1S95 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



441 



In answer to the question, Dr. Miller said 

 that ages vary greatly, and explained the mat- 

 ter at length as bee-keepers understand it. 



Then said Dr. Miller, " I am going to tell the 

 biggest whopper yet. Our queens lay as high 

 as three thousand eggs in a single day;" and 

 some gentleman remarked, " That is the reason 

 the bees live so short a time." 



The honey-extractor crated was then exhibit- 

 ed, upright and lying on its side, so as to give 

 the committee a good idea of the structure of 

 the same. The committee was asked to classi- 

 fy these, as there is at present no classification 

 of them in the Western. 



Honey in comb being the next petition, a sec- 

 tion of comb honey was handed about, and the 

 gentlemen began to sample it with their fingers. 



Dr. Miller explained at length to the commit- 

 tee that we as bee-keepers want the glass in 

 sight; that we have no fear of breaking the 

 glass, but the honey inside, owing to ignorance 

 of the nature of the contents. A large crate to 

 hold a dozen 12-lb. cases was shown, and our 

 method of packing the same explained. We 

 hope to get a second-class rating for comb hon- 

 ey packed in this manner. There is no doubt 

 that this is the ideal way to pack comb honey 

 for shipment in less than carloads. The writer 

 received one shipment of over irXJO lbs., without 

 any breaking, the past season. 



Friend York kindly furnished a Muth jar of 

 fine extracted honey, which was passed around, 

 and the gentlemen invited to partake of the 

 same. R. A. Burnett suggested that it was not 

 to use on the hair. 



A good point Dr. Miller made was that the 

 railway companies, in rating extracted honey, 

 valued it equal to comb honey, when, as a mat- 

 ter of fact, the average extracted honey has 

 about the same value as good syrup, and no 

 greater risk in handling. The doctor explained 

 why this is so. 



The chairman of the railway company asked 

 the value of comb honey. He also asked the 

 value of beeswax and of comb foundation. 



One reason why the companies rate these 

 things high is, that they look at the value com- 

 pared with the bulk and weight. Four things 

 they consider in classing our products — weight, 

 value, bulk, and risk of injury in shipping, to 

 the goods shipped, or to the other goods in the 

 same car. 



Another point against the high rating of hon- 

 ey is the fact that all shipments are actually at 

 owner's risk of leakage or breakage, as an own- 

 er collecting for loss by transportation is almost 

 unheard of. 



In regard to beeswax, we informed the com- 

 mittee that, by high rates, they prevent much 

 wax from being shipped and comb foundation 

 returned — a double shipment and double trans- 

 portation charges for the roads. 



Bees in hives less than carloads are refused by 

 the roads at present. Dr. Miller told them that. 



under such circumstances, a bee-keeper desir- 

 ing new stock pays Uncle Sam two cents to 

 carry a queen- bee by mail, when often full col- 

 onies would be shipped if taken at a reasonable 

 rate ift less than carloads. 



The railroad committee on classification ren- 

 dered great courtesy and lots of interest in all 

 the remarks made by the committee of bee- 

 keepers. Too much credit can not be given 

 these gentlemen for the kind manner in which 

 they treated the committee. 



Naturally your committee felt some timidity 

 in appearing before these railroad magnates 

 who hold, as it were, the destiny of half a con- 

 tinent in their hands. One of our number said 

 we might be in the predicament of the gentle- 

 man who went to the general passenger agent 

 to get a pass. After the applicant had told his 

 story, the G. P. A. remarked with a drawl, 

 " Well, yes; I can give you a pass or I can give 

 you the money to buy a ticket." 



We shall be on the anxious-seat for a few 

 days until the rulings of the committee on our 

 petitions are made known. |-^ 



In the meantime a step in advance has been 

 taken. We have published the fact that we are 

 alive, and doing business at the old stand. This 

 committee, and through them the railroads 

 they represent, will in the future have more re- 

 spect for our honorable pursuit. Our claims 

 for damages will receive more respectful atten- 

 tion, and good must result to the craft at large 

 from this meeting. 



Later.— I have just seen Mr. J. T. Ripley, the 

 chairman of the Western Classification Commit- 

 tee, and he informed me as to the result of our 

 petitions as follows:;j 



Bee-hives in flat — petition denied. 



Honey-box lumber, referred to the Western 

 Freight Association, John W. Midgley, chair- 

 man, 7th floor. Rookery. 



Bee-smokers — petition denied. 



Honey or wax extractors, crated or boxed — 

 petition denied. 



Honey in comb, glass fully protected— petition 

 denied. 



Glass fronts not protected, future rating first 

 class. 



Extracted honey in barrels, kegs, or tin cans 

 boxed, future rating fourth class. 



Beeswax — petition denied. 



Comb foundation— petition denied. 



Bees in hives— petition denied. 



In regard to bee-hives " K. D.," which should 

 have been referred, to be consistent, along with 

 "honey-box lumber" to the Western P'reight 

 Association, the writer was informed by Mr. 

 Ripley, the chairman, that he might get "bee- 

 hives K. D."' referred also. 



Mr. Ripley very kindly accompanied the writ- 

 er to a number of railroad freight ofBces, for 

 this purpose. 



The next meeting of the Western Freight As- 

 sociation occurs in May, and it is too late now 



