44 



THE BEE-KEEPERS ' REVIEW. 



gardening, poultry, etc. These things are 

 all right in their place, but' beekeepers who 

 don't care for them dislike to ^ja // for them, 

 or be obliged to wade through them, in order 

 to get at what information there is about 

 bees." 



PRAISE FBOM A HIGH SOUBOE. 



Sometimes we are sorely tempted to pub- 

 lish some of the complimentary things said 

 of the Review. It is seldom that we yield ; 

 but when that old, reliable, conservative 

 journal, the 3Ik'liigan Farmer, that we 

 have read "off and on" from boyhood, the 

 editors of which are bright, keen, experien- 

 ced newspaper men, comes out with a 

 " notice " like the following, we are going to 

 allow our readers to look over our shoulders. 

 It says : — 



"W. Z. Hutchinson, of Flint, editor of 

 the Bee-Keepeks' Review, 'does himself 

 proud ' in the make-up of his little maga- 

 zine, of which he is editor, manager, fore- 

 man, compositor, proof-reader and 'devil.' 

 The Review is not equaled in make up by 

 any bee journal which visits us, and its con- 

 tents show the same excellence and good 

 judgement." 



THE KEVIEW BEING LATE — OPPOSITION TO MK. 

 BOOT ON THE PATENT QUESTION. 



A friend from west of the Mississippi, 

 after saying several commendatory things of 

 the Review, winds up his letter about as fol- 

 lows: "In fact, about the only fault is that 

 it is sometimes a few days late, and is oppo- 

 ed to Mr. Root in his warfare against 

 patents. I think we ought to uphold him in 

 his efforts at exposing fraud." 



Yes, we know the Review has several times 

 been late. Let us inquire into the cause. 

 In the first place, we must remember that 

 the Review is conducted upon a different 

 plan from that of the other journals. Each 

 month it takes up for discussion some spe- 

 cial topic. It is, in one sense, a series of lit- 

 pamphlets, each being devoted to some par- 

 ticular subject pertaining to bee culture. 

 Each month we work with might and main 

 to secure the best information possible upon 

 the subject in hand. Usually, we know to 

 whom to apply to secure the needed infor- 

 mation ; but are often compelled to wait a 

 few days because some of our correspon- 

 dents are too busy to write at once. It often 

 happens, too, that we are nearly ready to go 

 to press promptly on time, when some valu- 



able correspondence, or a string bf-kdver- 

 tisements, or both, come in. Ojie , of two 

 things must be done ; the Review delayed 

 while we get out extra pages, or the discus- 

 sion extended into the next issue. We dis- 

 like to do the latter. We much rather have 

 all of the articles pertaining to one subject 

 in one number, and believe our readers are 

 of the same mind ; besides, if the discussion 

 is run over into the next month, it is quite 

 apt to crowd the next topic into the next 

 issue. In as much as the Review discusses 

 topics a little in advance of the season, we 

 feel that thoroughness of discussion, with 

 the whole of the discussion in one issue, is 

 of more importance than it is to have the 

 Review always reach its readers exactly the 

 same day. Notwithstanding all this, we 

 have worked Jiard, and shall continue to do 

 so, to get out the Review as nearly on 

 time as possible. 



So long as Bro. Root confines his efforts 

 to the exposition of fraud, we are with him 

 heart and hand ; but the securing and sell- 

 ing of patents is as legitimate and honor- 

 able as the cutting and selling of cordwood. 

 The time was when it was almost worth a 

 man's life (apiculturally) to secure a patent 

 upon an article pertaining to bee-culture. 

 The finger of scorn was pointed at him. The 

 words: "selfish," "selflsh,^' were hurled 

 at him. A hungry pack was at his heels 

 with hue and cry ; and no rest was his un- 

 less he gave up the "bone" he had unearthed. 

 For this sentiment among bee-keepers, Mr. 

 A. I. Root is largely responsible. For years 

 he has opposed patents, and his position is 

 such that his influence can perform wonders. 

 But a reaction is coming ; has come, and 

 soon a man can patent an apicultural in- 

 vention with no greater exhibition of shame 

 than that shown by Edison or Westinghouse. 

 In no other industry have inventors been so 

 misused and their rights trampled upon as 

 in that of beekeeping : and, if the Review 

 does nothing more than to help bring about 

 a willingness among beekeepers to see 

 Justice done in this matter, it will not have 

 lived in vain. From the conversation of 

 beekeepers at fairs and conventions we find 

 there are quite a number who believe that 

 Mr. Root is influenced in this matter by 

 seljish)iess. That he wishes for the privilege 

 of manufacturing all these articles without 

 paying for it. We have always defended 

 him against this charge. He always seems 

 willing to reward an inventor, but doesn't 



