THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



15 



When it was organized, many years 

 ago, conditions were entirely different 

 from now. There was no uniformity 

 of hives, supplies or of methods. The 

 markets absorbed all the product at 

 big prices, for the public recognized 

 the merit of honey, and there were 

 no "Boosted" and much advertised 

 food products competing with it. It 

 stood on its own merits, and stood 

 very high in the estimation of the 

 buying public. Since the commercial 

 conditions have become so different, 

 honey has come to be more and more 

 neglected in the markets and the price 

 has suffered because of the "boosting" 

 of other food products of inferior 

 value and the failure to "boost" 

 honey. 



Manufacturers Have Organized 



At the same time, shrewd manufac- 

 turers and supply dealers have or- 

 ganized the supply business, and con- 

 trol the hive and supply market, hav- 

 ing by their modern business methods 

 practically eliminated the small hive- 

 makers and dealers. This has been 

 inevitable, and if the producers take 

 reasonable steps for their own protec- 

 tion, tends to helps all beekeepers, 

 as hives and supplies have been 

 standardized, systematized and grad- 

 ing the product generally adopted. 



Producers Demand Recognition 



At the same time, the enthusiasm 

 of the average beekeeper has not de- 

 creased and he enjoys a convention 

 of beekeepers as fully as he ever 

 did. But aside from this fraternal 

 bond, which we sincerely trust will 

 never be eliminated from our meet- 

 ings, we must recognize a growing 

 element that must be considered; and 

 that is the specialist who has his 

 all invested, and must protect it. We 

 have hundreds, yes, thousands of this 

 class, and they are demanding that 

 the National Association recognize 

 their needs. 



They are asking, and I think their 

 demands are entirely just, that the 

 supply business be conducted so that 

 the interests of the consumer are pro- 

 tected and that organized efforts be 

 taken to "Boost" their product. At 

 the present time, the Association is 

 powerless to do either. Narrow 

 minded jealousy has been a serious 

 handicap to any general effort to push 

 the sales of honey, as many local 

 producers have fought it, as they con- 

 sidered that outside honey was a det- 

 riment to sales of local products. 



This is a mistake, as local consumers 

 ALWAYS prefer, and will always pay 

 a premium for, local products. A 

 long article could be written on this 

 point, but space forbids only a brief 

 mention. 



Beekeepers Cannot Afford to Attend 

 Distant Conventions 



The problem just now is to harmon- 

 ize these elements, not conflicting, but 

 diverging. The average beekeeper 

 is a modest, retiring fellow, who is 

 not overly well supplied with money 

 to travel across half a continent, how- 

 ever well he would enjoy it after he 

 was there. He simply can't afford 

 to go, and pay his own expenses out 

 of his income. But there is a class, 

 and it is an invaluable and I am glad 

 to say, a growing one, who can at- 

 tend, as their expenses are paid by 

 the states and government, who look 

 at the bee and honey business through 

 the rose tinted glasses of those who 

 have an assured and independent in- 

 come, regardless of sun and showers. 

 These members are not directly in- 

 terested in the price of honey up or 

 honey down, but they are good talk- 

 ers, and usually have things their 

 own way, which I am glad to say is 

 usually the right way, except that the 

 National Association has utterly 

 failed to measure up to the needs of 

 the producer. As a consequence, 

 there is a spirit of impatience among 

 the specialists and already California 

 has seceded and other affiliated asso- 

 ciations are asking that steps be 

 taken to relieve the conditions. As 

 it now is, the National Association is 

 helpless. At the last meeting an ef- 

 fort was made to change this. It is 

 still unsettled, and it is up to the 

 different Affiliated Associations to 

 take the matter up and give it care- 

 ful consideration. 



More Funds Needed 



The main difficulty the officers of 

 the Association have to meet is the 

 lack of funds to work with. The an- 

 nual dues are inadequate to meet the 

 expenses, let alone the "boosting" of 

 honey to any considerable extent. 



The Review has proved invaluable 

 and we cannot afford to drop it, as 

 we need it, and need it badly. We 

 are very fortunate in securing the 

 services of our able managing editor, 

 who does the work of five men fcr 

 one wage, and gives us the benefit of 

 his profound knowledge out of his 

 great love for the vocation. Other 



