1896. 



THE AMERICAN BE€ JOURNAL. 



489 



brood — is in our State, and something should be done soon to 

 prevent its spreading, and cure the disease. 



Canada, Colorado and California have each a law on foul 

 brood, and have done much good. The Canadian law has 

 cured 5,700 cases, and letters lately received from there, in- 

 form me they now cure every case without destroying hives, 

 etc. The bee-keepers' societies of Wisconsin made an effort at 

 the last term of the Legislature to get a Bill passed, to cure 

 and prevent the spread of this dreaded disease. It is a copy of 

 the Canadian law, and includes all that is necessary to cure and 

 prevent its spread. It would have become a law had more of 

 the bee-keepers requested their legislators to support the Bill. 

 The disease is contagious, and kills all young bees in the grub 

 stage, 6 to 14 days old, so it takes but a short time to destroy 

 the colony. I have a report of one bee-yard of 80 colonies 

 destroyed by it. 



I ask you to fill out the following blank and return to 

 ME SOON, so I can make my report to the bee-societies of Wis- 

 consin, as they intend to make special effort this year to get 

 protection for their bees by this foul brood law. 



We ask your assistance ; all it will cost you is your per" 

 sonal effort in instructing your legislators after this fall elec- 

 tion, specially requesting that they support the Bill. Minne- 

 sota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana bee-keepers intend next win- 

 ter, through their societies, to get a similar Bill passed. We 

 certainly do not want to be behind. Yours truly, 



N. E. France. 



The blank referred to in the foregoing asks for the follow- 

 ing information by Aug. 1 : 



1. Your name. 



2. Your postoffice. 



3. Your present number of colonies and pounds of honey. 



4. Have your bees foul brood? 



5. Do you know of the disease in your county? 



6. Do you wish a law to protect your bees ? 



7. Will you use your influence to obtain it ? 



8. Do you think you will attend our convention ? 



We trust that every reader of the American Bee Journal 

 residing in Wisconsin, will at once send their replies to the 

 above questions to Mr. France, and heartily co-operate with 

 him in securing the much-needed law against foul brood. The 

 only way to effectually combat the disease is for every bee- 

 keeper to do his or her part in helping to stamp it out. And 

 that can be done in no other way so thoroughly and generally 

 as in having the assistance of a good law. 



Mr. France deserves the gratitude of all Wisconsin bee- 

 keepers for his unselfish and undefatiguable efforts in this 

 matter. Now let every one turn in and help him push it on 

 to success. 



The Honey Market and Shipping-.— Busi- 

 ness Manager J. T. Calvert, in Gleanings for July 15, has 

 this to say about the honey quotations of this season as com- 

 pared with those of last year : 



" A comparison of the quotation on honey in the different 

 markets, with those of the same markets a year ago, shows 

 very nearly the same prices. In not more than two or three 

 cases are they higher now than at the same time last year, 

 while in quite a few the price is sohie lower, with the. general 

 average a little below last year's quotations. A little later in 

 the season prices improved a little last year, while by Novem- 

 ber or December there was a downward tendency, which con- 

 tinued until spring. Aside from the far West, from which we 

 have but meager reports, there is undoubtedly a better crop of 

 honey generally this year than for several years past. In view 

 of this, and the low price of commodities generally, we shall 

 not be surprised to see prices of honey lower than we have 

 ever known them to be before by the time the present crop is 

 marketed. Do not be in haste to crowd your honey into mar- 

 ket, and prematurely crowd prices down. Strictly fancy white 

 comb honey will always command a good price and a ready 

 sale." 



Referring to the preparation of comb honey for market, 

 these excellent suggestions are given, and should be carefully 

 heeded, it the best results are to be expected : 



"In preparing your honey for market, bear in mind that 

 it always pays to take great pains in grading, selecting, and 

 packing. See that the sections are scraped clean and bright, 

 and packed carefully into bright and clean cases, the fancy 



white all by itself, and all other grades by themselves. 

