1896 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



139 



been my experience in more than one instance. 

 Let me here recite one. 



A few years ago I forwarded from Confluence, 

 Pa., a lot of chestnuts to a commission house in 

 Chicago, that cost me over sixty dollars (prices 

 quoted by them being the inducement). After 

 waiting quite a while (60 days or more) I wrote 

 the firm regarding the matter. In reply they 

 requested me to forward a certain amount 'of 

 money, claiming the nuts did notsel! for enough 

 to pay freight charges. I could name other 

 transactions of the same nature. With all due 

 respect for commission men, and their business 

 if properly and honestly conducted, I would 

 suggest that, unless you are personally ac- 

 quainted with the individual or firm, you think 

 twice before shipping to them. Oiici; goods art- 

 consigned to thi^m you are entirely at their 

 mercy, both as to prices goods are sold for, and 

 returns made for the same to shipper, unless 

 you act as judge and name price goods are to 

 be sold at; and this I have done, and have had 

 prompt sales made, and possibly to my detri- 

 ment. 



Do not understand, friends, that I condemn 

 all as rogues, as some commission men. I believe, 

 are honorable, and some shippers rogues, and 

 inceversa. A producer orshippermay undertake 

 to deceive by putting up packages by placing 

 the very best where exposed to view, the in- 

 ward parts being entirely diflereiu. Now, 

 friends, have you ever noticed tliis in crates of 

 honey? In passing among commission houses, 

 and examining packages of honey, were you 

 ever deceived by outward appearance or style 

 of package as to real merits? You must answer 

 in the affirmative. Now, deception is apparent, 

 and prices obtainable for a prime article must 

 be discounted. Remedy — every package put 

 up and offered for sale should be neat, and not 

 expose the very best, but be of uniform grade 

 throughout: and as a guarantee of its being so 

 labeled, something like the following (which I 

 shall do hereafter) should be used: "This pack- 

 age is warranted to be fully equal throughout 

 to parts exposed to view. Produced and put 

 up by A. B. C," followed by postoffice address. 



In regard to placing on commission, I will 

 emphasize— don't do it. For the past three 

 years my own production of honey has passed 

 through a commission house, but not on com- 

 mission, but by actual sale to the party con- 

 ducting the business, sales made f. o. b. cars at 

 my station; time allowed purchaser, 90 days. 

 I think all honey now handled on consignment 

 could be sold direct to commission men; but in 

 order to do so the producer must not be depeii- 

 dent but independent in the way of consigning 

 on commission. Actual sales should be the 

 motto. Now, it strikes me that all business of 

 importance is being formed into trusts, or com- 

 bines — iron, steel, wire, whisky and beer, sugar, 

 twine, nails, glass, oils, paints, coal and coke- 



in fact, all or nearly all important business is 

 under trusts or combines in some form, and 

 prices articles are to be sold at are named by 

 them. Why not honey as well as any other 

 commodity? Can there be a formula adopted 

 whereby our interests can be protected, and a 

 more even rate of prices secured throughout 

 the land, or shall we remain passive, and con- 

 tinue business as in years past? I am not a 

 member of any national or State bee-keepers' 

 congre-ss, association, or union, yet I feel inter- 

 ested in upholding the bee-keepers' interests as 

 far as possible. Come, let us reason together, 

 then act— act judiciously, and I think there 

 can be put in motion ways and means whereby 

 all may bn benefited. 

 Addison, Pa., Jan. 4. 



[See editorial comment in last issue. — Ed. 



MARKETING PRODUCE. 



HONEY, SHOULD BK CONSCIENTIOUSLY GRADED; 



EACH CASE OF HONEY TO COMMISSION 



HOUSE SHOULD BE STAMPED. 



By Edward Smith. 



A great deal seems yet to be learned about 

 marketing produce— for instance, honey. It 

 seems that some people like to sham their 

 honey by putting the best sections next to the 

 glass, and tilling up the rest of the crate with 

 indifferent grades. Now, this is poor policy; 

 and nothing is gained thereby, but a great deal 

 lost. 



I want to say, for the benefit of the inexpe- 

 rienced, that honey Intended for market should 

 be carefully and conscientiously classified, crat- 

 ing the dark and light separately. This may 

 necessitate several grades. Then the heavy 

 and light weight sections should be crated sep- 

 arately, and each grade marked on the crate. 

 The net weight should be marked on each 

 crate; then the purchaser, knowing the num- 

 ber of sections in aerate, can get an idea of 

 the weight per section. 



When the honey is to be sent to a commission 

 merchant it is well that the name of the ship- 

 per be marked on each crate, and each section 

 should have at least the shipper's initials 

 stamped upon it so that it may be easily dis- 

 tinguished from any other lot. Then in case 

 their trade becomes overstocked, and the ship- 

 per wishes his honey transferred to some other 

 firm, this would insure prompt and safe deal- 

 ings, without netting it mixed with other lots 

 of honey. 



The 12-pound crates are the best to use, as a 

 general thing. The tare and net weight should 

 be plainly marked on the box that the crates 

 are packed in, and a different box should be 

 used for each grade if practicable. 



DISHONESTY IN PACKING FRUIT. 



There is also a great deal of dishonesty prac- 



