1904 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



225 



opportunity to push forward the claims of 

 apiculture, and that, little by little, some 

 progress has been made, notwithstanding- 

 the funds for any work in connection with 

 apiculture have been next to nothiog^. 



We are glad to be able to say, however, 

 that far more good to the industry at large 

 has resulted from the Department work 

 thus far done than most bee-keepers real- 

 ize, so quietly has it gone on. Several De- 

 partment bulletins on apiculture have been 

 issued, and have reached a wide cirula- 

 tion, especiall3' among those who before 

 knew nothing of the existence of bee litera- 

 ture. Numerous editions have been called 

 for, and great general interest in the pur- 

 suit has thus been aroused. Much has 

 been done through the prestige of the De- 

 partment to combat and put down errone- 

 ous ideas regarding the adulteration of 

 honey. The Department has lent its aid 

 toward securing needed foul-brood legisla- 

 tion in various States, and also enlightened 

 decisions in legal controversies involving 

 important points and precedents affecting 

 apiculture. The needs of the industry in 

 various sections of the Union have been un- 

 der consideration at the Department, and 

 further plans to benefit each section have 

 been matured. We are assured that these 

 would long since have been in process of 

 execution had not the constantly increasing 

 demands for direct work against injurious 

 insects been so great that the funds appro- 

 priated for the Division of Entomology could 

 not be made to reach beyond the most ur- 

 gent needs for remedial measures against 

 serious damage to staple crops. But a new 

 era has opened in this line of work; and 

 legislators, in view of the great benefits 

 that have come through it, are beginning to 

 appreciate the need of greater liberality to- 

 ward it. 



In the matter of apiculture at the Depart- 

 ment, still another distinct line of progress 

 has been carried forward which will count 

 for much in the future; and that is, the 

 gaining of a proper recognition of the just 

 claims of apiculture, and the adjusting of its 

 status to the other branches under the protec- 

 tion of the Department, coupled with such 

 appeals for proper financial recognition as 

 must result eventually in the substantial 

 grants so much desired, with such liberty 

 of action as is necessary to the accomplish- 

 ment of substantial work for the advance- 

 ment of apiculture. The field in which 

 careful experimental work may be under- 

 taken on a scientific basis in the interests 

 of apiculture is so wide that there is vast 

 opportunity for years of such work; and the 

 efforts to secure permanent and suitable 

 recognition should look to a continuation of 

 the same — to permanence in a section or di- 

 vision of apiculture under governmental 

 auspices, the head of which, with all as- 

 sistants, should receive their appointments 

 under civil-service regulations solely on the 

 basis of their fitness for the work. 



Viewing the matter in this light we have 

 taken occasion to urge upon our represent- 



atives in Congress that the recommendation 

 of the Honorable Secretary of Agriculture 

 in his last annual report, as regards the 

 Division of Entomology, should receive the 

 support of every member of Congress who 

 had our interests at heart. We refer to the 

 very urgent request which the Secretary 

 made at the close of his report f jr 1903, to 

 the President of the United States, "that 

 the Division of Entoinology be developed 

 into a Bureau, in accordance with the esti- 

 mates which he had mide, and the recom- 

 mendations of the Chief himself, of the Di- 

 vision of Entomology." These recommend- 

 ations contemplate numerous sections or 

 divisions of the work, each under an expert 

 in his line, among others a section devoted 

 to apicultural investigations with a distinct 

 sum of money for the carrying-on of experi- 

 mental work and the publication of the re- 

 sults of such work. We can not conceive 

 that there is in the whole length of our land 

 a single bee-keeper but that would wel- 

 come such an advanced step in connection 

 with our beloved pursuit. It is soinething 

 which should be heartily supported irre- 

 spective of personal considerations, for the 

 building-up of such an institute or division 

 devoted to investigation of any or every top- 

 ic of importance connected with our pursuit, 

 is for all time — at least, all will sincerely 

 hope that such will be the case, and that 

 those who come after us will commend our 

 judgment in building it upon such broad 

 lines. We think, therefore, that every po- 

 litical or personal difference should sink 

 into insignificance in connection with this 

 matter, and that, to the legislators of whom 

 we would ask this recognition, we should 

 present a unanimous request and a united 

 front, which should cause them to think se- 

 riously that we are in earnest in our desire 

 for recognition beside the other respectable 

 industries of the country. 



Viewing the matter in this broad light we 

 feel certain that the mass of bee-keepers 

 who read this will not hesitate to urge upon 

 their representatives in Congress a support 

 of the measure, in connection with which 

 we consider ourselves extremely fortunate 

 in having so able and liberal an advocate 

 as the Secretary of Agriculture himself, the 

 Honorable James Wilson, namely: "that 

 the Division of Entomology of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture be made 

 a Bureau of Entomology, with a Division 

 of Apiculture." 



No matter, therefore, how humble you 

 may consider yourself, to whatever political 

 party you may belong, however slight you 

 believe your influence to be, drop a line at 

 once to your Representative and one to each 

 of your Senators in the United States Con- 

 gress, stating to them that you would be 

 glad to have the above recommendation of 

 the Secretary of Agriculture carried into 

 effect. The bill is now under CDnsideration, 

 and such a deluge of letters and cards 

 should be received by members as will 

 show them that we are deeply interested in 

 the matter. 



