1896 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



707 



eight, or twelve boxes each. The extracted I 

 now put up in 10-lb. caas. mostly; but, a few 

 five-pounds are put in so that, if'a sale of a 10- 

 lb. can can not be made, the 5-lb. caul may be 

 just what is wanted by a customer. 



A quantity of honey in the different packages 

 is loaded into my buggy, and the start is made. 

 I meet Mr. A., who lives about three miles 

 from my home. I stop, take a can of honey, 

 and loosen the screw-cap, and he samples.it. I 

 tell him I am out selling, and ask him if he 

 doesn't want a can. The can is bought and 

 paid for, and we drive on. 



qI stop at the next house, take in a can, and 

 inquire if they are not ready for more honey, il 

 am told that they yet have some of my honey 

 on hand. I bid them good-day, and drive co 

 the next place, at which I have sold honey for 

 many years. A sale of one 10-lb. can is made. 

 We chat a little while, and I take my leave. 



The next call is made. Mrs. D. does not de- 

 sire to buy, but desires me to learn of Mr. D. as 

 to the purchase, as he is from home. A few 

 days later I see him, and he takes a can of 10 

 lbs. I next see Mr. E., have him sample my 

 honey, and he takes a can. I next ask Mr. F. 

 to sample my honey. He does so. I ask if he 

 would not like a can of 10 lbs. He buys, and I 

 deliver the can at his house. After a pleasant 

 good-morning I state that Mr. F. bought a 

 can of honey of me which I deliver. Mrs. F. is 

 surprised, and says that she doesn't care much 

 for honey, and her husband would have it to 

 eat, and states they had some comb honey on 

 hand, but did not eat any of it, and she had 

 thrown it out. Some ten days later I saw Mr. 

 F., and asked how the honey was going, and t 

 stated what his wife had said. He laughed 

 and said that she seemed to manage her share 

 all right at least. He engaged the second can, 

 to be brought later. In due time It was de- 

 livered. Mrs. F. said that she liked that honey 

 well, and thought it very nice, and made no 

 protest this time. Th*^ honey, I will say, was 

 well ripened and very i.n ck. 



There is very much in properly caring for 

 honey after its removal from the hives. 



I next see Mr. G. ; get him to sample my hon- 

 ey, and I sell him a 10-lb. can. 



Mr. H. is next seen. My honey is sampled, 

 but he would wish only 5 lbs., and I sell him a 

 5-lb. can. 



nl next call at the home of Mr. I. Mrs. I. 

 samples the honey, and is pleased wi hit; in- 

 ouires if I have 5-lb. cans stating that she 

 would not care to buy so much as 10 1 s. n- 

 form her that I have a^fewof the .5-lb. cans, 

 and will get one from the buggy. I do so, and 

 receive pay for it. The price is 10 cts. per lb. 

 for all extracted honey retailed. 

 E'Then two or three calls are made and nosales 

 effected. The next sale made is of comb honey, 

 that being preferred. I make the effort to ."sell 



10 lbs. at each sale, hence take the cans of that 

 size when making my calls. Having the small- 

 er cans, and some comb honey, I am prepared 

 to suit the wish of all as to quantity. Very 

 seldom do any wish less than 5 lbs.; but if any 

 will not use that amount I sell them 2)4 or 3 lbs. 

 A honey-leaflet is left with any new customers, 

 which is helpful. 

 Milledgeville, 111. 



THE PRESENT STATUS OF BEE-KEEPING IN 

 CUBA. 



A FEW INTEKESTING STATISTICS REGARDING 



ITS resources; the effect of the WAR 



AND THE future OF THE CUBAN 



INDUSTRY. 



By F. O. Somerford. 



Not seeing any thing in Gleanings from 

 Cuba for a very long time, I've concluded to 

 take upon myself the task of breaking the 

 silence. The war here has become so penetrat- 

 ing that the bee business, together with all 

 others, is feeling the effect; and I might say 

 the honey industry is almost extinguished. 

 Only the bee-keepers near Havana can boast 

 of tranquility, and even here we come in con- 

 tact with the contending parties much oftener 

 than we desire to; while in the interior all of 

 the apiaries have been abandoned — in some 

 instances being destroyed, in others still re- 

 maining intact; but as all in those districts 

 have been compelled to move into the cities, by 

 orders from the Captain General, it is danger- 

 ous to be caught in such places. Even we who 

 live near Havana can remain at our posts only 

 by securing passes every eight days. In the 

 province of Havana there are still 13 movable- 

 comb apiaries, containing in the neighborhood 

 of 2000 colonies. Three of these belong to Dr. 

 James Warner; two to Dussaq & Co. (French- 

 men), and the remainder to Cubans— or native 

 residents. The annual product from these api- 

 aries amounts to from 50 to 100 tons of extract- 

 ed honey, with only a few pounds of section 

 honey. 



During the last four years, six apiaries, con- 

 taining about 1200 colonies, have been destroy- 

 ed by foul brood— two of these belonging to my 

 brother, W. W. Somerford; one to Dr. James 

 Warner, one to Mr. F. H. de Beche, the French 

 consul of Haiti; the other two belonged to 

 natives. As no foul brood now exists in the 

 vicinity of Havana, we all hope it has gone to 

 stay. 



In the province of Santa Clara, near Cienfue- 

 gos, there is an apiary (movable comb) contain- 

 ing 1200 hives belonging to Dr. Vietta. As it is 

 some way from the city, I've been told that it 

 has been abandoned for several months, owing 

 to the insurrection. 



In the east end of the island, at Santiago de 

 Cuba, are several more apiaries, the largest 

 belonging to Dr. Guimara. All of the movable- 



