THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



755 



Cost of Getting Those Statistics. 



In reference to this very important 

 subject we liave received the following 

 letter: 



I am much interested in the honey 

 statistics of tlie country, so much so 

 tliat I worked up this county at my 

 own expense ; the account of wliicli 

 has been published in the Bee Jour- 

 nal and credited to J. S. Terrill, by 

 mistake of tlie Secretary of the Con- 

 vention, at Cincinnati, O. Now, 1 

 have a plan wliich 1 have been think- 

 ing about, that would cut down your 

 $-1,000 some, if it could be made to 

 work. There are a great many bee- 

 keepers in the country who are fourth- 

 class |)ostuiasters (I happen to be one 

 of tlie unlucky class), whose salary is 

 made up of from GO per cent, of the 

 amount of stamps canceled ; on tlie 

 tirst $100 each quarter ; 50 per cent, of 

 the second $100, and so on. Now, the 

 most of these postmasters cancel less 

 than $100 each quarter, so you see 

 they get 60 per cent, of all the stamps 

 canceled. J\ly idea is to get these 

 bee-keeping postmasters interested in 

 these statistics; let them work up their 

 own counties, and donate the per cent, 

 of cancelation at their office to the 

 statistical fund ; also, ask each bee- 

 keeper to donate a few cents to carry 

 on the work. What enterprising bee- 

 keeper is there who would not give a 

 few pennies to l^novv the amount of 

 bees and lioney raised in the country. 

 It cost me ten times that amount to 

 get the statistics of one county, and 

 yet I feel paid for the cost and trouble, 

 and if each bee-keeper that I corres- 

 ponded with had sent me a tliree cent 

 stamp {which I think they would have 

 done if I had asked it), it would have 

 covered the whole expense. 



There might be counties where you 

 could not lind a P. M. to do the work ; 

 then let one man work two or more 

 counties. This is a small job if you 

 will use a copying pad, for with once 

 writing you take 75 legible copies ; 

 these pass through the mails for one 

 cent, thereby cutting down the post- 

 age two-thirds, and the letter writing 

 to a mere shadow. I am confident 

 that these plans will work with a tri- 

 fling expense, and if you will authorize 

 me, I will try one county at my own 

 expense. 1 would prefer a county 

 joining Lorain. Now, from these sug- 

 gestions, perhaps some one can suggest 

 sornetliiiig better. But don't let that 

 $4,000 scare us out of the work which 

 is necessary in the interests of the bee 

 fraternity. O. J. Terrell. 



North "Ridgeville, O., Nov. 17, 1882. 



There may be some postmasters who 

 would be willing to aid the work of 

 obtaining statistics in the way Mr. 

 Terrell mentions,— but, we fear, they 

 would be very few in number, not over 

 one in a thousand ! 



We did not mention the amount 

 necessary to defray the expense and 

 postage, in order to " scare" any one 

 "out of the work," but to have Its 

 magnitude fully understood. 



We only calculated oh one-cent 

 postage each way, but there are -15,000 

 post ollices in the United States. To 

 get a circular to each one with a re- 

 turn postal card will cost over $1,000. 

 Then there will be an average of say 

 3 bee-keepers to each post oftice ; to 

 get a circular and postal card to each 

 of these will cost over $3,000 more ; or 

 over $4,000 in all. It is very generous 

 in him to offer to get the statistics of 

 another county ; who else vvill volun- 

 teer to get the statistics of a county, 

 if we will undertake to furnisli blanks 

 for each county, to be lilled up and 

 returned to us to tabulated ? We may 

 get this started yet. 



Since writing the above we have re- 

 ceived the following letter from Mr. 

