THE BEEKEEPERS' REVIEW 449 



We can get a larger membership, the expense of printing re- 

 ceipts for membership and postage will consume nearly all the 

 funds, so all the benefit you get will be the receipt card and the 

 knowledge that you have helped prolong the painful existence of 

 the so-called National Beekeepers' Association. You will not re- 

 ceive more benefits unless more join and no more will join unless 

 they get more benefits, so there you are. 



The National Needs a Secretary on Yearly Salary 



The need of an income, of at least $2500 annually, for the Na- 

 tional work is paramount. An office should be maintained with a 

 Secretary on full time. Then, and not till then, will the Association 

 be able to give value and more for the dues paid. The dues should 

 be not less than two dollars a year, unless the income can be in- 

 creased to more than $2500 annually. 



It is important as an organization, we put first things first. 

 Objection was voiced at the National Convention because the Cen- 

 sus Bureau had not done a good job in reporting the number of col- 

 onies of bees. Few care very much whether there are fifty thous- 

 and colonies or one hundred thousand colonies as long as there are 

 a hundred cars of honey, or perhaps ten million pounds of honey 

 seeking a market at less than the price of sugar, and below the cost 

 of production. 



The National Association would do well to assist in the distribu- 

 tion of this honey, so that it might be consumed before another crop 

 is on the market. Suggestions for more attractive and better 

 labels could be given by the Association. Posters to be displayed 

 in grocery stores will greatly help. Interestingly written articles 

 to be printed in the local papers, could be furnished the members. 

 It has long seemed to me to be a mistake to allow good, white space 

 on sections and shipping cases to go to market without good honey 

 publicity matter being printed on them. 



There is one benefit that comes from a low price on comb-honey ; 

 and that is, more grocers get to handling it and more honey con- 

 sumers are educated. There is another phase that should be popu- 

 larized; and that is, ''Cook with Honey." The great mass of the 

 people are ignorant of the fact that vast quantities of "cooking" 

 and not "table" honey are produced in the United States and can 

 now be bought for less than the price of sugar. 



Outlines of selling methods practiced by successful beekeepers 

 and salesmen should be given more publicity. The National Asso- 

 ciation can do a great deal in the way of aiding beekeepers to sell 

 their own honey without handling honey in a commercial way. 



Probably the greatest obstacle to the National Association's 



