\%)H 



(ll.KAMNdS IN BEE CULTURE. 



>S73 



such a thing as a colony of bees looking ahead, 

 and taking inventory of the stores in sight, then 

 arranging brood-rearing operations according to 

 the food supply, why is it that so many colonies 

 rear an abundance of brood with so little ahead 

 that they are caught later with the hive full of 

 brood and not a drop of honey?" 



* 



THE KINDS OF HONEY PRODUCED IN TEXAS. 



Comb honey in sections was one of the main 

 products of the up-to-date bee-keepers, but the 

 great risk of shipping it safely in a hot climate, 

 on account of the frailness of the article, resulted 

 in frequent "smash-ups," and often in melting 

 down when left in the hot sun. Besides, section 

 honey is expensive to produce. To obviate these 

 objections, comb honey is now produced in the 

 regular frames, cut out, and packed in cans, liquid 

 extracted honey being poured over the whole to 

 fill the crevices, so that the combs are kept buoy- 

 in it, and kept from mashing. This kind of hon- 

 ey brings more dollars into the bee-keeper's pock- 

 ets than section honey. It is easier produced, and 

 more will be made by the bees in the frames. 

 The demand for it is better, also, as the con- 

 sumer gets more for his money; hence its produc- 

 tion has replaced the section honey almost entirely. 



Extracted honey is produced on a large scale 

 iiere, and is still the old standby. More honey 

 can be obtained with the honey-extractor, and 

 the real profits are greater than comb-honey pro- 

 duction. The only obstacle in the way hereto- 

 fore has been the idea generally prevailing that 

 such honey might be adulterated. Since the 

 pure-food laws have been in effect this has been 

 removed to a great extent, and now there is a ten- 

 dency to resort more and more to producing ex- 

 tracted honey. In time this will largely replace 

 comb-honey production here. Granulation of 

 the honey has been a great drawback toward suc- 

 cessfully marketing a crop later in the season 

 when prices were stiffening; and to prevent the 

 trouble of having the comb-honey granulate in 

 the cans, making it unsalable, it was moved off 

 rapidly by many bee-keepers, to their detriment, 

 regarding the market price received. With ex- 

 tracted honey, educating the. public how to re- 

 liquefy the granulated honey, and that it is the 

 best proof of its purity, is all that is needed. 

 Then such honey can be kept over the winter for 

 better prices if need be. 



Texas has its own standard-size packages for 

 honey, both comb and extracted. These are all 

 figured on a basis of 120 pounds to the case, or 

 60 pounds to a half-case. For extracted honey 

 the regular 60-!b. square five-gallon cans, two in 

 a case, prevail. These have a small opening of 

 1/^ inches, with a screw cap. For comb honey 

 the same size of cans, two in a case, have large 

 eight-inch screw caps to admit the comb honey 

 to be placed in it. Twelve-pound friction-top 

 pails, 10 in a case, making 120 pounds; six-pound 

 friction-top pails, 10 in a case, making 60 

 pounds, and 3-lb. friction-top cans, 20 in a case, 

 also making 60 pounds, are used for both comb 

 and extracted honey in smaller-sized packages 

 for retailing in the original package. This stan- 

 dard is so well known now that orders are al- 

 ways made in accordance with the price list, 

 which appears as follows: 



Terms. — Sight draft, bill of lading attached, subject to exam- 

 ination. 



The freight rates on honey put up in this way 

 are very low, as it goes at the fourth-class rate, 

 while section comb honey must go in glass ship- 

 ping-cases properly crated at double first-class 

 freight rate, and at owner's risk; besides, the can 

 packages are much safer. 



New Braunfels, Texas. 



Fancies and 

 Fallacies 



By J. E. Crane 



Liquefying candied comb honey seems to me 

 a very decided step forward in our industry, and 

 of great commercial value. I don't remember 

 where the idea originated, but it seems to me it 

 was not far from Medina. 



That editorial, pages 413, 414, as to the value 

 of sugar as a producer of muscular energy, al- 

 most takes one's breath away. "One pound of 

 honey equal to five pounds of pork in dietetic 

 value. " I don't believe we bee-keepers have half 

 appreciated our calling. 



Dr. Miller, page 485, April 15, with a Stray 

 Straw, would seem to knock over Mr. Doolittle's 

 theory of the value of a number of dummies in a 

 hive. But I fancy Mr. Doolittle uses section- 

 frames for surplus insteadof a regular-sized clamp 

 or super, so he need not cover the top of a hive 

 any further than combs of brood extend, and four 

 dummies at the side of his brood-chamber will 

 do no harm. 



Dr. Miller says (page 411), "I don't know how 

 bees know so much, but I think it is the general 

 understanding that they are far-sighted enough 

 to be more lavish in starting brood in spring with 

 a big lot of honey in sight than with only enough 

 to run them from day to day." That is a good 

 thought, doctor, and I tell you it' is hard build- 

 ing up a colony without some honey in the hive. 

 I have had some experience along these lines this 

 spring. 



# 



On the same page he says, "James C. White 

 is wisely advised to tier up to prevent swarming. 

 Let me add an item. Shove the second story 

 either back or forward so as to make a '4^-inch 

 crack for ventilation. Do this with each added 

 story. This will double the security against 

 swarming." The editor thinks him probably 

 right, but fears so much lentilation will keen a 

 large portion of the fielders at home to keep up 

 the necessary temperature. Doubtless the weather 

 would make some difference; but it seems to me 

 that, during July and August, quite as many 



