1899 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



13 



will lead to the second floor, where the ex- 

 tractor will stand. From there the honey 

 will go through a strainer and downstairs by 

 a pipe into the barrels, which will be well 

 waxed, and will stand on strong benches high 

 enough from the floor so that the honey can 

 be drawn off into 151b. pails. 



I have taken great pains to tell all who buy 

 where and how to keep honey, and how to 

 liquefy granulated honey ; but another year I 

 shall have some of those little pamphlets put 

 out by the Roots, as they explain it better 

 than I can. 



The main point is good honey. If it is good, 

 and cheap enough to compete with sugar or 

 molasses, the common every-day people will 

 have it as soon as they learn what it is. 



One patron, when he bought his second lot, 

 said it was about as cheap as molasses, and a 

 lot cleaner. His next neighbor, in ordering 

 his second lot, said it was cheaper than buy- 

 ing so much sugar. 



Swedonia, 111. 



[It is true that not enough emphasis has 

 been placed on the quality of extracted. It 

 should be well flavored, thick, and cheap 

 enough to compete with sugar. When these 

 conditions are secured, honey will sell of it- 

 self. Why, my " taste " has become so that I 

 can't like any thing but the best thick honey. 

 Let the public once acquire this taste, and if 

 you have the goods to supply it they (the 

 goods) will sell without any effort. — Ed.] 



A PURE-FOOD LAW MUCH NEEDED. 



How May it be Secured ? 



by F. A. SNELL. 



The matter of pure foods is of vast import- 

 ance to every citizen. It is one in which the 

 old and young, rich and poor, have a mutual 

 interest ; and if such a law could be secured 

 and enforced the benefits would be mutually 

 shared. I have read with interest what has 

 been printed in our journals on this import- 

 ant subject. I think some of the writers have 

 not taken as broad a view of this matter as 

 should be the case. The question is a broad 

 one. It has been considered, it seems to me, 

 too much by bee-keepers as bearing on their 

 interests as honey producers and sellers. 

 That is all right, I think, so far as it goes. 

 The producers of pure maple syrup and sugar 

 are wronged the same as are bee-keepers and 

 others who are legitimately engaged in produc- 

 ing pure food products on through the list ; 

 but it must be remembered that the above re- 

 ferred to parties composing but a very small 

 part of the whole people of our country. In 

 order to secure the desired law audits enforce- 

 ment, the broad and correct view must be tak- 

 en that the called -for law is for all our people, 

 as it truly should be, and embrace all food 

 products. 



It must be evident, to every one who has 

 given the matter any intelligent thought, that 

 the health of our people has been much in- 

 jured by the miserable imitations of pure 



foods, and medicines as well, which we have 

 bought and used, paying the price at which 

 the pure goods should be sold for. We know 

 that people have been made sick by the fraud- 

 ulent mixtures when eaten. A national law 

 would be very desirable ; but there are doubts 

 as to such being secured very soon. Every 

 State not now having a good law of the kind 

 should pass one at the earliest opportunity. 

 As many of our State legislatures are now in 

 session an effort should at once be made with 

 them for a good law on this matter of pure 

 foods, etc. I think a State inspector, to see 

 to analyzing samples of these products, and 

 making collections from different manufactur- 

 ers and dealers, down to the retail dealers, or 

 grocers, should be chosen. He should have, 

 I think, full power to commence suit against 

 any party who may be known to have on sale 

 such goods. A fine by law should be levied 

 on every one found guilty of its violation. 

 Suspicious goods could be sent to the inspect- 

 or for analysis, by any citizen of the State. 

 Imprisonment for second or later violations of 

 the law would be advisable. With such a law, 

 every one selling bogus goods would be held 

 responsible, and would soon learn that the 

 people had rights that dealers should respect. 



France, England, Germany, and some other 

 countries have had such national laws for 

 years, and such have been enforced, includ- 

 ing imprisonment, to the great satisfaction and 

 benefit of the masses. In our State we have 

 fair laws in this matter, but I think they 

 should be made more complete and far reach- 

 ing, with an imprisonment feature, and the 

 appointment, or, better, the election, of an 

 inspector by the people. Evidently we should 

 have the best law that can be framed for the 

 protection of our people against unscrupulous 

 greed and dishonesty. I believe that, to se- 

 cure the much-needed legislation, not one or 

 two industries, or a few that are now wronged, 

 will by delegates or committees be able to do 

 much ; but when we unite the interests of all 

 our people for the rights and best interests of 

 the masses, we may win. We are all consum- 

 ers, and that is where our strongest points of 

 argument and reason will best apply and have 

 the greatest influence. Such a view is far 

 above any thing in the line of class rule or 

 class interests. With a clear, well-directed ef- 

 fort in the lines above suggested, by a large 

 representation, it seems to me any respectable 

 legislature would do what would be so reason- 

 able and just as to pass a good pure-food law, 

 and thus give relief to a long-suffering people. 



The above is only a little of what can be 

 said on this all important matter. I hope 

 many others who can do much better than I 

 will give their views and throw more light on 

 the subject. Practical ideas and united action, 

 with a move along the whole line upon the 

 gang of adulterators in securing pure-food 

 laws and their enforcement are now seemingly 

 more needed than ever before. Every article 

 used for food should be branded just what it 

 is, and sold for such. The honest producer 

 puts up pure and healthful goods, and is forc- 

 ed to sell them at little or no profit, while a 

 good margin is made upon the bngne. The 



