THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



cent can of this great " rival of the [he] bee," so that we might per- 

 sonally know about what is " better than honey for less money." We 

 pride ourselves on having a fair taster tor sweet things. But to call 

 thestufl we got (a mixture of corn-syrup and cane-syrup) "better 

 than honey for less money," proved clearly to us that the one who 

 wrote those rhythmical words must have had in mind a poor grade of 

 honey-dew, or amber honey spoiled by overheating. It tasted more 

 ' like New Orleans molasses. He certainly never tasted the fine white 

 clover, alfalfa, basswood, sage, or other fine bee-honeys with which to 

 compare his glucose product. 



To be sure, we got about a pint of the stuff for 10 ceats. Yes, it's 

 cheap. Everybody knows that glucose is cheap. 



We doubt not some good people will believe the catchy advertise- 

 ment, and buy a sample of "he-bee molasses," thinking they are 

 really getting something better than genuine honey-bee honey. After 

 sampling it, we think they would agree with us, that if the fixed- up 

 glucose is " better than honey," we surely wouldn't want either the 

 corn-syrup or genuine honey. 



But we doubt if many people can be fooled into investing very 

 heavily in this " he- bee molasses." 



Does Deliquescence Increase the Weight of Honey ? 



"Tork County Bee-Keeper '' says in the Canadian Bee Journal: 



" From my limited observation I am led to believe that honey does 

 not to any appreciable extent increase in weight by addition of mois- 

 ture attracted to it. Perhaps there is some chemical inversion of the 

 component parts of honey, such as the saccharine matter being turned 

 into water or something of like nature." 



This writer is not alone in the view that there is no appreciable 

 increase of weight by addition of moisture, although, perhaps, not all 

 would express it in exactly the same way, for there is a manifest con- 

 tradiction in addition of moisture without increase of weight. The 

 real question is whether there is a real attraction of moisture or merely 

 a change of some kind in the honey itself without any actual addition. 



Is there any ground for the belief that there is^no real addition of 

 moisture from the atmosphere? It would not be a very difiicult thing 

 to weigh a quantity of honey before and after the chunge, and that 

 ought to decide in a very positive manner whether there is an actual 

 increase of weight. In the meantime it may do no harm to attempt 

 to clear our views by a little reasoning. 



If there is no real addition from the atmosphere, how is it that a 

 can of honey hermetically sealed will not attain the watery condition? 

 Or, how is it that such condition will not be attained in a dry atmos- 

 phere, no matter how open the vessel of honey ': Or, how is it that 

 when honey is changed from a moist to a dry place it becomes thicker, 

 then thinner again when changed to a moist place, a change occur- 

 ring just as often as the change is made from one place to another. 

 Do chemical changes alternate in this way ? 



Every bee-keeper may have observed that when a comb of sealed 

 honey is left long enough in a damp place, the air-space between the 

 cappings and the honey disappears, the space being tilled with honey. 

 Still later the honey oozes through the cappings and runs down in 

 drops over the face of the comb. There can be no question as to the 

 increase of bulk, can there be any as to the inorease of weight ? 



Very likely, when the actual test is made it will be found that no 

 change whatever takes place except the addition of moisture from the 

 air, and that the increase of weight will correspond exactly with the 

 amount of moisture thus added. 



( 



Miscellaneous Items 



] 



Mr. K. B. Huffinan, of Winona Co., Minn., died of consump- 

 tion on Dec. 4. He was 78 years old. lie was a strong friend of the 

 old American Bee Journal. So one by one they are passing away 

 from earth, and others must take up the work. 



Ur. Miller's Keport for the season of 1903, is as follows: 

 Mr. EiiiTOK :— In the very interesting report of the Ueneral Mana- 

 o-er of the National Bee-Keepers' Association, I see I am put down as 

 having harvested the past year 14,000 pounds of comb honey. I think 

 that report was given to him during the convention at Los Angeles, 

 and it was about as near a guess as I could make at the itime. But 



while I was fooling around California, my assistant was having a very 

 busy time gathering in the rest of the crop, and my full report is this: 



From 124 colonies I increased to 284, and harvested 18,461! pounds 

 (20,051 sections) of honey. 



