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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



First "Weekly Bee-Paper.— 



In the Canadian Bee Journal for Dec. 

 1st, is a communication from Mr. O. 

 Fitzalwyn Wilkins, of International 

 Bridge, Ont., who says : 



A query which very frequently has 

 arisen in my mind, is, why the Ameri- 

 can Bee Journal should have been 

 allowed to substantiate its claim of 

 being the only weekly bee-paper in ex- 

 istence. 



If I remember correctly, the Canadian 

 Bee Journal was the first weekly publi- 

 cation in the interest of apiculture, 

 which started into being on the conti- 

 nent to which we belong ; and why it 

 should have been changed to a bi- 

 monthly, thereby giving the American 

 Bee Journal the opportunity of making 

 the claim already spoken of, is "one of 

 those things which no fellow can under- 

 stand," as Lord Dundreary is credited 

 with having said 



What say you, friend ? Shall the 

 Canadian Bee Journal continue to rest 

 quietly under the stigma of having sur- 

 rendered its. birthright ? 



In the second paragraph of the above, 

 it is well that the correspondent said, 

 " If I remember correctly," for that 

 gives us an opportunity to refresh his 

 memory, in a pleasant way, upon the 

 fact that the American Bee Journal 

 began to be published as a weekly paper 

 on Jan. 1, 1881 — over four years before 

 the Canadian Bee Journal was born, 

 which was April 1, 1885. The latter is 

 now a semi-monthly. 



In his reply to Mr. W.'s suggestion, 

 the editor of the Canadian Bee Journal 

 must have overlooked the misapprehen- 

 sion on the part of his contributor. In 

 that response, our brother editor makes 

 some very complimentary reference to 

 the American Bee Journal, a portion 

 of which we reproduce, as follows : 



We should be very glad, indeed, 

 if we could see our way clearly to a 

 return to first principles, and the re- 

 issue of the Canadian Bee Journal as a 

 weekly journal. We do not know what 

 the experience of the Amercan Bee 

 Journal is, beyond the fact that we are 

 happy to observe that it appears to be a 

 prosperous venture. Our experience 

 was that the weekly issue did not pay, 

 and there was consequently no alterna- 



tive left but to make the change. It 

 counts largely in favor of economy of 

 production, on the part of the American 

 Bee Journal, that it is published with- 

 in almost the center of a circle whose 

 periphery encloses a clientelle of some 

 sixty millions of people. And although 

 we enjoy a considerable circulation upon 

 our own axis, as well as within the pe- 

 riphery of the American Bee Journal, 

 all the opportunities are more favorable 

 to our contemporary than to ourselves. 

 We can only say, in the meantime, that 

 we are really glad to believe that the 

 American Bee Journal is so well able 

 to sustain its weekly issue, and we wish 

 it all the success it deserves. 



It does rejoice us very much to see the 

 truly brotherly feeling existing among 

 all the editors of the various bee-papers. 

 This is only as it should be, we think. 

 We most heartily reciprocate the cordial 

 " wish " expressed in the last sentence 

 written by our Canadian brother editor. 

 "The greatest possible good to the 

 greatest possible number " can be at- 

 tained only by the existence of the 

 "greatest possible" fraternal feeling on 

 the part of those who control our apia- 

 rian periodical literature. 



Bees are Old Inhabitants.— 



We recently read that " it is claimed 

 that the honey-bee has existed geologi- 

 cally as an inhabitant of our earth ages 

 before the appearance of the human 

 race, living, doubtless as now, in orderly 

 communities, laboring for a common 

 purpose, and leading a wonderful life in 

 all interesting relations with each other. 

 The industry, the law of order, the 

 neatness and the loyal devotion to the 

 queen are remarkable in these insects." 



The "West "Virginia State Build- 

 ing at the World's Fair is given on the 

 opposite page. We have been showing 

 a number of the State buildings during 

 the past few months, as all bee-keepers, 

 •as well as the rest of mankind, are in- 

 terested in whatever relates to the great 

 Fair of 1893. 



Don't Fail to read all of page 813. 



