IHE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



53 



led I'side by one ear and j^iveu a dressing 

 down. 



The editor's allusions some time l>ack to 

 "line-spun theories " seem to indicate, in 

 exi)ression at least, some need of explana- 

 tion. A " finespun " theory may be an im- 

 portant one ; and the question natnrally 

 arises, does he object to theory without the 

 adjective? If Mr. Htddon's extra apicnl- 

 tural ideas are going to dominate bee-litera- 

 ture, I feel somewhat lost, as if even ex- 

 perience didn't count for anything in opposi- 

 tion to say-so. I had always thought it iiad 

 been my experience that the ability to grap- 

 ple with facts could be modestly compared 

 with the facts themselves. 



But, I see, there is a way of recouciki- 

 ment. I can get a seat in tiie band-wagon, 

 and keep on promulagating theories like the 

 breeding out of swarming, cause of poor 

 seasons, overstockins?, etc. at the same time 

 — if I will only take care to casually inform 

 the crowd 



I am no orator, as Brutus is: 



But, as you know me all, a plain blunt 

 man, and at every other remark bring down 

 my fist on the table ( beg pardon, hive- cover 

 — no. that wouldn't do— shipping-case, I 

 gue.ss ) ; and occasionally jump up and 

 howl " Wahoo ! You hear me talk. I, Man- 

 Who-Fights-Without-Gloves, behold me!" 

 lam quite sure the groundlings would ap- 

 plaud, and that many others would unthink- 

 ingly join in. For though truth seldom ex- 

 ists in an absolute form, many do not want 

 to do their own thinking. It might h-^ ask- 

 ed " Is it better to follow than to guide ? " 

 But that wouldn't trouble me. I would be 

 certain of support. The stagnation of noth- 

 ing but transmitted facts doesn't readily 

 ocjur to the majority, even when they are 

 suffering from i.,. 



I cannot quite agree with those who when 

 asked their opinion of the bee-literature of 

 to-day evade an answer by saying they have 

 had no experience as an editor or publisher. 

 I presume editors are sincere in now and 

 then asking their readers' opinion as read- 

 ers. In doing so they are supposed to re- 

 serve the right to judge such opinions as edi- 

 tors. Probably one reason why they ask 

 for opinions is that just as a well person can 

 not realize exactly how he felt when he was 

 sick, or an adult when he was a child, so 

 those in possession of knowledge need some- 

 thing more than memory and intuition to 



keep in touch with those whom they in- 

 struct. 



It is only from the standpoint of a reader 

 and learner tliac I have written the above. 

 If any of it contiicts with what editors and 

 publishers have f,>und expedient, it is not in- 

 sisted on. But I don't think it does. 



To sum up, I think there is danger of 

 Philistinism, and in some " (luarters " wc 

 have already had too much of that article. 



Akvaua, Colo. Jan. 14 ]89(>. 



Bee-Keepers' Review. 



PtIBI.ISHEI> MONTHLY. 



W. Z. HUTCHINSON, Editor M Proprietor, 



Tp:rms :— $1.00 a year in advance. Two copies 

 $1.90 : three for $2.70 ; five for .«4.00 ; ten or more, 

 70 cenis each. If it is desired to have tbeEEViiw 

 st<)ppe<l nt tlie expiration of the time paid for, 

 please say so wlion siiljscribing. otherwise, it 

 will be continued 



FLINT. MICHIGAN FEB. 10. 1896. 



H. L. F SHER, of Milford, Indiana, writes ; 

 " Altiiough Mr. Pringle's article is a depart- 

 ure from bee culture, it is the brightest 

 thing on hygiene that I have road for a long 

 time. " 



The Editorial department is more meag- 

 er in this issue than I like to have it, but 

 there seemed to be so much correspondence 

 that must go in that there was no help for 

 it unless I added extra pages again, and the 

 " girls " who set the type begged so hard of 

 me not to do it, as they want to " catch up " 

 and have the Review out on time, ( and I 

 guess they are in the right, ) that I conclu- 

 ded to listen to their pleadings. As it is, 

 the review of foreign journals is also crowd- 

 ed out. Never mind, Bro. Thompson, we 

 will have our say next time. 



The Quarterly is not dead even if Bro. 

 Hasty did say so. He knows now that it 

 isn't because he wrote me after his article 

 was in type requesting me to take out that 

 item, as the Quarterly had come to hand ; 

 and then what did / do but " forget " and 

 let the item go in. Mr. Heddon has been 

 sick as well as the rest of us and that made 

 hi-; .Jan. issue late. He is now in Florida ; 

 and, by the way, is thinking seriously of 

 making that State his future home. It is on 



