol- XLVII— No, 2 



editorial ^ofes 

 and Commenfs 



Grand Future for Money 



Last week we had something to say about 

 the effect of the National Pure Food Law on 

 the demand for unadulterated food products. 

 A few days after we wrote the matter referred 

 to, we received a letter from one of the lead- 

 ing bee-keepers and apiarian writers of this 

 country, who, in referring to the glucose 

 manufacturers, said: 



" I do not now see but what they will have 

 to quit making glucose, if it is a fact that 

 such mixtures, when properly labeled, will 

 not sell. I tell you, Mr. York, I believe there 

 is a grand future bffore the honey-business, 

 and already we are beginning to see the effect 

 of the new Pure Food Law. California honey 

 has been adulterated very largely when it got 

 to the East, you know. That can not be done 

 any more now, and what is the result? Prices 

 are going up very rapidly on that grade of 

 honey. A report from California says that 

 sage honey has now reached a level in price 

 that it has not had for years. Advanced 

 prices in honey are going to mean better days 

 for all apiarian interests. Possibly I am over- 

 enthusiastic, but there are so many things 

 that go to show which way the wind is blow- 

 ing, that I can not help but feel that I am 

 right. Besides, I have been talking with ex- 

 perts on the subject, who express themselves 

 even more hopeful than I do." 



Not having written the above for publica- 

 tion, we omit the author's name, but we 

 agree fully with him. As we said last week, 

 we believe a new and brighter day is soon to 

 dawn for the producer of pure honey for the 

 market. Producers in other lines, also, feel 

 that prices of pure food products will rule 

 higher for some time to come. This certainly 

 ought to result in greatly increased profits to 

 those who produce such goods. 



Making A Bee^Paper Helpful to All 



in the conduct of the American Bee .Jour- 

 nal, the sincere desire is ever kept uppermost 



to fill its columns with matter that shall be 

 of most use to its subscribers. It is too much 

 to hope that everything published shall always 

 be exactly the thing best suited to every one 

 of its readers, the needs of each one in so 

 large a family greatly varying. Yet the hope 

 is entertained that each and all shall find, if 

 not in each number, yet in most numbers, 

 enough real information throughout the year 

 greatly to overbalance the small amount paid 

 for each number — less than 2 cents. Indeed, 

 many letters have been received saying that 

 in a single number value had been received 

 overbalancing the cost of the entire year. 

 Occasionally a letter is received finding fault. 

 Letters of both kinds are welcomed. The 

 first kind serves as a stimulus, cheering on to 

 more strenuous effort. The second kind, pro- 

 vided it be specific enough, points to a possi- 

 ble weak spot which may require strengthen- 

 ing. 



So the two letters following, by the same 

 writer in Ohio, are thankfully received. The 

 second is in reply to a note sent from this 

 office, the contents of which may be suffi- 

 ciently understood from the reply: 



Editor American Bee Journal— 



Dear Sir : — In the .lournal of Dec. 6, is an 

 article by C. W. Dayton, entitled, " Increase, 

 or Prevention of Increase.'' When I saw the 

 title it struck me as being to the point for be- 

 ginners, but after reading it three times I 

 could make nothing out of it. One thing I 

 take your paper for is tor what a beginner 

 can learn, but thus far all articles have been 

 only such as experts might comprehend, and 

 solely for their amusement, none of them ex- 

 plaining how they perform the practical parts 

 on which they write. 



Take for instance the article on T-tin or T- 

 super. As a fact, I never saw one, nor can I 

 gain any idea what it is like by reading Arm- 

 strong's article. I must confess I fail to see 

 how one is to get his dollar's worth out of it 

 it all subjects are handled in like manner. I 

 notice the same fault in all similar publica- 



tions to yours. Such being the case, one bet- 

 ter invest his dollar in good, reliable text- 

 books. I may continue to take the .Journal, 

 but with little satisfaction. It is piy desire to 

 learn, and I am willing to do so from any 

 source. It is my desire to employ the most 

 modern methods in bee-culture, and I sun 

 willing to pay my money tor benefits. Now, 

 Mr. York, reply to this as you see proper. I 

 shall be glad to hear from you. 



Yours truly, M. F. Soule. 



The second letter received from Mr. Soole 

 is as follows : 



Editor American Bee Jouknal— 



Dear Sir .—Yours of the 13th is duly to 

 hand and noted. In replying I am going to 

 insist that any article published in the Bee 

 .Journal should have its respective title, tell- 

 ing what the discussion is about, then be- 

 ginners could also learn from such debates. 

 Every subscriber has an interest in every sub- 

 ject within the Journal's covers. It will be 

 just tor me to admit you can't deal with be- 

 ginners entirely. It is within my reach to re- 

 fer you to other articles in the Journal, that 

 are intelligible even to beginners; but the one 

 referred to in my prior letter is but a jumble 

 of words. 



Allow me to inform you that I have " Lang- 

 stroth " revised by Dadant, and "Bees and 

 Honey," by Newman— the last you sent me 

 quite lately. The first I have had over a year, 

 and have used it much. It is not my purpose 

 to be a kicker, nor a know-it-all. On the 

 contrary, I am on the " mourners' bench " 

 seeking light. 



I wonder if Dr. Miller would explain the T- 

 tin or T-super, or will I have to write him 

 asking him to do so through the columns of 

 the Bee Journal. Yours very truly, 



M. F. SOt:LE. 



While repeating the desire to profit by ref- 

 erence to faults or failings, it is only fair to 

 the many who have helped by their contribu- 

 tions to make the American Bee Journal what 

 it is, to take exception to the sweeping state- 

 ment that " thus tar all articles have been 

 only such as experts might comprehend, and 

 solely for their amusement.' For a refuta- 

 tion of the first part, one need go no further 

 than the second letter, in which is said : " Ij 

 is within my reach to refer you to other arti- 

 cles that are intelligible even to beginners." 

 As to the second charge, it may be that occa- 

 sionally an article is written chiefly to exploit 

 the writer, but unless it is believed that it 

 contains matter of value to at least part of 

 the readers of this periodical, the editorial 

 prerogative ie exercised, and the article is not 

 published. There is a lot of the milk of 

 human kindness in mankind in general, and 



