July, 1919 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



4S6 



many of the coiiimeioial beekeepers between 



New York and San Francisco. From Saii 



Francisco he will sail for Australia in the 



fore part of August in order to be present 



at the beginning of the honey season there, 



whore he will take up his pre-war work as a 



beekeeper. 



» # » 



Charles B. Justice, Secretary-Treasurer of 

 the National Beekeepers' Association, gives 

 the policy and aims of the Association as 

 follows: 



' ' The new object of the National Bee- 

 keepers ' Association is that it may become 

 an affiliation to all State, county, or district 

 co-operative marketing honey exchanges and 

 associations thruout the United States, and 

 that the affiliation shall have only regula- 

 tory powers. In other words, each district 

 or State exchange or association will handle 

 its own business as a complete entity within 

 itself, and it should be incorporated on a 

 firm contract holding its members together 

 and developing the standards of quality, 

 grading, and manner of packing and selling 

 its products; and its membership in the Na- 

 tional Beekeepers ' Association should be by 

 delegate properly accredited with the power 

 and authority of the exchange or association 

 sending such delegate, with the idea that 

 the combined strength of all the State or 

 district exchanges supporting the member- 

 ship of the National would be sufficient to 

 bring success to its efforts and determina- 

 tion." 



At the 49th annual convention of the Na- 

 tional Beekeepers ' Association held in Chi- 

 cago on Feb. 19, a resolution was adopted 

 that the secretary of the Association be di- 

 rected to invite representatives of all or- 

 ganizations of beekeepers, teachers of bee- 

 keeping, and members of the allied trades, 

 to meet at Kansas City, Mo., in January, 

 1920, for the purpose of formulating and 

 adopting a plan and constitution for the 

 National Association. 



Mr. Justice says it is hoped that the Na- 

 tional may render valuable service to bee- 

 keepers in a national way, may increase the 

 consumption of honey, secure national and 

 State recognition and assistance thru edu- 

 cation, appropriation for extension work, 

 and wise laws protecting the purity of hon- 

 ey, and safeguarding the beekeeper in his 

 work of production. 



Mr. Justice believes that each district 

 where honey is produced should be organized 

 into strong marketing associations or ex- 

 changes. Tho the members of an association 

 may themselves sell most of their honey, 

 locally if preferred, they will always be able 

 to dispose of any possible surplus by means 

 of the exchange. He says all legitimate 

 dealers and handlers of honey everywhere 

 will welcome co-operation among the pro- 

 ducers, since they know this will result in 

 better grading and better containers, and 

 will keep chunk honey off the market. 



To all officials of exchanges representing 

 1,000 or more colonies, Mr. Justice will be 



glad to render any possible service in ex- 

 plaining the benefits of organization. His 

 address is 318 L. A. Investment Building, 



Los Angeles, Cal. 



« * « 



On May 26, a representative of Gleanings 

 in Bee Culture attended the hearing of the 

 Consolidated Classification Committee Dock- 

 et No. 1 in the interests of producers and 

 shippers in general. 



We give the matter of classification of 

 honey, comb and strained, as per commit- 

 tee's subject No. 36. 



In view of the fact that the hearing was 

 had at the time the proposed consolidated 

 classification was issued on various com- 

 modities, among which was honey, the Con- 

 solidated Classification Committee refused 

 to hear arguments other than those which 

 pertained to changes proposed in docket No. 

 1 as applicable in southern classification ter- 

 ritory, because the original advances, as pro- 

 posed by the consolidated classification No. 

 1 which embodies the question of honey in 

 tins L.C. L. western territory, are now before 

 the Inster-state Commerce Commission, and 

 that body has not as yet rendered decision. 



With reference to the proposal to increase 

 rates on honey in bulk in barrels L. C. L. in 

 Southern territory from fourth to third class, 

 we presented arguments vigorously protest- 

 ing this advance and were advised by the 

 Consolidated Committee that our testimony 

 would be given due consideration before 

 they permitted the increase to become effec- 

 tive. We feel that their decision will be 

 favorable. 



There was considerable discussion on the 

 question of proper containers for shipping 

 honey in bulk. The fact was brought out 

 that handlers of honey in the South have 

 been using gum and cypress barrels some of 

 which were of poor quality. The result has 

 been that a good many claims have resulted 

 from this method of packing, which brought 

 about the proposed change in classification 

 as per docket No. 1. 



It was felt that if these barrels were used 

 and a limit placed on the size; also, specifi- 

 cations provided as to the construction, such 

 as width of staves, and number of hoops, 

 lining with paraffin, the loss and damage 

 feature could to a great extent be overcome. 



Evidence presented seemed to indicate 

 that hardwood barrels, with not less than 

 six to eight hoops according to the size of 

 the barrel, afforded sufficient protection to 

 permit the transportation of honey (with 

 reasonable handling by transportation lines) 

 without loss sufficient to warrant the pro- 

 posed raise in rates. 



The Inter-state Commerce Commission 's 

 Decision bearing on the subject of honey in 

 tins L. C. L. Western Classification in ICC 

 Docket No. 10204 when rendered will appear 

 in the columns of this paper. 

 * * * 



A quarterly bee journal, ' ' The California 

 Honey Bowl, ' ' has just been launched at 

 Riverside, Calif. The editor is E. J. Atchley. 



