484 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, 



August A, 



were hived on starters, and the supers put where their name 

 plainly indicates they should be put — a-top, he would then 

 have liad the same results, or I am greatly mistaken. 



I have never tried Mr. Golden's plan, for the reason that 

 I feel thoroughly convinced that were I to do so the result 

 with me viou\d be about as much pollen in the sections as 

 honey. How Mr. Golden manages to keep pollen out of his 

 sections is " a huckleberry quite beyond my persimmon;" I 

 am sure I could not do it, nor will I attempt to guess how he 

 does it. I am sorry he is so reserved on this rather important 

 point. 



Mr. Golden's plan, we are seemingly told, can only be 

 adopted provided a colony swarms. But why not treat every 

 colony in the same way, swarm or no swarm ? All one would 

 suppose to be necessary would be to cage the queen among the 

 sections, as directed, and put the super underneath the brood 

 body. But the pollen, Mr. Golden — pray what about the pol- 

 len ? Will the bees go upstairs with that while leaving the 

 honey down below ? 



Mr. Golden's statement that colonies manipulated by his 

 method averaged 119 pounds as against 53 pounds obtained 

 from those which did not sivarm, furnishes no proof, that I 

 can see, of the superiority of his system of returning and 

 treating swarms over those long in vogue. I, for one, would 

 esteem it a favor if Mr. Golden would kindly furnish us with 

 comparisons between returned swarms managed by his 

 method and a like number treated in the old way, setting 

 forth clearly and seriatim each and every detail and operation, 

 and not omitting to state how he overcomes the difficulty of 

 the pollen ; and if he succeeds in convincing me of the superi- 

 ority of his plan I shall not hesitate to adopt it (if ever a 

 honey-flow shoiU(7 by chance come my way — a thing I have 

 not seen for the past four years !) and that with a feeling of 

 gratitude towards its originator. 



At the same time let me tell Mr. Golden right here that 

 tho I may be induced upon clearer proof of its superiority 

 thau has been so far advanced to adopt his swarm-returning 

 plan, I'll see him hang — I mean bothered, before I'll have any 

 truck with that fussy old feeding arrangement of his ; for I 

 consider that my simple " Rapid Drawer Feeder " beats his all 

 to fits — knocks it clean into a cockt hat I I hope he will try 

 It and be convinced. 



But as I am getting into "the sere and yellow" — verging 

 on three score — and Mr. Golden's " picter " doesn't show that 

 he can give me any points in this respect, I think it is time 

 we old boys gave our inventive faculties a rest, and let the 

 youngsters run the " Advance " department of the Show ; and 

 who, I am afraid, will only be poking fun at us old fogies, 

 and at what they will conceitedly call our " funny fads ;" and, 

 what with my chest of drawers in the basement, Mr. Golden's 

 topsy-turvy ideas, so alarmingly subversive of the old order of 

 things, they will be setting us down as getting doty. Well, 

 it's a perplexing, bewildering, intellect-confusing pursuit, cal- 

 culated to drive any one embarking in it crazy, and I am seri- 

 ously thinking of leaving the bees to their own rude, primi- 

 tive and senseless devices, and let 'em see how they get on, 

 relinquishing all further attempts to reform them, and going 

 on with that nap where Mr. Bevins' left off ! 



South Africa. 



The Power of Association or Combination. 



BT HON. EUGENE SECOR. 



It ought not to be necessary, at this late date in the nine- 

 teenth century, to offer an extended argument to prove the 

 power and value of organized effort. 



There was a time in the history of mankind when the 

 individual seemed to be a more potent factor in society and 

 business than at present. There was a time when every man 

 builded his own home and defended it by his own right arm. 

 There was a time when every successful enterprise was pro- 

 jected and carried to completion by personal enterprise, per- 

 sonal valor, or personal wealth. 



Even after tribal relations had been establisht and tribal 

 protection guaranteed, success depended almost entirely on 

 individual exertion. Cities were built, large mechanical 

 transactions attempted, and cattle ranches establisht all with- 

 out syndicates. 



