698 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



November, 1922 



ciations today? Five years ago some of the 

 California associations were outstanding ex- 

 amples of co-operative efficiency. Compare 

 them at present with the immense tobacco, 

 cotton and grain marketing associations in 

 the East. California associations look small 

 indeed when it is known that the Burley To- 

 bacco Growers' Association alone has 57,000 

 members. 



Very recently co-operative marketing as- 

 sociations have progressed to an astonishing 

 degree. Anti-trust laws have not affected 

 the co-operative producers. Likewise it has 

 been shown that the consumer gains and 

 does not lose through farmers' co-operative 

 associations. Notwithstanding, the majority 

 of us today unfortunately retain our in 

 dividualistic tendencies. 



At the present time statistics show that 

 from the average dollar wliich the Ameri- 

 can consumer pays for his farm products, 

 the farmer receives actually less than 40 

 cents. On the other hand the Danish co- 

 operative farmer upon delivering his prod- 

 uct to England gets 65 cents out of the 

 British consumers' dollars. 



Honey prices, like those of most other 

 farm-produce prices, are changeable and un- 

 certain. Speculators favor variable prices, 

 whereas a group of co-operative producers 

 prefer to keep prices as steady as possible, 

 accomplishing this end by maintaining ac- 

 curate information concerning available sup- 

 ply. Through the control of a sufficient 

 amount of such a supply, they are able to 

 market intelligently. At this writing Cali- 

 fornia honey is crowding the market, re- 

 sulting in depressed prices. Later we may 

 expect artificial inflation. Thus, individual- 

 ly the beekeeper is depressing his market. 

 Co-operation means releasing honey when 

 markets ask for it, resulting in increased 

 returns for the producers without adding to 

 the consumers' expenditure. Moreover, co- 

 operative associations stimulate demand for 

 their products through standardization, ad- 

 vertising and by the continuous adoption of 

 better marketing facilities. 



Our exchange did not fail because the co- 

 operative movement had slackened. On the 

 contrary, the foregoing statements have 

 shown that co-operation is still sound and 

 is more popular than before. Successful co- 



operative enterprises not only must carry 

 conviction and propaganda amongst their 

 constituents but they must also show prac- 

 tical success in their competitive struggles 

 with private enterprises. This is very im- 

 portant. The administration must be alert 

 and energetic and show aggressive and in- 

 telligent control. If it has not these at- 

 tributes, it has not learned the administra- 

 tive virtues of the best privately owned 

 corporations. Fundamentally the co-opera- 

 tive organizations must be as efficient as 

 privately managed organizations, in order 

 to succeed. Failures in co-operation are 

 usually due to the well-known common faults 

 of our large masses and democratic institu- 

 tions. Conditions such as these never en- 

 ter into the success or failure of privately 

 owned . concerns. 



It is not my desire to advocate another 

 selling organization. The time is not pro- 

 pitious. It is the intention here to point 

 out that the principle underlying co-opera- 

 tive associations is sound, workable and 

 practical. Eventually we are going to have 

 co-operative selling, and please let every 

 beekeeper bear this in mind. 



Development of Local Markets. 



For the next few years beekeepers will 

 bend their efforts towards increasing the 

 demand for their product in their home 

 markets. Today this is the very best solu- 

 tion we have to offer. The lowering of 

 honey prices this fall has been distinctly 

 our fault. When the market is not in a re- 

 ceptive mood we must learn to hold honey 

 till the demand is forthcoming. As indi- 

 viduals we cannot afford to advertise, and 

 necessarily must hold our honey till it is 

 wanted. Unfortunately the majority of those 

 that do not hold are not readers of bee jour- 

 nals; but, be that as it may, we can all do 

 our bit by selling just as many pounds as 

 we possibly can in our immediate surround- 

 ings. 



The Retail Package. 



Our success in selling is measured large- 

 ly by the quality and attractiveness of that 

 which we have to offer for sale. Only com- 

 paratively mild and good-flavored honeys 

 should be packed. 



In presenting to the public extracted hon- 



Annual Eoyal Show at Shrewsbury, Engrland. Editor 0. Herrod-IIempsall, of the Dritish Dee .Journal 

 popularizing hone^ jn foreground at the right. 



