AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL,. 



177 



way, and returns by another route, 

 visiting grocers and hotel-keepers, and 

 disposes of large crops in that way. 



DO WE NEED A IliADE-MARK ? 



It is claimed by a prominent bee- 

 keeper that "it will result in protection 

 to honey-producers, and tend to largely 

 swell the membership of the Union." 

 As to the last part of the statement, I 

 have no word of opposition, and if the 

 question were, "Is it best for the Union 

 to have a trade-mark ?" I would say that 

 for the purpose of increasing member- 

 ship, I should think it might be a wise 

 plan. It is also said that "soon con- 

 sumers everywhere will be educated to 

 the fact that producers never adulterate, 

 because they cannot afford it, and that 

 they can instantly discern (I suppose by 

 means of the trade-mark) which pack- 

 ages were put up by producers, and 

 which by adulterators or city packers." 



The only reason given why " producers 

 never adulterate," is " because they 

 cannot afford it," and it seems to me a 

 very lame one. How is it that bee- 

 keepers, who are of necessity unem- 

 ployed with their regular business 

 during the time when there is more call 

 for honey than at any other time in the 

 year, without having to pay extra rent, 

 without having to provide extra storage- 

 cans, and with only family help, cannot 

 afford to put in their time in this way, 

 if city packers can afford to pay big 

 rent, and high prices for labor to mix 

 and sell the stuff? Mind, I do not say, 

 or even think, that they will ; for I 

 believe that, as a class, bee-keepers are 

 up to a higher standard of moral excel- 

 lence than those of many other callings. 



As I understand it, any one who is not 

 either in, or threatened with litigation, 

 can join the Union by paying the sum 

 of $1.00. I do not know as it is a 

 requirement even to be a bee-keeper, 

 while the supposition might be that only 

 bee-keepers would wish to join. 



Now, of the vast number who might 

 join in order to have the use of the 

 trade-mark, it would be very strange if 

 some unworthy persons did not take 

 advantage of this cheap protection, 

 which could not be refused as long as 

 they were members of the Union. Sup- 

 posing that I had joined this year, and 

 I do not get 'as large a crop as I 

 expected, and do not feel as if I could 

 pay the dues next January, but have a 

 number of the trade-marks left, would I 

 not be very apt to use them on next 

 year's crop, feeling as if I had already 

 paid for them ? 



Unless a list of persons entitled to use 

 the trade-mark, should be sent out to all 

 the members monthly, how could they 

 know that some one was not using the 

 trade-mark unlawfully ? Besides, would 

 it not cast a reflection on our brother 

 and sister bee-keepers who have not 

 much honey to dispose of, and do not 

 feel able to invest in the trade-mark, 

 and to whom the dealers would say : 

 "Your honey must be bogus, for you 

 have not got tho stamp of ' genuine,' as 

 adopted by all the reputable bee-keepers 

 of America," and they would have to 

 sell at a low price— a thing we have for 

 years been fighting against, as demoral- 

 izing to the trade. 



My advice is, make your own name 

 and apiary an honest trade-mark, the 

 genuineness of which shall not be 

 doubted anywhere. The Union trade- 

 mark might be misused — never allow 

 yours to appear on anything which is 

 not exactly as represented both in 

 quantity and quality. Stand on your 

 own merits, and you will not need to 

 push any honest person down. But do 

 join the Bee-Keepers' Union. Not 

 merely for your own gain, but to set 

 wrongs against your fellow workers 

 right, and to help punish those cravens 

 who dare, for sordid gain, to degrade 

 our honorable profession, which is the 

 furnishing, in a direct line from the 

 fragrant fields and flower-laden boughs 

 of the orchard and forest to the waiting 

 people, the delicious nectar which the 

 busy bee has so deftly stored in dainty 

 snow-white cups, as honey — that most 

 satisfying of all sweets, whose praises 

 have been sung by poets, and whose 

 virtues have been extolled by sages 

 since the earliest days, "When the 

 world was young." — Read at the Toledo 

 Convention. 



Bedford, Ohio. 



TMniler Stornis anil the Honey-Flow, 



A. F. BROWN. 



My experience in regard to the effect 

 that thunder storms have on the flow of 

 nectar in flowerS; corroborates that of 

 Mr. Joshua Bull (page 76) — that is, the 

 heavier the storm the lighter the honey- 

 flow the following week. 



I also find that when thunder storms 

 are several hours in gathering, the flow 

 of nectar that day will be above the 

 average, as a rule. 



In several instances, I have known the 

 gathering of a thunder storm to cause a 



