1904. 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



105 



one that sulphur is a cure for paraly- 

 sis. We have labored to make this 

 point for the benefit of our readers, 

 because we believe it to be a valuable 

 point to those whose bees are afflicted 

 with this malady. We believe both 

 the American Bee Journal and Glean- 

 ings have given the information 

 imparted by Mr. Poppleton through 

 these columns, very prominent men- 

 tion, the latter even extending assur- 

 ances of gratitude for our having spe- 

 cifically called its attention to this val- 

 uable information. Many other of the 

 world's most prominent bee-keepers 

 have acknowledged the value of the 

 article, notwithstanding the fact that 

 the Queen would have it appear that 

 it contained nothing new. 



Who is trying to make its points un- 

 fairly? 



ARE YOU MAD? 



The present incumbent of The Bee- 

 Keeper's editorial chair has held it 

 down now these six or seven years 

 past, and just once has he been accus- 

 ed of wilfully wounding the feelings 

 of those with whom he has dis.cussior. 

 The missive is just to hand and states, 

 in substance, that we should curb the 

 natural propensity to crue'lly thrust 

 our rusty pen through the vitals of 

 those who differ with us, and that 

 when we are old we will not be com- 

 forted by reflecting upon the "smart 

 things" we have said publicly in our 

 youth. 



In view of this serious charge, we 

 popose to hold a "court of inquiry," 

 and urgently invite every reader -who 

 has, or ever has had, a grievance alonsr 

 this line, to turn in his evidence with- 

 out delay. Send it to either th'i New 

 York or Florida office— either will do, 

 just so we get it at an early date. The 

 result may be the reformation of a 

 I vindictive and malicious disposition 

 upon the pf rt of the editor, or it ^nay 

 cause him to abdicate the chair in fa- 

 vor of some one less vicious. However, 

 we should like to know just exactly 

 how many persons it has been our mis- 

 fortune to offend in the way suggested, 

 and if they will inform us we shall en- 

 deavor to afford them redress and sup- 

 ply a balm of Gilead for their wounded 

 feelings. 



Our esteemed critic unwittingly i)nys 

 tribute to the brilliancy of thought 



springing from the mature mind, by 

 his reference to the "smart things"' we 

 have said, for he evidently does not 

 know that our once red hair is today 

 sprinkled with white, and with eyes 

 growing dim we look bade over part 

 of a century and contemplate with 

 great cheer the possiblity of having 

 ever said anything smart in our youth. 



SHALL WE ADVANCE? 



With reference to the editorial Item, 

 pages IS and 19 of our January issue, 

 wherein is discussed the limits of legit- 

 imate journalism, as relates to bee cul- 

 ture, a Florida correspondent takes oc- 

 casion to confirm the sentiments there 

 quoted. Says our contemporary is 

 right ^and that "All I read the papers 

 for is to find out how to get a good 

 yield and how to sell at a living price." 



Ever since the world has had bee 

 journals they have, doubtless, all been 

 aiming to supply, such information. 

 America has had at least one journal 

 that has been at it continuously for 

 some forty years, and many others 

 have since joined the ranks. Does our 

 esteemed correspondent observe any 

 marked improvement in the "living 

 price" proposition, as a result of Avhat 

 has been accomplished by skimming 

 the surface of our fleld with the old 

 •vooden plow? Is it thought advisable 

 to continue repeating mere mechanical 

 methods of production an.l pointing 

 first to this city and then to that, as a 

 market for our honey, and meantime 

 watch the steady decline of prices in 

 the face of a rapidly increasing ]iopu- 

 lation and decreasing fields of foraj^e 

 for the bees? 



As it appears to The Bee-Keei)er, a 

 very large per cent of honey producers 

 are criminally indifferent in reuard to 

 the business end of their voeatioii. 'J^hey 

 seem quite content to sit by and see 

 their product crowded into the corner 

 and crushed into the earth by com- 

 peting commodities much less worthy 

 of success. 



Is it not inconsistent to expect of a 

 bee journal the ability to direct its pat- 

 rons to markets more profitable than 

 we have, and which are steadily be- 

 coming less profitable because of the 

 bee-keeper's own lack of business en- 

 terprise? Too many bee-keepers ap- 

 pear to forget the fact that they are 

 living in the twentieth century, and 



