551 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Aug. 



use barrels will take tins when barrels can not be 

 obtained; but it is more difficult to get the other 

 class to take barrels in lieu of tins. Yet if the tins 

 cost half a cent per pound more than the barrels, 

 use the barrel. 



7. Our experience would point to the four closinc: 

 months of the calendar year, or middle of Aug-ust 

 to middle of December, as the best months la 

 which to sell honey, both comb and extracted; but, 

 please remember we do not say that that is the time 

 to sell, for circumstances beyond our control, and 

 our general inability to read the future, warn us 

 that all comtiiercial rules are subject to change. 

 The highest prices obtained by us in an experience 

 of 16 years were in February and April, 1879. The 

 lowest was about the same time in 1887. 



8. Sell it as soon after arrival as possible. We do 

 not recase nor change from original package. 



9 Sometimes one, and again the other. Circum- 

 stances existing at the time should determine the 

 matter. 



10. The subject has been quite exhaustively treat- 

 ed by Mr. C. P. Muth, in your issue of June 16, and 

 we agree with him in the main details of prepara- 

 tion, etc.. of honey for the market. As the form of 

 package he finds necessary in his method of dispos- 

 ing of honey is fully explained, and the reason 

 therefor given, no comment is needed. The one- 

 pound section for comb honey, and the tin can and 

 Itarrel before described, are at present the popular 

 packages here. K. A. Burnett. 



Chicago, 111., July 13. 



than in cold. The early shipments of comb honey 

 generally bring the best prices, but only in a small 

 way. Our best trade for both comb arid extracted 

 honey commences with cool weather, and contin- 

 ues about the same through the season. Very lit- 

 tle extracted honej is sold until cool weather 



9. When a consignment of comb honey comes to 

 us in a broken down conlition we immediately 

 have it looked over, all the perfect sections select- 

 ed, put back in the cases, and the broken comb 

 sold to the first customer, generally realizing about 

 half price for it. The next thing we do is to pre- 

 sent a bill of damages to the railroad or express 

 company for the loss. 



10. As to whether producers realize more for 

 their honey when shipped on commission or sold 

 right out is a rather delicate question for a com- 

 mission merchant to answer; but we with pleasure 

 refer to our numerous patrons who have consign- 

 ed honey to us the past season. They will bear us 

 out in saying that they realized more for their hon- 

 ey than they would have done had they (U they 

 could) sold right out. Some producers get in a 

 great hurry to realize from their crop; and if they 

 don't find a customer just when they want to sell, 

 and at the price they ask, they become uneasy for 

 fear they will not be able to dispose of their honey. 

 The very worst competition we had last st ason 

 originated with this class of bee-keepers. We 

 would advise them to ship their honey to some 

 commission merchant, and give him time to dis- 

 pose of it. He makes it a business to find the best 

 market, thereby realizing the best prices lor his 

 shipper, and making him happy. 



Kansas City, Mo. Clemons, Mason & Co. 



The replies given by commission men w ill 

 in every case be found exceedingly valuable, 

 and we hope all honey-producers will take 

 the time to read this whole subject thor- 

 oughly. By way of a summary we note the 

 first question, that the single-tier case is in- 

 variably preferred , the capacity being any- 

 where from 111 to 24 lbs. 



(2) The 4i sections are in most cases rec- 

 ommended ; and, 



(3) Light weight rather than overvi eight 

 is preferred, because 



(4) The most of the retail trade sell comb 

 honey by the section. We must confess 

 that we are a little surprised at the replies 

 to 3 and 4. Our customers are, for some 

 reason or other, beginning to demand 4i 

 sections a little less in width than the regu- 

 lar l}i. In fact, during the past season we 

 have 'supplied a very large trade on H, and 

 we propose next year to make the H section 

 our standard, rather than the 1[|— not only 

 because bee-keepers demand it, but because 

 commission men recommend underweight 

 rather than overweight. Right here a wrong 

 may be involved ; but if the retail dealers 



6. We would recommend that at least fifty per distinctly State that their sections are sold 



cent of the very dark comb honey be extracted. j^y ^jjg p|g(.g r^^j ^ot by the pound, and the 



7. The very best package for shipping white and customer SO understands it, then there is 

 amber extracttd honey in is the five-gallon screw- nothing wrong nor dishonest about it, any 



top tin can, two cans inclosed in a wooden case, more more than there is in selling apples 



Ship the very dark honey in kegs and barrels. and OrangeS by the piece. Still again, moSt 



8. We can not say when is just the best time to people are better satisfied in their conscience 



sell comb or extracted honey in order to realize the tO buy a luxury providing it COSts a little 



best prices; but we would advise early shipments, Zess than they anticipated ; but if it exceeds 



as honey is much less liable to be broken down the price which they have fixed in their 



while in transit when shipped in warm weather mind aS the limit of what their purse Will 



Yours of July 6th is received. We will try to 

 answer your questions as near as we know how. 

 Before commencing, we should like to say that we 

 think the questions asked are very important, both 

 to producers and dealers, especially those pertain- 

 ing to getting honey ready for market, grading, 

 and stj le of packages. If all bee-keepers could re- 

 alize the importance of putting up their honey in 

 imerchantable shape they would realize much bet- 

 ter prices and quicker sales. There is nothing bet- 

 ter than a whitewood package for comb honey; one 

 side glass front is sufficient; and be very careful 

 that the contents of the case compare favorably 

 with the row of sections that is exposed. 



1. We prefer the single-tier cases, either 13 or 34 

 sections, weighing about 11 to 33 lbs. respectively. 



3. We like the 5 by ii'e and IH thick S3Ction bett. 

 It shows a larger surface of the comb than a 

 4ii by 114 does. 



3. As the one-pound sections can not be made to 

 weigh exactly a pound, we prefer they weigh a lit- 

 tle less. 



4. The most of our customers sell more honey by 

 the section than they do by the pound. We should 

 prefer to sell it by the pound. 



6. W^e have considerable difficulty in disposing of 

 dark comb honey, even at low prices. 