But the world is a little older than it was. Society has 

 changed in some respects. Almost everything is done differ- 

 ently from what it used to be. Now, instead of every man 

 being his own banker, and carrying his money in the sack 

 when he goes down to Egypt to buy corn, he writes his check 

 on New York or London. Business methods have so improved 

 that a dollar goes farther in transacting the world's business 

 than it did in the old time. This has been brought about 



through organization and combination. A great many indi- 

 vidual dollars brought together through associated effort may 

 ,be made to produce effects which never could have been 

 brought about by the same Individuals acting each for him- 

 self and independently. 



Organization has become the great fact of the age. No 

 railroads are built by individual capital. No steamship lines 

 are owned and controlled by one man. Great commercial en- 

 terprises are launcht and sustained by combined capital and 

 organized effort. Corporations have taken the place of the 

 once single-handed manufacturer until it is hardly possible 

 for one man, without capital, to compete with corporate 

 wealth. 



Since the business of the world is largely done by great 

 corporations, the trade guilds have been a natural outgrowth, 

 because the only way to meet organization is by counter or- 

 ganization. Men lay their heads together, form alliances for 

 mutual protection, and thereby gain strength impossible to 

 the single worker. 



Men interested in a common purpose are enabled to unite 

 on a common plan of action, and work to some effect. For 

 instance, it is too large a job for one bee-keeper to attempt to 

 fight adulteration of honey, but if he can combine bis efforts 

 with that of ten thousand other bee-keepers, all acting in 

 unison, and that organization acting with other association.o 

 interested in the subject of pure food, together they may ac- 

 complish something. 



As government in this country is constituted, the powers 

 that be are ready to listen to any one who represents a con- 

 siderable body of voters, if the said voters "mean business." 



When a politician is askt to support a measure, he wants 

 to know how many of his constituents are anxious about it. 



All other trades and professions are organized for mutual 

 help and protection. Bee-keepers should have one organiza- 

 tion so strong in numbers and influence that their rights shall 

 be respected. The object of the United States Bee-Keepers' 

 Union is to fill this long-felt want. Its purpose is two-fold — 

 to promote legislation helpful to bee-keepers, and to act as 

 the guardian of their legal rights. — American Bee-Keeper. 



Winnebago Co., Iowa. 



Suggestions on Apiarian Exhibits at 

 State Fairs. 



BY W. Z. HUTCHINSON. 



For at least a dozen years I have been making exhibitions 

 of bees and honey at my own State Fairs, and this year (1897) 

 I exhibited bees and honey at five State Fairs. It is from 

 this experience that I wish to criticise some of the premium 

 lists and to make some suggestions. 



Perhaps I cannot begin better than by giving such a pre- 

 mium list as I would approve, and then proceeding to compare 

 it with the lists of some of the State Fairs, and show why I 

 would make the changes suggested : 



l8t. 2nd. 



Single-comb nucleus Italian bees -*U1 $5 



Single-comb nucleus black bees 10 5 



Single-comb nucleus Carniolan bees 10 5 



Sweepstakes on bees, greatest number of different races 



of bees. In single-comb nuclei 10 5 



Comb honey, most attractive display of 250 pounds, no 



more and no less . . . , 25 15 



Sample case of comb honey, not less than 10 pounds, 



quality and manner of putting up for market considered 5 3 

 Extracted honey, most attractive display of 2,50 pounds, 



no more and no less 20 10 



Specimen of extracted honey, not less than 10 pounds. 



quality and manner of putting up for market considered 5 8 

 Beeswax, most attractive display of 10 pounds, no more 



and no less, bright yellow wax to have preference 10 5 



Largest and most attractive display of honey-producing 



plants, prest and mounted 15 8 



Largest and best display of apiarian implements 15 8 



Sweepstakes, the largest, best, most interesting and in- 

 structive exhibit, all things considered 25 10 



The foregoing foots up §242, and it could be adopted by 

 any Fair association by simply changing the amounts of the 

 premiums, keeping the proportions between the sums the 

 same, 



I will now proceed with my criticisms, keeping in mind 

 the fact that the object of a Fair is to encourage, stimulate 

 and educate. 



Turning to the premium list of the New York State Fair, 

 I find that premiums are offered on the same kinds of bees as 

 are mentioned in the foregoing list, but, while it says " in ob- 

 servatory hives," it does not specify that they shall be "single- 

 comb hives," and the premiums are not liberal. 



When I first began exhibiting bees they were always 



