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Eniered at the Post-Office at Chicago as Second-Class Mail-Matter. 

 Publi!«liecl Weekly at «il.OO a Year by George \W. Vorit & Co., 3»4 l>earborn St. 



QBORae W. YORK, Editor. 



CHICAGO, ILL, JUNE 30, 1904. 



Vol, XLIV— No, 26, 





Editorial Comments 





Early Ordering of Bee-Supplies. 



It would seem that after the very trying— almost heart-rending- 

 experiences of last year, in endeavoring to get bee-supplies in time to 

 prevent loss, would have caused all to rua no risk of a recurrence of 

 the trouble this year. But we learn that the dilHculty is almost as 

 great this year as it was last season. 



We can not imagine anything more exasperating than to be with- 

 out necessary supplies to take advantage of a good honey-flow. Espe- 

 cially after one has sent in his order for goods in what he naturally 

 thinks ample time to receive them for use when really needed in the 

 apiary. 



Many a business has languished, and almost failed entirely, for 

 the lack of ready capital to conduct it properly. But hee-keeping 

 would hardly seem to be a business of that kind, as its demands or 

 requirements are not large. In the majority of cases an extra invest- 

 ment of perhaps $50 or $100 would insure the possession of suflieient 

 bee-supplies to avoid any loss or vexatious delay whatever. 



But too many seem to look upon their bees simply as they do on 

 their chickens. It they yield any returns, all right; if not, all right. 

 So the requirements are not carefully considered, or, it thought of at 

 all, it is often too late to prevent loss or delay. All dealers, if they 

 could, would gladly fill every order the same day on which it is re- 

 ceived, but of course that is utterly impossible in an establishment 

 that does much business. The dealer has his troubles as well as the 

 negligent customer. We know somewhat of the former's trials, hav- 

 ing passed through them during the very trying season of last year. 

 We have since thought that we'd like to write an article or two on 

 " The Trials of a Bee-Supply Dealer." But it we did, perhaps some of 

 our old bee-supply customers would come back at us with " The 

 Trials of a Bee-Keeper Who Couldn't Get Supplies." And we might 

 get the worst of it. However, we tried to do the best we could in 

 filling orders promptly, but it was very aggravating to all concerned, 

 as we were unable to get the goods fast enough from the factory that 

 furnished them. 



The lesson to be learned is this: Order your bee-supplies durins: 

 the winter— perhaps three or four months before you really need 

 them — then, in all probability, they will arrive in time for use when 

 you must have them. 



The No-Dpip Shlppingr-Case. 



Recently, R. A. Burnett i Co. called us over to their honey-store 

 to see quite a large local shipment of comb honey that had come in 

 from Iowa. It was all properly put up, and arrived in excellent con- 

 dition, with one exception. It seems that the no-drip strips under 

 the sections were too thin. They were only 'jj of an inch thick, when 

 they should have been at least I4 inch. 



The honey had not broken down at all, but it had leaked out 01 

 the combs so much that in some cases it was daubed all over the undi 1 

 side of the sections. Had the no-drip strips been thick enough, thi )• 



would have been ample space below the sections for all the honey-drip, 

 without its touching them. 



This is a matter that the manufacturers should remedy. It may 

 take a trifle more wood both in the strips and also in part of the case 

 itself, but we believe the advantage to be gained by the extra thick- 

 ness of the no-drip strips would increase the value of the case itself to 

 those who use them. By their being made too thin, it simply defeats 

 the very object for which they are intended, that is, when for any rea- 

 son the honey leaks out of the comb either from unsealed cells or from 

 cracking of the comb itself, the latter resulling sometimes from cold 

 weather or from rough handling. 



The Press and "Manufactured" Comb Honey. 



Early this month we received the following letter from Hon. 

 Eugene Secor, who, for several years, was the general manager of the 

 National Bee-Keepers' Association : 



Forest City, Iowa, .June 9, 1904. 



Dear Mb. York :— I notice that a jjood deal is being said in the 

 bee-papers about an article on manufactured honey, written by Dr. 

 Walker, which appeared in the June number of the Ladies' Home 

 Journal. 



This reminds me of a little correspondence I had with a party at 

 Omaha, Nebr. , who is in some way connected with the Tri-City Press 

 Club, I think. As you know, I have been editing a department on 

 bees and honey in the Northwestern Agriculturist for about a year. 

 In one issue I stated that consumers might depend upon comb honey 

 being pure. I also commented on the credulity of the public who 

 think that comb honey can be manufactured, and also commented on 

 the oft-exploded theory that hens' eggs were claimed to have been man- 

 ufactured by machinery. This is the article to which Mr. Gilder refers. 

 Since my reply I have not heard from him. Perhaps he is negotiating 

 with The A. I. Root Co. for that .^lOOO. It would be interesting to 

 know the correspondence between them. 



I was in hopes, however, to get a sauiple, thinking I might be able 

 to enlighten him a little further. • 



It seems that this comb honey fake will never be entirely elimi- 

 nated from the daily press and other journals. 



I do not know that you will care to make any use of this material 

 which I send you, but I thought I would let you know that I am not 

 entirely out of the business, even though I am no longer general 

 manager. Very sincerely yours, 



Eugene Sbcor. 



The letter referred to by Mr. Secor, as having been received from 



Mr. Gilder, reads as follows: 



Omaua, Nebr., April 25, 1904. 

 EooENE Secor, 



Editor Bees and Honey Department, 



Northwestern Agriculturist. 



Dear Sir .-—In the issue of the Northwestern, under date of April 

 16, in an article on " Comb Honey is Pure," you speak of an offer of 

 SIOOO for a pound of comb honey manufactured without the aid of 

 bees. 



If this " manufactured honey " is not honey at all, or if you desire 

 to create the impression that there is no imitation of honey in the 

 comb, so-called, we would be pleased to have you state who offers the 

 money. We would like some of it. 



Concerning the eggs manufactured— of course, if this, too, is 

 done by machinery they are not eggs proper. But some 15 or 20 years 

 ago there was a factory located at Newark, N. J., which manufactured 

 eggs, so-called. These eggs could not be fried or eaten raw, but they' 

 boiled very nicely, and tons of them were sold to restaurants, hotels, 

 and boarding houses. They were composed of corn-meal and other in- 

 gredients, and were perfectly harmless so far as the eating of them 

 was concerned. 



As far as the honey proposition is concerned, there is sold all over 

 the country an article supposed to bo honey in the comb. Every cell 

 is an exact representation of its neighbor, and the taste is the only 



