41st YEAR. 



CHICAGO, ILL., JANUARY 10, 1901, 



No, 2, 



^ Editoraal Commeufs. ^ i 



A Big Fire— Our Office and Stoclt Flooded. 



On New Year's day the office and floor occupied by the 

 American Bee Journal, bee-supply and honey business, was 

 made almost a complete wreck by floods of water coming- 

 down from the upper floors where a big fire broke out about 

 two o'clock in the afternoon. There were something like 

 2(1 fire-engines throwing water thru and on the top of the 

 building in an endeavor to put out the fire, and of course 

 practically all of that water came down thru our floor. 



Fortunately the issue of the Bee Journal for mailing on 

 Wednesday. Jan. 2d, was still in the office of the printer, 

 and thus was saved, as were also the forms from which it 

 was printed. Thru the kindness of one of our former part- 

 ners we were able to mail the Bee Journal in his office, thus 

 preventing any delay in getting that number off. 



We are writing this Thursday evening, Jan. 3d, and are 

 not sure but that this number of the Bee Journal may be 

 delayed. If it is, it will likely be the first time in 20 years, 

 on the publishers' account, that it has failed to be placed in 

 the Chicago post-office on time. Also, it may be that we 

 will be unable to get out more than 8 pages instead of the 

 16. If so, we feel very certain that bee-keepers will not 

 complain, knowing that in case of a fire no firm can do ex- 

 actly as they would under other circumstances. 



We do not know just yet what our loss will be on print- 

 ing-office, bee-supplies, and honey, but feel very sure that 

 it will be sufficiently large. Of course, we had everything 

 fairly well insured, but as all know who have had experi- 

 ence with insurance companies, it will be understood that 

 there is no likelihood of getting the full amount of the loss. 

 This misfortune comes at a time when it is not easily borne 

 by the publishers of the American Bee Journal, so that we 

 would like to suggest that all who are owing on their sub- 

 scriptions please send it, and also a renewal for 1901. 

 While the loss on account of the fire will be a good deal, it 

 of course will not interfere with the continuation of the 

 Bee Journal. However, everything sent in on arrearages, 

 renewals, and new subscriptions, will be gratefully received 

 at this time. 



The fire in our building was one of the fiercest that the 

 fire companies of Chicago have had to fight in a long time, 

 and- the weather being extremely cold on New Year's day, 

 it was really very remarkable that the building and con. 

 tents were not totally consumed. The daily papers spoke 

 in high commendation of the excellent work done by the 

 Chicago fire department. To prevent the total destruction 

 of a 7-story building, 100 feet square, when a great fire is 

 raging at its top, is certainly a wonder. The Chicago lire 



department did it, and deserve great praise for their bravery 

 and success. 



If any of our readers or customers do not receive prompt 

 response to their letters or orders they will now understand 

 the reason for the delay. Just as soon as the insurance 

 companies have adjusted the losses, we expect to get things 

 in shape so as to be running again as usual. This may take 

 a week or two for the bee-supplies and honey business, but 

 we expect to be able to have our printing-office in running 

 shape again by the end of this week. 



The total loss occasioned by firg and water, on building 

 and contents, will likely be anywhere from $50,000 to $100,- 

 000. There were perhaps ten firms in the building, and 

 all sufi'ered more or less loss. 



George W. York & Co. 



Bulk or Chunk Honey— that is, comb honey filled in 

 tin cans, and the empty space filled up with extracted 

 honey — has been highly recommended by some bee-keepers, 

 especially in the southwest, but according to E. T. Flana- 

 gan, in the Bee-Keepers' Review, it is not wise to put up 

 honey in that form. He seems to think it will be better to 

 keep the two kinds separate, either kind alone bringing 

 more than the two mixt. With such diametrically opposite 

 views it is hard to tell just what to believe, unless it be that 

 local preferences may have a bearing. As a bit of experi- 

 ence in the matter, Mr. Flanagan says : 



Some years ago, having sold all my own crop of comb 

 honey, I went to St. Louis to get a supply. At one of the 

 largest commission houses in the city, where I frequently 

 dealt, I inquired if they had any comb honey on hand. 

 " Yes, a verj' fine article ; come and take a look at it." I 

 did, and found over lOU cases containing 120 pounds to the 

 case. I supposed the one showing me the honey had made 

 a mistake, for I thought the cases contained extracted 

 honey, but I found the 120-pound cases filled with as fine 

 comb honey as I ever saw, but in 60-pound cans. I askt the 

 price, and was more than surprised to find it only 6 cents a 

 pound, when I had come prepared to pay from 12'2 to 14 

 cents for good section honey. I askt them to remove a por- 

 tion that I might examine it more closely, but it was impos- 

 sible to do so without breaking and tearing it all to pieces. 

 Of course, I did not buy a pound of that honey, for I could 

 not use it. I could not sell it to my customers for as much 

 as clear extracted honey. Now, that was A No. 1 comb 

 honey originally, and it would have brought 15 cents per 

 pound at wholesale readily had it been in sections. I was 

 thereto give that much for as much of it as I needed, but I 

 would not give the Jive cents per pound that they subse- 

 quently offered it to me for, and I believe they sold it later 

 for 4'2 cents per pound. How much the poor fellow netted 

 on that fine lot of "chunk " honey I leave you to figure out ; 

 I only know I was sorry for him, and glad I was not in his 

 place. 



Building Up Weak Colonies for the honey-flow is not 

 advisable in many cases. If it be done at the expense of 

 colonies only fairly strong in a region where the honey- 

 flow closes rather early in the season, it will be at a loss, 

 and a reversal of the practice would be advisable, that is, 

 drawing from the weak to help the strong. But where the 

 season is sufficiently long — possibly in any case where colo- 