 Hackman, which will fully explain 

 itself : 



Dear Editor: — You are correct on 

 the expenses regarding the statistics 

 of bee-keepers, bnt why not get the 

 statistics of live bee men : tliat is, of 

 those who read bee periodicals V Tliey 

 could be easily reached by simply 

 making a call through the different 

 bee publications y It seems to be of 

 very little use or consequence, as far 

 as it regards the box-hive and log- gum 

 bee men ; their product will never 

 affect the market much. Let us have 

 the statistics of progressive and sys- 

 tematic bee men, and I, for one, would 

 be much pleased. We have but 3 of 

 such bee men in thislocality. If there 

 is a call made, according to my idea 

 as stated above, I will do all I can to 

 get information. We have a few box- 

 hive men around here, but their goods 

 are generally in such a condition that 

 they will never affect the market 

 much. H. S. Hackman. 



Peru, 111., Nov. 17, 1882. 



In order to make a table, showing 

 the honey production of America, that 

 will be of any value, it must include 

 all the honey produced, no matter 

 whether it be obtained by progressive 

 bee-keepers or not. It is very kind of 

 Mr. Hackman to promise to do all he 

 can— but if it is not to be a thorough 

 and complete statistical table, it will 

 be better not to undertake it at all. It 

 should be organized at the start so 

 completely that it cannot fail to over- 

 come every obstacle which can be 

 thrown in the way. The funds must 

 all be provided in advance, for there 

 will be enough work in the legitimate 

 performance of their duties to occupy 

 the entire energies of the committee, 

 without looking after Such trifles as 

 the money to pay postage and expen- 

 ses, etc. 



Until that is done we can do no more 

 than to discuss tlie plans proposed, in 

 the hope of linding one that will re- 

 duce the expenses to the minimum. 



Last year we tried the plan sug- 

 gested by Mr. Hackman, of callingfor 

 reports of the progressive bee-men 

 who read bee-periodicals, and our ex- 

 perience is that but few will take the 

 trouble to report, and such are always 

 those who have been most successful, 

 consequently the Tabulated Statistical 

 Table we published last October was 

 assailed by some who did not report, 

 and, by perversion and malicious mis- 

 representation, attempted to make it 

 look ridiculous ; as may be seen in ex- 

 tracts from some of these impulsive 

 correspondents, as quoted in the Bee 

 Journal for Dec. 14, 1881, and Jan. 

 11, 1882. Several other attacks were 

 made upon us and that Table, which 

 we deemed too malicious to answer. 



International Exhibition at Hamburg. 



Some months since we mentioned 

 the fact that there would be an " In- 

 ter-national Exhibition of Animals 

 connected with Agriculture," at Ham- 

 burg, Germany, from July 3 to 11, 

 1883. This Exiiibition includes imple- 

 ments, machinery, literature, etc., 

 connected with each department ; the 

 fifth being " Bees ; appliances for the 

 keeping and culture of bees, and 

 products of the same." Now we de- 

 sire to announce that we have a num- 

 ber of programmes, giving specific 

 directions for exhibitors, etc., and wiU 

 send these to any one applying for 

 them, who may contemplate sending 

 an exhibit. 



We were requested by the Provis- 

 ional Committee to take charge of the 

 American exhibits in the fifth class, 

 (see page 306), and Richard Gottel & 

 Co., Export Commission Merchants, 

 202 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa., have 

 consented to forward exhibits to Mi- 

 chaelisifc Hoffmann, at Hamburg, who 

 will take charge of exhibits and sell 

 them, if requested, and return the pro- 

 ceeds to the owners of the articles ex- 

 hibited, at a moderate percentage. 



Tills Exhibition will be one of great 

 magnitude. Much interest in it is al- 

 ready manifested throughout the 

 world ; it is, therefore, advisable that 

 those who wish to exhibit should se- 

 cure tlie proper space as early as pos- 

 sible. The Hamburg commission firm 

 wishes to be informed of any one de- 

 siring to secure space, and will obtain 

 it for exhibitors in America. 



They will also supply all necessary 

 information concerning the Exhibition 

 and its management, together with 

 circulars and other papers referring 

 to it. 



