546 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Practical Co-operation. 



Bee-keepers have cause for congrat- 

 ulation, in view of tlie great interest 

 recently being manifested by the 

 managers and directors of the leading 

 expositions and fairs in the country, 

 in recognizing the importance of scien- 

 tific apiculture. One after another 

 they are rapidly falling in line, and 

 one after another bee-keepers are ap- 

 preciating the necessity of encourag- 

 ing this liberality, and of doing their 

 part toward making tliebee and honey 

 department of each of these popular 

 gatherings as attractive and instruc- 

 tive as possible. It is the most feasi- 

 ble and remunerative method of edu- 

 cating the great mass of consumers to 

 the desirableness of using a pure 

 article of honey as a common diet, to 

 the exclusiou of the vile conglomera- 

 tions now palmed off on the public as 

 strained honey, etc. Once a suspicion 

 is aroused against those swindlers, and 

 it will soon deepen into a conviction ; 

 once convince the public your honey 

 is pure and wholesome, and its use will 

 become popular. Therefore, every 

 bee-keeper placing an attracti ve art icle 

 of honey on exhibition, and bees for 

 manipulation, is not alone adding to 

 the interest of the exposition, but is 

 enriching himself by advertising his 

 product, and benefitting the public by 

 introducing a wholesome and econom- 

 ical article of diet for their consump- 

 tion. 



In this connection we cannot for- 

 bear calling special attention to tlie 

 action of the Executive Committee of 

 the Michigan Central Bee-Keepers' 

 Society, in calling their Society to 

 meetin Convention "two weeks before 

 the Annual Fair of the Central Michi- 

 gan Agricultural Society, for the pur- 

 pose of making tlie final arrangements 

 for a large exhibit of bees, honey and 

 apiarian supplies." 



This is feasible and practical co- 

 operation, and will accomplish more 

 permanent, remunerative good, than 

 all the rings and resolves and wire- 

 pulling could attempt, for it brings 

 the producers face to face with their 

 customers — the consumers, and gives 

 each an opportunity to relate the 

 special meritsof his own goods. Again, 

 it places the combined indorsement of 

 a large ami respectable society upon 

 the special exhibit of each individual 

 member, which will go further in the 

 estimation of tlie public than the as- 

 surances of all the middle-men in tlie 

 community. 



The St. Josepli, Mo.. Inter-State 



Exposition is again coming to the 

 front with a liberality worthy of the 

 co-operation of every bee-keeper in 

 the great Missouri Valley. One year 

 ago they took the lead by placing the 

 apiarian department under the efficient 

 management of Hon. R. S. Musser, of 

 St. Joseph, Mo., who, by his well- 

 directed efforts and untiring zeal, 

 succeeded in making it the most at- 

 tractive feature of their truly success- 

 ful exposition, and as a practical and 

 notable result, the honey crop of the 

 Missouri Valley failed to be sufficient 

 to supply a remunerative home de- 

 mand, and St. Louis and Chicago 

 dealers have been obliged to make up 

 a large deficiency. This year the St. 

 Joseph Inter-State Exposition have 

 largely increased their Society and 

 special premiums, and their list is one 

 of the most liberal in the country. It 

 is worthy of mention, that the local 

 bee-keepers appreciate the permanent 

 benefits of last year's efforts to the ex- 

 tent of themselves offering special 

 premiums to stimulate competition in 

 the exhibits and perfection in the im- 

 plements. The bee department this 

 season is under the able supervision 

 of Mr. D. G. Parker, who will himself 

 enter the arena as an exhibitor of 

 albino bees. 



We give publicity to the following 

 letter from Hon. R. S. Musser, of St. 

 Joseph, Mo., bearing date Aug. 22, 

 1882: 



Editor Bee Journal : The weath- 

 er for the last two weeks has been 

 very favorable for a honey flow, and 

 the bees have had quite a harvest. 



A fine display of honey at the St. 

 Joseph Inter-State Exposition is now 

 an assured fact. The Exposition com- 

 mences Sept. 5, and continues six 

 days. 



Mr. J. L. Smith, of Lawson, Ray 

 Co.. Mo., will exhibit several colonies 

 of Cyprians and Italians. 



Mr. D. G. Parker will exhibit one 

 colony of albinos. 



In iuaking up the Exposition premi- 

 um list, the premium for the best 

 arranged bee hive was unintentionally 

 omitted. Our enterprising fellow- 

 townsman, Mr. Frank G. Hopkins, 

 comes forward with a special of $10 

 for the best arranged bee hive for all 

 purposes, and the Association will 

 add its diploma. Here is a chance for 

 practical invention among the en- 

 thusiasts in bee-culture. 



The Association through its Secre- 

 tary, C. F. Ernst, is doing everything 

 to make the apiarian department a 

 success. 



The officers of the Association 

 would be very glad to have you at- 

 tend the Exposition this fall, so that 

 von might see tlie result of your visit 

 iind iiitcrestiii'.; lecture last year, on 

 Bf cs anil Iliiiiev. 



The premiums, general and special, 

 amount to over $200, and are the most 

 liberal yet offered. Among the spe- 

 cials is one of §20, for the best 20 

 pounds of honey exhibited by any 

 lady not a resident of Missouri. This 

 should awaken the emulative efforts 

 of many of the fair apiarists, several 

 of whom, notably Mrs. L. Harrison, 

 Vice President for Illinois of the 

 North American Bee-Keepers' Soci- 

 ety, and the Misses Wilkins and Mrs. 

 Baker of Michigan, are apiarists of 

 no mean merit. 



What with the many very able bee- 

 keepers' societies and conventions to 

 harmonize action and customs, and 

 the liberal inducements and facilities 

 being held out by fairs and exposi- 

 tions, we do not see how a more 

 effective system of co-operation can 

 possibly be inaugurated, especially if 

 bee-keepers themselves turn out en 

 jnos.se to attend these conventions 

 and fairs, and bear each his share of 

 the burden in counseling wisdom and 

 giving instruction. The fact of the 

 apiarian department being novel and 

 attractive, is proof positive that the 

 public need enlightenment regarding 

 its exhibits, and the more they are 

 familiarized with it, the greater will 

 be the demand for its products. 



i^'We learn, by iirivate letter, that 

 Mr. Frank Benton has removed from 

 Larnaca, Cyprus, to Beyrout, Syria. 

 We have not been advised as to the 

 cause of his change of location. Can 

 it be that he is abandoning the propa- 

 gation of Cyprian bees, and has re- 

 moved to facilitate the rearing of 

 Syrians with greater purity V 



^"We will supply sample copies of 

 the Bee Journal and large colored; 

 posters to any who may make a dis- 

 play at the coming fairs, to aid in get- 

 ting up clubs. 



g^ We have received the Catalogue- 

 of small fruits and grape vines, for 

 1882, of E. P. Roe, Cornwall-on-the- 

 Hudson, N. Y. It contains 20 pages, 

 embracing everything in his line. 



i^The census report, 1880, will 

 make the largest book ever published. 

 It will consist of 30 volumes, and will 

 cost 51,000,000. To be of any value, it. 

 ought to be issued to the public soon. 



1^ When changing a postofflce ad- 

 dress, mention the old as well as the 

 new.address. 



