Many States have in recent years passed laws having for their purpose
the eradication or suppression of contagious diseases among bees. State
and county inspectors have been appointed under these laws, whose duty
it is to go about and ascertain where diseased colonies of bees are
located, and recommend the treatment to be given, or in some cases to
carry out this treatment, even to the complete destruction of colonies
or apiaries where the virulence of the attack seems to warrant it.
Where these laws have been conscientiously and energetically executed,
much has been accomplished toward freeing the apiaries of the given
State from disease.
Some States have passed laws making it a misdemeanor to spray fruit
trees during the time of blossoming, since thereby bees are poisoned,
and besides the injury to the apiarist the pollination of the fruit
blossoms is seriously interfered with.
Laws against the sale of adulterated goods as genuine, known commonly
as pure-food laws, are in operation in some of the States, and where
bee inspectors or bee keepers have taken the pains to have these
laws applied to the marketing of honey, a check has been put upon
the selling of adulterated honey in the liquid form, which has been
practiced to a greater or less extent and still occurs in some of the
city markets.
In general, the rights of bee keepers to own and cultivate bees, either
within the limits of cities or on farms adjoining those devoted to
grazing and general stock raising, are becoming more clearly defined
through decisions of supreme and county courts. In this connection the
work of the National Bee-Keepers' Association should receive mention.
This organization is in no sense a trades union, but has for its
purpose the defense of its members against unjust attacks upon their
legal rights, the suppression, in so far as possible, of the sale of
adulterated honey, the securing of legislation for the protection of
its members and favorable to the general advance of the industry,
as well as the dissemination among its members of advanced ideas in
bee management and information regarding the marketing of apiarian
products. The membership fee of one dollar per annum entitles every
honey producer to membership and participation in all of the benefits
enumerated, as well as to the published report of the annual convention
held by the association. The membership numbers nearly 2,000 at the
present time, and the influence of this large body of intelligent
beemasters is already being appreciably felt in the general advance of
the industry in this country.