1909 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



121 



this usage, while a double-tier case with half the surface is safe, 

 provided there is an eizhth-inch space between the cover and the 

 top of the section. 



Fourth, from the grocer's standpoint the glass in a case is for 

 showing the goods; and the more goods there are shown, the bet- 

 ter the impression, and the more honey sold. Furthermore, it is 

 a guarantee that at least a fourth of the honey is all right if a 

 double-tier case is used. 



Fifth, a single-tier case takes up twice as much room on the 

 counter, showcase, shelf, or floor; and since one can not put any 

 thing on top of it and still get boner out of it, the saving of half 

 the floor space by the use of the double-tier places it far in the 

 lead. 



The objection brought against the double-tier is that broken 

 honey will leak on to the section below. Leaky and broken 

 honey should not be cased for shipment any way, and experience 

 shows that this objection is not worth considering. 



We can not quite see the force of the argument 

 in No. 1. In other words, we do not understand 

 why the hand-hold can not be as conveniently lo- 

 cated in one as in the other. 



There may be something in No. 2; but why 

 should any one try to pick up a shipping-case by 

 the comer or corners.? If handled properly there 

 would be nothing in the argument. 



As to No. 3, there is no reason why the sec- 

 tions should be flush with the tops of the sides of 

 the single tier more than the double tier. The 

 objection, if any at all, can easily be remedied. 

 But there is something in the fact that the large 

 surface of the single-tier case presents a larger ex- 

 posure to the tops of the sections; but we know 

 of no reason why a single-tier case should be 

 stepped on more than a double-tier. A careful 

 commission man or honey-buyer (to say nothing 

 of the honey-producer, who ought to know bet- 

 ter) would not allow his men to do any thing of 

 this kind. But there are careless people, and it 

 is conceivable, therefore, that if one steps on the 

 single-tier case his weight would do more damage 

 to the sections in such case than to those in a 

 double tier of the same capacity. 



We do not see very much in No. 4. The 

 double-tier case shows a half more honey surface 

 than the single-tier of the same capacity. If the 

 honey were all fancy, then we will admit that the 

 double-tier would show it off to better advantage, 

 because it would show more of it; but if the hon- 

 ey were below No. 1, then the less it showed, 

 the less unfavorable would be the appearance. 



But if this be true it is a plain admission 

 that the double-tier case will show more truly 

 the nature of the honey, because to the extent 

 that the shii^le-tier co-uers up defects^ to that ex- 

 tent it dccei--ves the purchaser. From this point 

 ot view, argument No. 4 may be a good one, only 

 it stems to be stated somewhat backward. In- 

 stead of giving a " better impression," the single- 

 tier would have the advantage, providing the 

 goods were not all No. 1 and fancy. To restate 

 the argument we would say that a double-tier 

 case is more of a barrier against deception than 

 the single-tier. 



It is true, referring to No. 5, that a double-tier 

 case takes less room on the counter. On the 

 other hand, it puts more weight on a small space 

 on top of a glass showcase. In other words, a 

 single-case of 24 sections would be less liable to 

 break a glass than adoubleoneof the same weight; 

 and, again, the single-tier can be piled up with 

 less danger of toppling over than a double-tier. 



Honey is very often hauled on drays and ex- 

 press wagons. Two or three single-tier cases can 

 be piled on top of each other, and take up very 



little room in the wagon, while the double-tier 

 would have to be put in the bottom of the wag- 

 on; and if heavy goods were piled on top of mis- 

 cellaneous shapes and sizes, more damage would 

 be received. 



The one objection against the double case as 

 given in the last paragraph quoted is hardly met. 

 Even if first-class sections are put in the case, and 

 nothing but such goods are shipped, we know, as 

 Mr. J. E. Crane points out, that they are likely 

 to receive rough usage in transit, either on the 

 dray or in loading on the cars. Many nice combs 

 are broken on trucks, so it follows that the one 

 great objection to the double-tier case still holds 

 except as it may be overcome by the use of cor- 

 rugated paper. Reference to this will be made 

 later. 



There is another serious objection to the dou- 

 ble-tier case. As it approaches more nearly the 

 shape of a cube, careless freight-handlers have a 

 tendency to lay it on its back or face. If the 

 honey arrives in that condition it is almost sure 

 to be broken. The single-tier 24-lb. case can 

 hardly be set down in any but the right way. 



But there is one objection to the single-tier case 

 that Mr. Foster has only indirectly touched on; 

 and that is, that a shalloiv flat box can not be 

 quite as strong, made of the same thickness of 

 lumber, as one of the same capacity that is more 

 nearly cubical in shape; or, to put it in other 

 words, other things being equal, the more nearly 

 a box approaches a cube, the stronger it is. It 

 would follow, then, that a single-tier case of the 

 same strength as a double-tier of the same capacity 

 would have to be made of thicker lumber, top 

 and bottom, and heavier nails would have to be 

 used. This would increase the cost both to the 

 manufacturer and the consumer. 



From the standpoint of the manufacturer it 

 would be cheaper to discard the 24-lb. single-Hex 

 and adopt in its stead the double-tier of the same 

 weight. Such a case would use up smaller pieces, 

 making it possible to use a single board for a 

 cover in many cases where the single-tier would 

 require two or three boards. It is, therefore, our 

 opinion that the supply manufacturer should ca- 

 ter more to the double-tier case when capacities 

 reach 20 or 24 pounds. Of course, no one would 

 think of making a double-tier 12-lb. case. It 

 follows, then, that the great bulk of shipping- 

 cases could be reduced down to the 12-lb. single- 

 tier or 24-lb. double-tier. If the trade could be 

 educated to these two sizes the manufacturer 

 would have to make only one cover and bottom 

 for both sizes; and, what is more, he could get 

 his lumber cut up to much better advantage. 



But the objection that the upper sections in the 

 double-tier cases would drip on the lower ones 

 may be urged. Corrugated paper is now coming 

 to be used very largely in shipping-cases. A 

 sheet of this should be put in the bottom as well 

 as between the upper and lower sections, The 

 upper sheet would catch all the drip, and at the 

 same time provide an excellent cushion between 

 the two tiers of sections, eliminating to a great 

 extent the possibility of breakage. Taking it all 

 in all, we feel almost inclined to favor the double- 

 tier case, because, with the adoption of corrugat- 

 ed paper, the main objection against such case 

 (breaicage and leakage) can be very nicely over- 

 come. 



