THE BEEKEEPERS' REVIEW 257 



The limits of a honey region, as this term is here used, are deter- 

 mined not only by differences in the sources of honey but in the 

 manipulations employed, the character of the product, the kind 

 of beekeepers and the character and location of the market sought. 

 These regions are as follows: (1) the white clover region; (2) 

 the alfalfa region; (3) the moist region of the southeastern United 

 States; (4) the semi-arid region of Texas and adjoining states, and 

 (5) the sage region of southern California. In addition to these 

 main divisions, there are numerous more restricted honey regions, 

 lying within the general regions, among which may be mentioned 

 those characterized by buckwheat, Spanish needle, tupelo, hearts- 

 ease and many other honeys. The beekeepers in any one of these 

 regions are constantly in competition with the beekeepers of all 

 the other regions and most of the commercial producers are aiming 

 to supply the eastern market. In all the history of co-operative 

 movements there can be cited no case of the successful organization 

 of producers of so diverse products and market conditions. The 

 organization of the citrus fruit industry is an example of success 

 in co-operation but the growers in the various producing regions 

 are not members of one society and their various co-operative soci- 

 eties are moreover in competition. To organize the honey business 

 as completely as the citrus fruit business is organized and along 

 similar lines will require not one but dozens of co-operative societies. 



Other obstacles to national co-operation may be briefly men- 

 tioned. It must be remembered that co-operation is most helpful 

 to the small producer for the extensive producer can develop his 

 own selling organization more advantageously and often more eco- 

 nomically than can the association. Many extensive producers 

 would feel that they cannot afford to bear the burden of an organ- 

 ization designed to sell the crops of their weaker associates. It 

 would be impossible at present to get competent leaders in the 

 various localities who would work in harmony for a national co-op- 

 erative society. The lack of harmony in the National Beekeepers' 

 Association is proof of how little it takes to break the unity of 

 an organization which is composed of men of diversified interests. 

 The most important obstacle, perhaps, is that only a handful of 

 the beekeepers of the United States are familiar with co-operative 

 methods and men must be educated to this idea before they can 

 work successfully together. 



Lastly, it is more than probable that the expense of a national 

 co-operative honey selling society would put a heavier burden on 

 both the beekeeper and the consumer than does the present selling 

 system. A co-operative society is organized to replace the middle- 



