130 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



July 



Now, we are no spiritualist, and are 

 therefore at sea as to a method of 

 relief; but are deeply impressed with 

 a thought that since Uncle John's de- 

 parture a number of things have ac- 

 cumulated Avhich are regarded as 

 needing attention; and we have there- 

 fore called into requisition the sei'- 

 vices of a mediumistic friend, who, 

 it is hoped, will be able to clear up the 

 mystery of these manifestations. We 

 have also set a number of cameras 

 about the office in such a way, and so 

 equipped, tliat we may be able to illus- 

 trate any phenomenal message which 

 Uncle John may succeed in transmit- 

 ting to The Bee-Keeper. 



This is rather an unusual departure 

 in bee journalism, and a venture which 

 is not unattended with difficulties to 

 one unskilled in the intricacies of 

 spiritualism; but through these efforts 

 we seek relief from such disquieting 

 conditions when concentration of 

 thought upon our editorial work is so 

 important. What the outcome shall 

 be, our readers will learn. We only 

 hope Uncle John will spare us any 

 weird tales of bee-keepers he has re- 

 cently met, and confine himself to this 

 mundane sphere. 



THE OLD WILEY PLEASANTRY. 



The Ladies' Home .Journal, one of 

 the most widely circulated and influ- 

 ential home magazines in the English 

 language, publishes in its June issue a 

 two-column article contributed by Em- 

 ma E. Walker, M. D.. entitled "Is 

 Candy-Eating Hamiful for Girls? ' 

 Dr. Walker treats her subject in a 

 manner to convince the reader that he 

 is following one eminently qualified to 

 speak; but when a bee-keeper of the 

 twentieth century comes to the follow- 

 ing paragraphs his faith in the writer's 

 wisdom drops below zero. Listen to 

 Emma E. Walker. M.D.: 



"One of the causes of indigestion 

 from candy-eating is an adulterant 

 that is sometimes employed — paraffin. 

 This is especially used in caramels in 

 order to make them cut well wuen 

 poured out of lue mold, and it is some- 

 times formd in old-fashioned molasses 

 candy. A most ingenious use to which 

 paraffin has been put in America has 

 been the manufacture of artificial 

 honeycomb. It duplicates the natural 

 conilis remarkably well; the little cells 

 are then filled with glucose slightly 

 •flavored to give the honey taste, and 



the artificial product is ready for use. 

 This is not harmful, but it is not hon- 

 ey. Paraffin is not poison, but it is an 

 adulterant, and taken into the stomach 

 it is indigestible." 



To the toiling bee-Keeper whose ev- 

 ery energy for years has been bent to 

 produce and market a pure, whole- 

 some article, educate the fraternity in 

 the science of producing and handling 

 rich, thick, delicious honey, and con- 

 tributing to a national fund the chief 

 purpose of which is prosecuting those 

 who adulterate liquid honey, is it not 

 enough to bring drops of sweat to his 

 brow to read this hoarj' canard now 

 in the columns of a magazine tJie read- 

 ers of which are numbered by the hun- 

 dreds of thousa,nds? The damage to 

 honey producing interests of America 

 alone, by the publication of this sin- 

 gle paragraph cannot be computed, 

 but it is enormous; and it is the obvi- 

 ous duty of every bee-keeper, every- 

 where, to lend his aid in securing re- 

 dress for the Injury thereby sustained, 

 by writing the editor of the Ladies' 

 Home Journal, Philadelphia, Pa., ask- 

 ing the editor to be kind enough to 

 assist us in undoing the wrong by 

 stating the truth of the matter to his 

 numerous readers. It will require a 

 very urgent demand to secure such a 

 retraction, for the editors of such 

 publications are loth to acknowledge 

 errors committed by the journals over 

 Avhlch they preside. However, about 

 ten thousand letters from bee-keepers 

 may have the desired effect. We trust 

 the reader will promptly contribute 

 his mite by writing an urgent but re- 

 spectful letter at once. 



Below we submit a letter just re- 

 ceived in response to a very urgent 

 appeal which we wrote to the Ladies' 

 Home Journal upon reading the fore- 

 going paragraph in its columns: 



Philadelphia, June 17, 1904. 

 Dear Sir: 



We regret that you feel disturbed by 

 a blunder which appears to have been 

 made by Dr. Walker in her reference 

 to adulterated honey. We shall for- 

 ward your letter to her, and quite 

 likely she may be moved to make 

 some reply directly to you. 

 Very truly yours. 

 Wm. V. Alexander, 



Managing Editor. 



Now, in the name of all that is good 

 and great, in this world and elsewhere, 

 what good Avill it do if Dr. Walker 



