STATE bee-keepers' ASSOCIATION. 37 



"Our sales headquarters state that the crop is short in 

 such and such States; that the honey is expected to be in 

 demand in such or such locahties; and that the prices, con- 

 sidering prices of other sweets, may be expected to range 

 about so much. Therefore I have placed the following prices 

 on my honey." 



Let no one think that this is impossible. An impossible 

 thing is to get a fancy price for your product, but there is not 

 the shadow of a doubt that a plain understanding as to the 

 resources and the demand will bring about the securing of 

 fairly profitable prices. No one can produce anything at cost, 

 or below cost, and keep it up. At present we have many 

 friends who produce honey and sell it at less than the cost 

 of production, because they are working individually with- 

 out any information as to the value of their product. We 

 may expect paying prices for our crop, if, when we put it on 

 the market, we know just what to expect, and if we feel that 

 there is a distributing point from which our surplus may be 

 handled at the lowest possible cost. 



I know that some of our members may consider this as 

 romance, but let me tell them that this romance is based on 

 facts. We see thousands of plain evidences that an under- 

 standing of conditions and an increase of facilities for dis- 

 tribution is productive of great benefits to all. The cost of 

 cooperation is insignificant, compared with the results. The 

 only thing that may discourage some of those who hope for 

 success is that large cooperative combines are not built up in 

 one day. We must unite and stay imited until we succeed. 



It is not only in progressive America that the ideas of 

 union are taking root. Even in our pursuit of bee-culture, 

 we see this principle taking the lead a little more every day. 

 The bee-papers of nearly all foreign countries are discussing 

 association and cooperation. In Belgium, in France, there 

 are some tangible steps taken. The October number of the 

 Italian "L'Apicoltore" contains an address from Mr. Cap- 

 poni, before the third National Congress of Bee-Keepers, on 

 "Protection to the Bee-Industry," in which he urges his 

 brother bee-keepers to unite, as "no great results can be ob- . 

 tained if we do not act as 'viribus unitis' — united men." > 



The United States of America are a living example of 

 what can be done by "united men." 



C. P. Dadant. 



Mr. Black — Any other papers? 



Mr. Stone — Mr. York has one from Mr. Moore. We 

 will ask him to read it, but we will have it when Mr. France 

 is here, as he has an address on the same subject. 



Mr. Primm — Mr. France is here now. 



Pres. Smith took the chair. 



Mr. Stone — He keeps pretty quiet. Let us have the paper. 



