FEBRUARY 1, 1915 



The suggestion was made fliat the Nation- 

 al Heekoci)eis' Associatiun should make a 

 test case of this in the courts by shipping 

 some honey, not propei'ly labeled, to a 

 consignee, in some other state. A friendly 

 suit might be entered, and the case argued 

 pro and con on both sides; and when the 

 court renders its decision we would know 

 whether comb honey is a package or not 

 within the meaning of tlie law. But the 

 probabilities are that the court would rule 

 in accordance with the interpretation made 

 by the Bureau of Chemistry, and, besides, it 

 is doubtful if the National Beekeepers' As- 

 sociation would have the funds to conduct 

 so expensive a suit. 



The Editor of Gleanings Visits the 

 Apicultural Building of tlie Gov= 

 emment near Washington, D. C, 



On our return trip from the Dismal 

 Swamp we stopped off in Washington and 

 hunted up Dr. Phillips. In the language of 

 Koosevelt we were simply delighted with 

 what we saw, especially in the apicultural 

 building of the Government at Sommerset, 

 a suburb of "Washington, D. C. For pictures 

 of this building and gTounds see cover for 

 Nov. 15th Gleaxixgs and p. 856, Nov. 1. 



As announced elsewhei"e. Dr. Phillips and 

 his assistants are continuing in their new 

 quarters their series of experiments in tak- 

 ing winter observations on the internal 

 temperature of a cluster of bees. In fact, 

 there are several clusters in the cellar and 

 outdoors. Daily records are being taken, 

 including Sundays, and tliese data are being 

 entered in tables and charts that will doubt- 

 less be given out to the public at a later 

 time. It would be premature for us to give 

 any thing at this time, as Dr. Phillips 

 wishes to be sure of his gr'ound before any 

 thing is made public. We may say, how- 

 ever, that he and his assistants are testing 

 out not only different temjieratures, but 

 different kinds of foods, particularly can- 

 dies, and their effect on bees. Further 

 researches are being made into the anatom- 

 ical structure of bees. Nothing is taken for 

 granted, but every thing is being done with 

 the utmost care and precision. 



In the matter of wintering, for example, 

 the beekeepers of the country have been at 

 sea because the ordinary layman is either 

 careless in his method of reporting what he 

 sees or does not actually see what he thinks 

 he sees. Too many times the average man 

 jumjis at conclusions based on a single 

 obsened incident. Dr. Phillips and liis 

 assistants are drawing conclusions from 

 scores and scores — yes, we might say thou- 



91 



sands — of observations. These data are 

 carefully tabulated and charted, and they 

 will speak for themselves when they are 

 given out to the public. 



Omf Visit to the Bmreaia of Cheraiis- 

 try, Wasfliimigttoini, D, C; an Inter- 

 view with Ac S. Mitchell Regard- 

 ing the Operationi and ihe leter- 

 pretattioin of the National Net- 

 weight Law 



Mr. a. S. Mitchell is secretary to the 

 Committee in the Bureau of Chemistry that 

 has to do with the interjoretation and oper- 

 ation of the Federal net-weight law. These 

 men, by virtue of their position, are com- 

 pelled to stand between the public and the 

 manufacturers and sellers of foods and 

 drug's. We explained to Mr. Mitchell that 

 the opinion rendered, that the wood or 

 section around a square of comb honey 

 could not be weighed in with the honey, was 

 raising a big protest among beekeepers. He 

 was very frank to say it was not clear, even 

 to him, that a section of honey was a hona- 

 fide package within the meaning of the law ; 

 but it was his private opinion and that of 

 his associates that the courts would rule 

 that the wood around a j^iece of comb honey 

 or what is technically called the section, 

 could not be weighed in. There could be 

 no question, he said, but that a section of 

 honey inside of a carton or wrapper of any 

 sort was a i^ackage. He was sorry that the 

 law was causing protest among honey-pi'o- 

 ducers, but he begged to assure us they did 

 not make the law, nor did he go so far as to 

 say that their Committee could in all cases 

 interpret. The final decision would rest with 

 the courts. We ventured the statement that 

 if we follow the recommendation of the 

 Bureau of Chemistry the courts would be 

 very lenient. He assented to this, adding 

 that the courts probably would not impose 

 any penalty on any man or corporation that 

 evidently was ti-ying to do its very best to 

 follow the spirit and intent of the net- 

 weight law. 



A question has been raised by some of our 

 subscribers whether a sixty-pound can of 

 honey is a package within the meaning of 

 the law. We put this up to Mr. Mitchell, 

 and he gave it as his opinion that it is a 

 ))ackage on account of its uniformity in 

 shape and size; but he advised that both 

 sliijiper and consignee, on interstate ship- 

 ments, should have them labeled or marked 

 according to their net weight or volume. 

 In view of the fact that honey varies in 

 specific gravity, and in view of the further 



