IS. 17 



GLKANINGvS IN BEE CUI/fURIv 



623 



writes: " My own U-sl of the deep cell <;oes 

 to show they accept it iiuicli more readily than 

 other fouiuiations. I ]n\\. one section in the 

 far corner of the hive where they arc less like- 

 ly to fill it, anil this was built out much far- 

 ther than the sections near the center. They 

 Like next best to the ll-square-feet-lo-lhe- 

 pouiiil new process." — Kv.^ 



Tin: BEE-KEEPERS' UNION. ONCE MORE. 

 An Iiitcrcstiim ami Valiial)le .Article. 



BY PROF. A. J. COOK. 



I am reluctant to speak further upon the 

 above subject ; but ]Mr. Newman's letter in 

 July 1st Glk.-^nixgs, and the importance of 

 the subject, impel me to a further w'ord. 



I am very sorry if I misquoted Mr. Newman, 

 and even more sorry if I misrepresented him. 

 I have had high appreciation of his services, 

 and have had only the kindest feelings regard- 

 ing him. I am sure I need not say that any 

 thought of antagonism to him has never been 

 in my mind. 



HISTORY. 



In the last vote, I believed (and I think 

 many others did ) that we were voting only on 

 the question of amalgamation. I voted no — 

 not that I was opposed to amalgamation per sl\ 

 but only because I felt that many of the mem- 

 bers were, and that we should not force the 

 change upon them. It seems to me to-day 

 that this was a correct position. Others 

 thought the Union should not be tied to the 

 National Association, or at least that such a 

 marriage would not be wise, and hence the 

 large vote against amalgamation. I did not 

 suppose the failure to amalgamate would 

 result in the formation of two Unions ; but, 

 the rather, if the marriage was not consum- 

 mated, the old Union would lock horns with 

 adulteration — would hitch on its whole force 

 to aid co-o])eration, and would eagerly grasp 

 any lever that would help to raise bee-keeping 

 to a higher plane of success. 



THE STATIS TO-DAY. 



Amalgamation was lost. We have two or- 

 ganizations, kindred in their general plan and 

 make-up, requiring the same machinery for 

 their work — the one tied, possibly by vote of 

 its members, though I am not sure of that, but 

 certainly by the views of its manager, to one 

 limited, and, as it seems to me, rather unim- 

 portant line of work at the present time; the 

 other, ready to attack any evil that really 

 threatens the life or welfare of our industry. 

 What a chance the old Union is losing now in 

 not marching against adulteration here in 

 California, wliere every thing would favor 

 success ! We have a good law, manager on 

 the ground, and public sentiment all on our 

 side. We could almost certainl}- have won a 

 grand success, and secured a precedent that 

 would have been as powerful for good as the 

 Arkansas court decision gained previously by 



the Union. It seems to me that, in case we 

 could not constitutionally gra])ple with this 

 foe at this o])portune time, we should have 

 taken steps at once to secure the right and 

 power to do so. 



THK FUTLRK. 



I fully believe that we can afford but one 

 organization. This seems .so axiomatic to me 

 tliat I believe the bee-keepers generally will 

 concur. As the new Union seems more broad 

 in its scope, more alive to the needs of bee- 

 keepers, more ready to attack the enemy in 

 whatever form he may take, I believe it wise 

 to merge the old Union into the new. So far 

 as I have heard expression, this seems the 

 growing opinion. 



I wish I could be at BuiTalo to join in a 

 calm, dispassionate con,sideration of the whole 

 subject. Surely, the discussion should come, 

 and the matter of a .second subnnssion to vote 

 be carefully weighed. I presume a large 

 number of the members, and a goodly propor- 

 tion of the officers of the old Union, will be 

 present, and I hope that they will make them- 

 selves heard. 



CO-OPERATION. 



Southern California is now struggling with 

 the subject of a "Bee-keepers' Exchange." 

 The organization is on foot. A goodly^ num- 

 ber of bee-keepers have joined its ranks, and 

 it has already done good service in securing 

 to its members reduced prices on their sup- 

 plies. It now remains to be seen whether it 

 will be able to seciire a better market than 

 could have been had if it had not been formed. 

 We hope and believe it w'ill succeed in this 

 respect, and, what is quite as important, that 

 it will be able to convince bee-keepers, wheth- 

 er in or out of the association, that it has done 

 so. Apparent as well as real success is need- 

 ed. The "Citrus Fruit Exchange" proves 

 conclusively that co-operation is the greatest 

 need of agriculturists in all lines. It is almost 

 universally admitted that the ' ' Fruit Ex- 

 change " has been a signal success, and a 

 great boon to the pomology of Southern Cali- 

 fornia ; and yet this important organization 

 has been handicapped because so many held 

 aloof. Farmers are all unused to such meth- 

 ods; are suspicious of them, and will not easily 

 be convinced that they are necessary, safe, 

 and desirable. Will bee-keepers be any more 

 ready to co-operate ? I have had great hopes 

 of the Ijee-keepers, as I think they are a very 

 intelligent class ; they nearly all read and 

 think, and it would seem that most have had 

 experience that would lead them to think 

 favorably of co-operation. vSuch methods 

 promise immense advantage, and so are sure 

 to come in time. Just how soon is a very 

 important question. The success of the Fruit 

 Exchange has resulted in far better grading 

 and packing, at a reduced expense ; has les- 

 sened co.st of transportation ; has secured bet- 

 ter jmces, and, perhaps, best of all, has devel- 

 oped new markets, and arranged such intelli- 

 gent distribution that any single market is 

 seldom glutted because of a rusli of fruit into 

 it. Such a rush into New York or Chicago is 

 ruinous to prices the country over. I believe 



