584 



GLEANINGS IN B K E C I' I. T l^ R E 



September, 1919 



FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE 



show what can be done with proper knowl- 

 edge of handling the bees. 



The picture of the honey exhibit was 

 made at our county fair. I showed a more 

 complete exhibit at our state fair where I 

 took a sweepstake premium and a number 

 of other firsts. I had also the privilege of 

 demonstrating bees, met a number of promi- 

 nent beekeepers of Yakima, and altogether 

 spent a very pleasant week. 



Do not make the mistake of thinking that 

 beekeeping is all sunshine in this country. 

 We have j^lenty of troubles of our own. 

 More than all else we are in need of a 

 good, competent bee inspector, and need 

 him badly. 



However, in spite of our troubles I may 

 truthfully say that this Western Washing- 

 ton offers big opportunities for the live, 

 wide-awake beekeepers. Our valleys are 

 fine for starting early brood-rearing. Some- 

 times we have pussy willow in bloom in 

 February. From this on we have plent,y of 

 pollen and some honey coming in to keep 

 up brood-rearing. Then later on we have 

 the berries, fruits, and hundreds of other 

 blossoms. About June 1.5 to July 1, the 

 first fireweed or bear-weed blooms, lasting 

 from six to seven weeks. This is our main 

 flow, and with a fair amount of rain in June, 

 we get a nice surplus. This plant comes in 

 our logged-off lands the second year after 

 being burnt off and lasts from two to three 

 years; then other weeds crowd it out unless 

 it burns over again, when it will again 

 spring up. 



The winter problem is not a serious one 

 with us. We winter our colonies on the 

 summer stands. When the hives are kept 

 dry and the bees have plenty of good ripe 

 honey, we have but little winter loss. In 

 this locality lumber is cheap, there are plen- 

 ty of good locations without crowding other 

 beekeepers, and a good even climate with 

 beautiful scenery. Any time in the hottest 

 weather when working with bees, we can 

 look up and see the beautiful snow-clad 

 mountains in the distance. The blue ocean 

 is within a three hours ' auto drive. 



Cliehalis, Wash. J. O. Wallace. 



SHIPPING BEESWAX 



Double Burlap Sacks are Safer and Cheaper than 

 Boxes 



Mufh has already been said, both in tlic 

 form of bulletins circulated by foundation 

 manufacturers and thru the columns of the 

 bee journals, with reference to preparing 

 and shipping beeswax; but, as experience 

 shows that the subject has not yet been 

 drained of its important details, we submit 

 herewith a few suggestions, which we trust 

 will be of benefit to the shippers in general. 



In the first place, it should be borne in 

 mind that by beeswax is meant the rendered 

 product taken from old combs, cappings, etc., 

 exclusive of the honey, dead bees, dirt, and 

 other refuse. It very often happens that 

 some one sends along a shipment of old 

 combs or cappings and expects to receive 

 credit for the entire weight as beewax. Such 

 credit is quite impossible, for the beeswax 

 must first be rendered from the cappings, 

 combs, or whatever it may be, and credit 

 given on the actual amount of beeswax con- 

 tained therein. Of course, most manufac- 

 turers of foundation are well equipped to do 

 the rendering for the beekeepers who do 

 not have equipment or who do not care to 

 do the work; but there must necessarily be 

 compensation for such services rendered — - 

 ordinarily a certain percentage of the bees- 

 wax rendered. The manufacturers may be 

 likened to the mining concerns that produce 

 ore — the ore must first be refined at the 

 smelters before the metal itself can be put 

 to any manufacturing purpose. And it is 

 quite impossible to manufacture foundation 

 from old combs or cappings before these 

 have been refined. 



Experience has shown that beeswax can 

 best be shipped in double burlap sacks (one 

 sack within another), or in heavy nut sacks 

 which can often be picked up at the grocery 

 stores. Some shippers propose to ' * econo- 

 mize ' ' by using only thin burlap sacks. 

 This is exceedingly poor economy, for wax 

 shipments are subjected to very rough 

 handling while in transit. The tearing or 

 bursting of a sack means the loss of bees- 

 wax from the shipment, which loss must be 

 met by none other than the shipper. Just 

 figure out the "economy" when you lose 

 some few pounds of beeswax from your ship- 

 ment. The extra sack is insurance on your 

 property. Some persons prefer boxing their 

 wax. Wax shipped in boxes usually gets 

 thru all right if the boxes are stron-T. fo'- 

 it takes a strong box when filled with bees- 

 wax to withstand a jolt by some rough 

 freight-handler. Then boxes make exces-s 

 weight, for which- transportation charges 

 must be paid, anywhere from 1.5 to .^0 

 pounds or over. 



One very necessary point, which is over- 

 looked by many shippers, is the use of tags 

 for the packages. Each and every sack or 

 box should have a tag — preferably linen, 

 which foundation manufacturers are always 

 glad to furnish — attached to it securely, 

 which tag should bear the name and address 

 of the consignee as well as the name and ad- 

 dress of the shipper. We also urge that 

 shippers place a card (a piece of strong 

 paper or a side from a broken section serves 

 well) inside each package, giving the name 

 and address of the shipper, to which may be 

 added the gross and net shipping weights. 

 This will identify the package in case the 