 Even if you have only a few a cases, grade it ; and each grade 

 should be so uniform that the sections placed next the glass 

 will fairly represent the entire contents of the case. If every 

 bee-keeper should take the necessary pains in preparing his 

 honey properly for market before he ships it, there would be 

 less disappointment in the returns, and less complaint of com- 

 mission men. The use of cartons on comb honey is becoming 

 more general. It is desirable, also, to use a light case, bright 

 and clean, and as nearly uniform in weight as possible. The 

 sale of many a lot of fancy honey is often greatly injured if 

 not ruined by the makeshift cases improvised at home, to save 

 a few cents in first cost. The amount lost on the sale of such 

 lots would have more than paid for bright new cases of proper 

 construction to pack the honey in. I could cite as proof of 

 this a number of instances that have been brought to our at,- 

 tension by dealers in honey in no way interested in the sale of 

 shipping-cases." 



< ■ > 



Bforth American Convenlion— Oct. ^ and 8. 



— Secretary Mason has sent us the following in regard to rail- 

 road rates and time of meeting : 



Station B, Toledo, C, July 25, 1896. 

 Mr. Editor: — I have just this moment (3:20 p.m.) re- 

 ceived the enclosed from Mr. Whitcomb ; it will explain itself : 



Omaha, Nebr., July 22, 1896. 

 Mr. E. Whitcomb, Friend, Nebr., Pres. Nebraska B.-K.'s Ass'n. 



Dear Sir : —1 beg io advise you that we have made the 

 following arrangements for Homeseekers' Excursions from the 

 Missouri river and points east thereof to points in Nebraska, 

 Kansas, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah on the 

 following dates : Aug. 4 and 18, Sept. 1, 15 and 29, and 

 Oct. 6 and 20. 



The rate will be one fare plus )52.00 for the round trip, 

 the one-fare rate to be paid at time of purchase of ticket, and 

 the .52.00 to be paid at destination when certifying ticket for 

 return. The tickets will bear transit limit of 15 days, in 

 which stop-over will be allowed, and the final limit for return 

 will be 21 days from the date of sale. Tickets will be good 

 for return leaving destination only on Tuesday or Friday with- 

 in the final limit. These tickets will be on sale at the Mis- 

 souri river and points east thereof to the following territory : 



To points in Kansas and Nebraska to which the rate from 

 the nearest Missouri river is 1:58.00 or more. 



To points in Colorado on and west of a line drawn through 

 Leadville, Salida and Alamosa. 



To all points in Utah, except on the line of the Southern 

 Pacific railroad. 



To all points in South Dakota. 



To points in Wyoming, at and west of Moorcroft. 



If you desire any further information in regard to this 

 matter, our local railroad agent will be glad to give you same. 



Yours truly, J. Francis. 



Oen. Pass. & Tkt. Agt., Burlington & Mo. River R. R. in Nebr. 



P. S. — Rates will probably apply from as far east as 

 Pittsburg, Pa., and Buffalo, N. Y. J. F. 



The convention of the North American Bee-Keepers' As- 

 sociation will be held in one of the University buildings at 

 Lincoln, Nebr., on Oct. 7th and Sth, next, commencing at 9 

 o'clock a.m., of the 7th, and closing with the evening session 

 on the Sth. 



I notice that reduced rates apply only to places east of 

 Lincoln, and not to those west, or north, or south. I presume 

 that our Nebraska friends will look after this matter. 



I can secure tickets here, on a few days' notice, for the 

 round trip for §21.40 (the regular fare one way), being 

 $2.00 less than the Homeseekers' Excursion rate. It will be 

 well for those intending to attend the convention, to look up 

 the matter of railroad rates at the " cut rate " ticket offices in 

 their own town or city near them. A. B. Mason, .Sec. 



Bee Journal from Jan. ist. — We have a few 

 complete sets of the American Bee Journal from Jan. 1, 

 1896 — 26 numbers — which we will mail, so long as they last, 

 at 50 cents per set. Now, some of those who began to take 

 the Bee Journal with July 1, will have a chance to get it com- 

 plete for the whole of 1896. Remember, first come, first 

 served; and there are less than 50 of the 6-month sets. Bet- 

 ter order at once if you want one. 



