254 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 1. 



been somewhat varied. With a few of those 

 dealt with, my deal was perfectly satisfactory 

 to me, and all that could be desired. After 

 learning their standing, rates for selling, prob- 

 able prices for honey, etc., the shipments were 

 duly made; and on arrival of the honey at its 

 destination I was informed of the fact, and in a 

 reasonable time got my returns, and at the fig- 

 ures I had expected, and sometimes one or two 

 cents more per pound, with full weights given. 

 In dealing with others I sometimes never got 

 all that was due me. 



One season I shipped to a commission firm ten 

 thousand pounds of comb and extracted honey, 

 all of which was well handled for me. With 

 other firms I have had rates for selling given 

 me as being 5 per cent, prices also given. The 

 shipment was made, and, after waiting some 

 time, I would write them in regard to arrival, 

 how it was moving off., etc. In reply I would 

 get something in substance lil^e this: " Yes, the 

 honey has arrived, but it is leaking badly; kegs 

 poor;" or, "Combs broken in several cases; 

 honey slow sale ; prices down ; " yet their very 

 quotations were standing the same as before 

 given, in the bee-journals. Finally, after seve- 

 ral months I would get some returns with short 

 weights; rates for selling figured at 10 per cent, 

 after they had given them to me as 5. Upon 

 writing them in regard to the rate they had 

 previously given me, or, rather, quoted me, I 

 was informed that on shipments of $100 or more 

 their rate was 5 per cent, but on a less amount 

 it was 10. Now. I consider this nothing but de- 

 ception. Every firm selling honey should give 

 its rates for selling, in a clear honest way, so 

 that none may be deceived or wronged. The 

 honey-producer who sends his honey to be sold 

 on commission is at a disadvantage from first 

 to last unless the one to whom the shipment is 

 made is strictly honest and reliable, also expe- 

 rienced in his business, so that the honey may 

 be placed to good advantage, and returns made 

 promptly to the shipper. 



I once made a small shipment of extracted 

 honey to a dealer located in Columbus, O., who 

 quoted higher prices than were quoted at other 

 markets; and when I had waited for quite a 

 long time I wrote him, and in reply I was in- 

 formed that prices were lower, etc. To sum up 

 this deal, I have only to say that I took a lower 

 figure for a part, and the rest is yet unpaid for, 

 and will so remain. I tried in vain for about 

 two years to have the matter settled, but fail- 

 ed. Any legal action would have been folly. 



Last fall I shipped ten crates to a Chicago 

 commission firm from whom I had previously 

 received several letters giving high quotations, 

 and also their great facilities for selling, etc. 

 When the returns finally came, the fine comb 

 honey sent netted me 10 cts. per lb. I had seen 

 his card in the bee-journals. 



I could give much more of my experience with 



honey-dealers, but the above will suffice. I am 

 glad to learn than Gleanings is sifting out the 

 unreliable honey-dealers ; and as one of the 

 bee-keeping fraternity I thank you sincerely 

 for your efforts in this direction. Our bee- 

 journals should exercise greater care in the fu- 

 ture than has at times been the case in the 

 past, as to who shall be placed in the list of 

 honey commission men in their lists. A good 

 deal of loss has been sustained by bee-keepers 

 in the past by sending their honey to those who 

 were not reliable. Honest reliable commission 

 men are a great help to producers in helping 

 them to dispose of their products; and I hope 

 such dealers may in the future abide more by 

 the golden rule than many have done in the 

 past. 

 Milledgeville, 111. 



[Yes, indeed ; the bee- journals, while they al- 

 ways have been careful to admit into 'heir col- 

 umns only reliable commission houses, are more 

 strict now than ever. — Ed.] 



THE NORTH AMERICAN. 



HAS IT "been a MEKE SCHOOL FOR BEGIN- 

 NERS"? A REPLY TO W. F. CLARKE. 



By Dr. C C. Miller. 



It doesn't matter such a great deal whether 

 the Rev. W. F. Clarke and I agree as to the 

 past history of the North American Bee-keep- 

 ers' Association, so far as the past is concerned; 

 but it may matter to discuss the past so far as it 

 has any bearing on the future. And if Mr. 

 Clarke is correct in what he says on page 52 

 there should be a radical change. It costs a lot 

 of money to attend one of these international 

 conventions; and so important is it to have the 

 time wisely and profitably occupied that it 

 might be well to give the matter a good deal of 

 discussion, even to using it as a topic for a 

 symposium. 



Certainly it looks as though Mr. Clarke were 

 " away off," for his views seem to me about the 

 reverse of correct: but it is possible I'm some- 

 what "off " in some points myself. So, "let us 

 reason together." 



In the first place, you think I did not quote 

 you correctly, Mr. Clarke, when I gave in quo- 

 tation-marks, " a primary class of bee-keepers." 

 I quoted from the report of the proceedings, 

 given by Secretary Hutchinson. On page 648 

 of the American Bee Journal he reports you, 

 when speaking of the North American, as say- 

 ing, " It has always been a local, primary class 

 of bee-keepers." 



Leaving that, let us take your revised thought 

 as given in Gleanings, page 52. You say, 

 "The association has heen for the most part a 

 mere school for beginners," and " we have held 

 a sort of deestric school for those who would 

 show plainly that they had never read a book 

 on bee-keeping in their lives;" and, further. 



