28 



First Annual Report 



"It has also often seemed to me that we are m need of a law to prevent 

 our pure honey from coming in contact with adulterated honey. Durmg 

 my experience as a salesman of honey, I have become thoroughly disgusted 

 with the stale old cry of 'adulteration,' and many times has it been some- 

 what difficult to repress feelings of anger at the manner in which grocers and 

 dealers would scan our samples with an eye of suspicion and distrust, and 

 with all our sincere declarations of our honey's virgin purity, we could not 

 succeed in lifting their cloud of prejudice and suspicion, and which you know 

 is prevalent more or less the country over. The impression seems very 

 prevalent among the masses that all extracted honey is adulterated, and 

 with this idea dominant among the people, it has become a terrible draw- 

 back or impediment to the sale of our pure honey, and tons of pure honey 

 remain unsold upon the markets, through thecause of the fraudulent practice 

 that was once instituted by our wholesale merchants of the East, in placing 

 upon the markets millions of pounds of glucose in small packages with a 

 piece of honey comb swimming on top and labeled 'Pure Honey.' This 

 practice has poisoned the minds of the consumers of honey, and brought a 

 calamity to the bee-keeper that will recjuire the stern hand of the law. to 

 overcome, and it has occurred to me that if the fraudulent manufacture of 

 butter can be prevented and regulated by statute, why also can we not place 

 a heavy penalty upon the adulteration of honey, and check the output of a 

 fraudulent article ? This is certainly a matter of great importance to the 

 bee-keepers and should receive immediate consideration. 



"I believe, also, that we are in need of a law for the suppression and pre- 

 vention of the spread of 'Foul P.rood'. While in the Legislature, Hon. W. 

 S. Smith, of Macon county, brought my attention to the fact that such a law 

 was needed in his section of the country and some of his constituents desired 

 him to look into the matter, as the disease was in their midst and required 

 prompt attention. At that time it was rather late in the session to expect 

 to carry the matter to a favorable culmination, but through the kindness of 

 Hon. Chas. F. Mills, we obtained a form of a bill which we started on its 

 road and read as follows 



A BILL 



For an act for the suppression of foul brood among "bees and making appro- 

 priations for the expenses of the work. 



Whereas, Bee keeping is a large and growing industry in the State of 

 Illinois and worthy of protection and encouragement, and 



Whereas, The beekeepers of the State have petitioned the General As- 

 sembly to levy a tax on each stand of bees, the revenue therefrom to be used 

 in the suppression of foul brood among bees and the promotion of the bee- 

 keepers' industry, therefore. 



Section i. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, repre- 

 sented in the General Assembly, That the Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Asso- 



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