1896 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 253 



have invariably been of the boom order, repre- question Is, How are we to obtain what justly 

 sen ting special yields in special years from belongs to us? It is possible that, in order to 

 special localities, and are of little value for help ourselves, we mav have to first help the 

 average estimates. Years of records kept by consumer. I contend that the real remedy for 

 individuals in average locations tend to show low prices with us is an enlarged demand. It 

 that the average annual production does not goes without saying, that a demand far in ex- 

 exceed 70 pounds per colony of honey, and K cess of the present supply can be created by 

 pound of wax. I will make no account for the placing honey before the consumer at a price 

 year of the new swarm you may get, as its that he can afford to pay. The consumer is 

 value is offset by the cost of hive and combs for the poor man; the masses are poor, and the 

 its use. It may be considered to he a, forced masses must have cheap food. It is said, that 

 investment which may return you a profit for every ill there is a remedy. I believe we 

 another year. Your cash outlay for your colo- have our remedy within our grasp. Let us 

 ny will be, for case and can for your 70 pounds establish, through [our Exchange, selling-agen- 

 of honey, say 4.5 cents; labor 60 cents; freight cies for our honey in every town and city we 

 (to our average market) 70 cents, and commis- can reach. Let the honey be packed by the 

 sion 18 cents. nNow let us see what we have — Exchange to suit any market; let it be covered 

 estimating honey at .5 cents in the market: by the Exchange guaranty, and be sold at Ex- 

 change prices. Make those prices such as will 



70 pounds of honey $3.50 afford a fair price to the producer, a fair com - 



X pound wax, at 23 11 »■ » ^.v, » j •,. i -n u 



^ pensation to the agent, and it surely will be a 



Total income, $3 61 much lower price than he now pays to the con- 



Our expenses are: sumer. When an agent tampers with Exchange 



Interest on $14.00 at 8 per cent.fl 13 goods or Exchange prices, bounce him. Sell no 



Cost of case and can 45 honey under any circumstances to wholesalers 



Labor 60 to be repacked— glucosed. If they want honey 



Freight. 70 \j^ small packages we will pack it for them, and 



Commission 18 p^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^y package. 



Total, $3 05 Whenever any adulterated honey is found, 



„, , , , r,^ . ^^ ^ , enforce the law relentlessly against the offend- 

 That shows a net profit of 56 cents from our ™, ^ u u * j .u 

 , ^T 1. 1 * .. er. The masses must have cheap food; the 

 colony. Your honey has cost you a fraction , r •. ixl j j n ^ t^ • -^l- 



;, , ^ J mi_ 1. J laws of health demand pure food. It is within 



over 4};. cents per pound. The honey-producers , -^ j ,- ,. . 



,_,,., . .,, ^ u -u 1 1 r .u our power, by united action, to cheapen our 



of California will not subs^cnbe largely for the -.^ ^ ., , * • . ..u 



., , ,, , J . »^ ^ product to them, and furnish them a pure, 



popular bonds now in vogue. At 5 cents per T ,,, ,. , *, j m .u j ^u V. i 



, ^, , , ^ ,. - healthy article of food. To these ends the Cal- 



pound, the producer who gets his range free, .^ . „ i .^ u ■ i r j 



, r ,, , . , ,, .,, ifornia Bee-keepers Exchange has been formed, 



and successfully dodges the tax-collector, will, ^ -^ ■ ^ ^ . j i. ^u i u 



, , ^ ^„„„, , , and It is to be hoped our brethren elsewhere 



if he produces and markets 20.000 pounds, have ... .. .^. . , , 



^, .„ , , .,,^^ . , , . , I , will unite with us in the endeavor to accom- 



the munificent sum of $130 with which to buy ,. , , ^ .,, ., ,, , o, , ,. 



, . ,. . , ,, -, , , - plish what will so evidently benefit both pro- 



himself a pair of overalls and a year s grnb for , , 



*u -f A u i^- mi 11 u » . J ducer and consumer, 



the wife and babies. They can all go barefooted ^ ^ i 



u ,' .u A f u ^ Lang, Cal. 

 — what s the good of shoes, any way? 



Last year. Southern California produced [Your points are weU made; but it strikes 



u .. ^-/^/^ * * i. J <.u 4. t ..u !"« that your valuation of a colony and hive 



about .3.^00 tons of honey, and the rest of the ^^^^Q^^^ jg (^^ la,.gg j ^ad understood that bees 



United States probably six times as much more, could be bought in your State for about $5.00 



making in all 34,500 tons, equal to 49 million on an average. The highest estimate that I 



pounds. The population >s seventy tnlllfons. ^'""etlT °id''ro*ie?oa''"h1grVo'^?rer\1e 



If every ounce of honey were used as food, yield, 70 lbs., may be about right, but during 



which it is not, there would be but yV of a pound the last few years it is possible that it may be 



of honey for each of us. Surely over-produc- a little large. But if "0 lbs. is right, then the 



.. . , ^, I .u I • profit on the colony would be somewhere about 



tion is not the cause of the low prices. ^ ^^^^^j. providing the valuation of the colony 



I happen to know that, within less than one is too high. The Exchange offers a hopeful so- 



hundred miles of San Francisco, amber extract- lution of the problem of low prices to the bee- 



ed sold last summer at 15 cents per pound, or ^«^P^^ ^"^ ^'^^ P'''^^* "^o ^^'« consumer.-ED.] 



two pounds for a quarter, and comb honey is ^ ' ^ 



unknown save at the holidays, when it brings EXPERIENCE WITH COMMISSION MEN. 



from 20 to 25 cents. The erocers in Los Angeles 



, , „, ,.,,,,. . ... . SOME PLEASANT FEATUKKS ON THE OTHEK. side; 



to-day, February, /.s.%, charge their customers tricks of the trade etc. 



from 8 to 10 cents per pound for honey that the 



producer receives only from 4 to 4^1 cents for. •^ 



Is the consumer benefited by the low prices My first experience with commission men 



the producer has to take? Certainly not. I dates back to 1871, since which time I have sent 



believe a part of those profits belongs to the honey to nearly all the large northern cities:'to 



producer and a part to the consumer. The be sold on commission, and my experience, has 



