480 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 1 



experiment, instruction, pleasure, or exhi- 

 bition. At last we have an observation hive 

 worthy the subject. The optical parts are 

 by one of the most famous and extensive 

 manufacturers of lenses in the world. The 

 woodwork and bee-appliances are by the 

 largest manufacturing establishment of api- 

 arian apparatus. 



I have not tried to produce a cheap or 

 simple hive, but rather one which the bees 

 and their friends have long merited. I am 

 confident that all concerned will be pleased. 



Contrary to the advice of many friends 

 who have known of my prolonged study and 

 work on this hive. I have refused to take 

 out a patent. On the contrary, I have 

 arranged with the manufacturers to have 

 the hive and all its accessories placed on the 

 market at the cost of production. Consid- 

 ering the detail and workmanship, I regard 

 the price as barely covering cost of labor 

 and materials. 1 am confident that the 

 hive-mcinufacturers must look for profit to 

 the sale of their regular goods to the new 

 converts which I am sure this hive will 

 bring to the fascinating field of apiculture. 



Profit and the spirit of commercialism in 

 nowise enter into the production of this 

 hive. I have regarded the labor spent upon 

 it as a labor of love. To my fellow-students 

 and lovers of nature I cordially bestow and 

 heartily commend "The Bigelow Educa- 

 tional Hive." May the study of these won- 

 derful insects afford you as much pleasure 

 and instruction as they have afforded me. 



Stamford, Ct. 



CO-OPERATIVE ADVERTISING. 



BY C. A. HATCH. 



[It is but fair to say that the following article was the 

 result of some extended deliberation on the part of Mr. 

 Hatch for some time back. He finally submitted it to 

 manuscript, and the same was received by us just prior 

 to the lauaching of the Honey-producers' League. We 

 were at once struck by the general similarity of the plan 

 outlined by Mr. Hatch and that evolved by Messrs. York, 

 Hutchinson, and others, and whicii is now well under 

 way. It only goes to show how different people workmg 

 at the same problem will sometimes arrive at practically 

 the same solution.— Ed.] 



With our honey markets depressed, and 

 all the leading market centers overloaded, 

 it is time we looked facts in the face and 

 thought of means of relief. Either there is 

 an overproduction of honey or not enough 

 people are using it to consume our product. 

 When we know that there are thousands of 

 people who do not see honey from one end 

 of the year to the other we think we are 

 safe in assuming that overproduction is not 

 the matter. Then what is the matter with 

 this large non-consuming number? Some 

 do not like honey; others like it but are 

 afraid to buy for fear of getting something 

 impure and adulterated ; while others, igno- 

 rant of the merits of honey are led to buy 

 glucose mixtures by showy and misleading 

 advertisements; and it is to this class our 

 advertisements should appeal. 



IS IT PRACTICAL? 



Why not? There are hundreds of papers 



that go to thousands of readers evei'y week, 

 day, or month that are just the mediums for 

 such a campaign of useful education. It 

 can be tried experimentally in a daily of 

 some of the smaller cities, at no great cost. 

 Say put half a column or even less in for 

 two weeks and note the result. 

 THE COST. 



Could the National devote its funds to any 

 better purpose? And could there be any 

 better inducement for outsiders to become 

 members than to show results along this 

 line? 



HOW DONE. 



But some one asks, " How is this to be 

 done? Who is to write these advertise- 

 ments, and place them?" Have we not men 

 in our own ranks skilled enough in the use 

 of the pen to formulate an advertisement 

 of a pleasing and taking kind? Or a premi- 

 um might be offered for the best statement 

 of the value of honey as a food in an article 

 of stated length. 



ILLUSTRATION. 



Pictures might be used to show bees at 

 work, how they pollenize flowers; also to 

 show the interdependence of flowers and 

 bees. These would interest and educate, 

 and thereby overcome prejudice. Then let 

 the reader know where a wholesome article 

 of honey can be obtained by saying the sec- 

 retary of the National will be pleased to 

 mail him, on request, a list of names of bee- 

 men who have the pure article for sale. 



DIFFICULTIES. 



Poor honey and good honey poorly han- 

 dled would be the greatest difficulty in the 

 way of success. In order to have uniformi- 

 ty it might mean that all shall be inspected 

 and graded by a proper officer of the Na- 

 tional; and it goes without saying that uni- 

 formity of packages would be very desirable. 



DISHONESTY. 



All men are not honest, and bee-men as a 

 class may be more honest than some others; 

 but there is no use shutting our eyes to the 

 fact that all bee-men are not honest, and 

 these are the ones who would make trouble 

 for the society. But if they could not be 

 controlled they could be expelled, and their 

 names dropped from the list of members, so 

 the society would not be held responsible 

 for them. 



PRICES. 



It might be well to add in this connection 

 that it would, perhaps, be necessary for a 

 committee of the society to name a price 

 for different grades of honey, below which 

 a member could not sell, so that a customer 

 could order of the nearest bee- man to him. 

 Any bee-keeper having sold out would have 

 to send notice to the secretary so his name 

 could be dropped from the list. We would 

 not expect any increase of price at first; 

 but after the demand had grown beyond the 

 supply, then there would be a natural rais- 

 ing of prices. 



Richland Center, Wis. 



