234 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 15 



queen-cells. Three or four days later these eggs 

 will be just right. Place these prepared cham- 

 beis on the lower stand after removing the lower 

 hive to one side. This will give rousing colo- 

 nies in those hopelessly queenless hives. 



Now cut out strips of eggs on the Henry 

 Alley plan, and place them in the prepared hives, 

 which should give us all the cells we need, and 

 good ones too. When they are ripe, make a 

 nucleus beside each old hive, and give a cell 

 which should give us a laying queen July 1. 

 Each of these nuclei may be built up or set 

 back, on an excluder over the old hive. With 

 the coming of the fall crop the old queen is 

 killed, and the new one takes her place by ex- 

 changing chambers, as before mentioned. 



My bees have nothing to do from July 15 to 

 Aug. 15, so far as gathering honey is concerned; 

 but I keep up breeding by giving combs of 

 honey from last year's fall honey 



I have said nothing about extracting, as it 

 will be the same as any other plan. Should in- 

 crease be desired, more nuclei may be formed, 

 or the old queen mav be carried over; but I am 

 convinced that, when young queens can be sup- 

 plied so easily as above, it will pay to supersede 

 every year. 



I believe, also, that young active queens stim- 

 ulate the whole swarm to active work as old 

 queens do not. 



Oswego, N. Y., March 30. 



SELLING HONEY ON COMMISSION. 



Some Actual Figures to ShoAv the Cost. 



BY WM. W. CASE.' 



In reference to the controversy as to prices net 

 and gross for honey shipped and sold on commis- 

 sion, why not publish a few figures, and thus 

 show exactly the net returns that are obtained 

 and should be expected from such sales.? In hon- 

 est packing of honey and honest sales by com- 

 mission men, there should be no loss of one third, 

 as stated by some, nor of one-fourth or one-fifth 

 either, as stated by others. The loss should nev- 

 er exceed 10 per cent of gross sales, and ought to 

 average below 8 per cent. I have always made 

 it a practice to sell outright, having shipped but 

 two lots for sale on commission, the result of one 

 of which, of 40 cases, is appended to this article. 

 This shipment was received in New York, Dec. 

 2, 19ii7, just when the panic was at its worst, and 

 it included all odds and ends left at the close of 

 the selling season, and sold as follows: 



16 cases, fancy white (23 lbs. average), at $3.50, $56.00 



12 " No. 1 " (23 " " ). at 3.00, 36.00 



9 " "2 and bkt (22^ lbs. " ) at 2.75, 24.75 



3 " "3 (18 " " ) at 1.60, 4.80 



Net wt., 902 lbs. 



Freight, $2.57 



Cartage, .80 



Com., 5 per cent, 6.08 



Gross sales, $121.55 



9.45 



$112.10 



Average whole lot per cwt. net $12.43 



Reduced to grades prices were as follows: 



16 cases (368 lbs.) at $3.50 $56.00 



Freight $1.03 



Cartage 32 



Commission. .. .2.80 4.15 



Net $51.85 



Net average cwt $14.09 



12 cases (276 lbs.) at $3.00 $35.0) 



Freight, $ .77 



Cartage, 24 



Commission. .. 1.80 2.81 



Net $33.19 



Net average cwt .$12.02 



9 cases (204 lbs.) at $2.75 $24.75 



Freight $ .58 



Cartage 18 



Commission.. .1.24 2.00 



Net $22.75 



Net average cwt $11.16 



3 cases (54 lbs.) (culls) at $1.60 $4.80 



Freight $ .19 



Cartage 06 



Commission... .24 .49 



Net $4.31 



Net average cwt $8 . 00 



Now, while the above is somewhat less, prob- 

 ably 2 to 3 cts. per lb., all around than I receiv- 

 ed on honey, same grades same season sold out- 

 right, it is but fair to the parties receiving it, and 

 also to the trade in gene-al, to state that had I 

 shipped the honey when I should have done so, 

 about Oct. 25, instead of Dec. 1, and got in 

 ahead of the panic, which is still seriously felt in 

 the honey market, they would easily have been 

 able to sell each grade at approximately 2 cts. per 

 lb. higher, when the net prices would have been 

 respectively 16, 14, 13, and 10 cents — figures 

 which I-think would represent a full normal price 

 on honey properly graded and packed, shipped 

 early in the season, and when a panic does not 

 cover the whole country like a pall. 



If a few more will volunteer to publish their 

 private business (which is really yione of the pub- 

 lic's business) I think we shall be able to get 

 much needed light on the commission business. 



Frenchtown, N. J., Feb. 25. 



BEE-KEEPERS INSTITUTES IN NEW YORK. 



The series of bee-keepers' institutes that were 

 held in the State of New York from March 12 

 to 17 inclusive, at various points, are reported ro 

 have been unusually successful There was a 

 good attendance, and the papers and addresses 

 were interesting and valuable. We possibly m3y 

 be able to give one or more of them at a later 

 time. 



These institutes were held at Utica, March 12; 

 Glen Falls, March 13; Albany, March 15; 

 Gouverneur, March 16 to 17. Speakers from 

 outside the State were employed by the Agricul- 

 tural Department, as well as local bee keepers 

 from within. 



Probably in no State of the Union are foul 

 and black brood diseases handled more success- 

 fully than in New York. At one lime, black 

 brood (known as European foul brood) threaten- 

 ed to wipe out the industry entirely. Black 

 brood has cost the State enormously; but owing 

 to the splendid work of the several inspectors the 

 disease is well under control, and tht losses, com- 

 pared with past years, are very light. 



The Agricultural Department of New York 

 takes a lively interest in the beetkeeping indus- 

 try, and well it may, for the annual production 

 of honey and wax is not excelled in any other 

 State east ot the Mississippi if it is equalled. 