Giving particulars: 100 colonies run for honey gave 184-';; pounds 

 (2001^ sections) per colony, and 24 colonies run for increase gave 666 

 percent increase. C. C. Miller. 



Let's see. Dr. Miller is over 72 years of age, and he has just had 

 his best season with the bees. Conundrum; If Dr. Miller lives say 

 50 years longer, how large will his best honey crop be next time? His 

 answer would likely be: " I don't know !" Neither do we. 



Christmas Greenery is the title of an article written by Hon. 

 Eugene Secor, of Winnebago Co., Iowa, and published in his local 

 newspaper, the Forest City Summit. It is a most interesting literary 

 production on the origin and use of evergreen decorations at Christ- 

 mas-time. Mr. Secor doesn't seem to lose any of his old-time elo- 

 quence and descriptive power as the years come and go. May the 

 memory of him and his be ever green in the thoughts and hearts of 

 those whom his brain-children delight and uplift. 



Mr. H. C. 3Iorehouse, secretary of the Colorado State Bee- 

 Keepers' Association, writing us from Boulder Co., Colo., Deo. 24, 

 had this to say about the wintering of bees in that State: 



Up to date bees have wintered magnificently in Colorado. The 

 weather has permitted frequent flights, and while the consumption of 

 stores is heavy m consequence, the bee-keeper will hardly regret it, 

 since the bees are in No. 1 condition. The ground is now covered 

 with snow, and to-morrow will be the first white Christmas in nine 

 years. H. C. Morehouse. 



Tin-Can Prices Canceled.— We have received the following 

 notice from Mr. France : 



The Annual Report of National Association for 1903, on page 53, 

 gives prices of tin honey-packages. I wish to state that those prices 

 will not be granted any longer. N. E. France, Gen. Mgr. 



Mr. France sends us a further financial statement on the Annual 

 Report and Voting Ballots as follows: 



3200 copies Annual Keport for 1903 and mailing same. .S142 00 

 Less advertising in the Report 66 00 



Total cost of Report to Association 876 00 



I Voting Ballots, printed on both sides $18 50 



Patronize Our Advertisers. — We take considerable pride in 

 the extent and character of the advertisements in the American Bee 

 Journal. We have every confidence that all our advertisers are en- 

 tirely reliable, or they would not be permitted to appear in these col- 

 umns. Hence, we feel like inviting all our readers to patronize them 

 whenever t is to their interest to do so. 



And please do not forget to mention, when writing, that you saw 

 the advertisement in the American Bee Journal. It will help both the 

 advertiser and us if all will kindly do that. 



By the way, there are a great many more of the smaller bee-supply 

 dealers, queen-breeders, etc., that should be represented in our adver- 

 tising columns. Our rates are very moderate, and can be had on 

 application. 



N. B.-K. A. Stamp.— Alfred Atherton offers the following for 

 consideration : 



One suggestion I would like to make: When I was preparing my 

 honey for market this fall, if I could have had some sort of stamp 

 bearing the letters "N. B.-K. A.," perhaps it might give the commis- 

 sion man a little more respect for the rights of the shipper. 



Alfred Atherton. 



We should very strongly oppose the use of such a stamp until 

 some sort of provision is made to prevent frauds getting into the mem- 

 bership of the Association. Unless such a stamp were rigidly safe- 

 guarded, it would be of no value to any one. 



The fact is, the Association is not organized for the purpose of 

 doing all kinds of business. We think it has enough to do when it 

 simply keeps within its legitimate lines of work. 



Mr. H. J. fiercer, a member of the California National 

 Honey-Producers' Association, called on us last week. He is quite 

 enthusiastic over the prospects of the great value that Association is 

 proving itself to be to its members. It has done wonders already in 

 helping to keep up the price of California honey. At least one of the 

 heretofore honey-dealers in San Francisco, who thought he could do 

 as in former years, has become a wiser it not a richer man. He sold 



