648 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Oct. 8, 



'f^ 



SIE""^® «|KI€4^ 



aSORCS W, XORK, . Editor. 



PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY 



GEORGE W. YORK & COMPANY, 

 IIS Aflcliig-an St., - CHlCAao, ILL. 



fl.OO a Year— Sample Copy Sent Free. 

 tBntered at the Post-Offlce at Chicaito as Second-Class Mall-Matter.] 



Vol. mvi. CHICAGO, III., OCT. 8, 1886. Kd. 41, 



EDITORIAL COMMENTS. 



At Lincoln, Nebr.— By the time the majority of 

 our readers get this copy of the American Bee Journal, the 

 2Tth annual convention of the North American Bee-Keepers' 

 Association at Lincoln, Nebr., will have drawn to a close. We 

 will not be back in time to say very much, if anything, about 

 the meeting, in next week's number, but in the issue for the 

 week following we expect to begin the publication of a com- 

 plete report of the proceedings. If all the plans are success- 

 fully carried out, something greatly advantageous to the bee- 

 industry should result. 



Tlie Illinois State Fair was held last week. We 

 had the pleasure of being present on Tuesday and Wednesday, 

 accompanying the judge of the apiarian exhibit, Mr. P. 

 Grabbe, of Libertyville, 111. The bee and honey exhibits were 

 large and very fine, being nearly twice the quantity as was 

 shown last year, we were told. The principal exhibitors were 

 Mr. C. Becker, Jas. A. Stone, and Finch & Robblns, all of 

 Illinois; the Hutchinson brothers, of Michigan, and Geo. H. 

 Kirkpatrlck, of Indiana. 



Next week we hope to speak more specifically of the ex- 

 hibits and the premiums awarded. 



"Who Establishes the Price ?— A honey-pro- 

 ducer living some 40 miles from Chicago called on us lately 

 and asked, " Who establishes the price of honey on the Chi- 

 cago market?" 



We replied, "Like Dr. Miller, we 'don't know.'" 

 Another bee-keeper and honey-dealer who was present, 

 said, " Why, that's easy. The buyer who gets the honey from 

 the commission-men, establishes the price, in nearly every in- 

 stance in this market." 



And he was correct to a very great extent. We verily be- 

 lieve that you can go into almost any of the newer honey- 

 commission houses hero and buy honey at your own figure. 

 That is the very reason we have urged bee-keepers so strongly 

 not to ship to strangers or new commission firms; for in so 

 many cases they will take what they can get for the honey, 

 deduct their commission and all other charges, and remit the 

 balance to the shipper. And often that " balance " is quite a 

 big surprise, on account of the small amount of cash which it 

 represents. 



For instance, just last week the honey-producer referred 

 to first In this letter, called ov a new honey-commission firm 

 here, and bought only a single 12-pound case of finest comb 

 honey for 11}^ cents per pound. Yet that same firm was 

 quoting to bee-keepers, privately, 153^ to 16>i cents ! 



The more we think about this subject, the nearer we come 



to believing with Mr. Abbott, that the commission business is 

 wrong in principle. It would be better all around if all such 

 transactions were done upon a strictly cash basis. We don't 

 want any commission business In ours when it comes to honey. 

 We prefer to buy and sell for cash. Then there is no possible 

 chance for trouble, if everything is bought and sold by sample. 

 Must be equal to sample, or no sale. 



Xhe Dripless Shipping'-Case, which has been 

 lately advertised is a splendid thing for shipping comb honey. 

 In Gleanings for Sept. 15 it was illustrated, and described as 

 follows : 



" The no-drip shipping-case is the same as any other case, 

 only a trifle deeper. With each case Is sent along a sheet of 

 paper a little larger than the inside dimensions of the case. 

 This is folded up into a paper tray, is then inserted, and strips 

 laid in 43^ inches from center to center, and nailed. 



"Perhaps some may ask, ' But why these strips? Why 

 not set the sections right down on the paper tray itself ?' Did 

 you ever notice that, when sections get to dripping, and stand 

 upon a flat surface, how those sections will stick and hang to 

 the surface? The little film of honey that enters between the 

 surface and the bottom of the sections seems to act just like 

 so much glue. To remedy this, the sections should be set up 

 a little on cleats or strips of wood thick enough to raise them 

 up anywhere from J^ to S/IG from the paper tray. Now, 

 then, if any drip runs down it runs on to the paper tray, and 

 does not come in contact with the sections, except that it may 

 touch where the corners of said sections rest on the cleats. 



" Ever since these shipping-cases have been sent out they 

 have received the hearty approval of bee-keepers and commis- 

 sion-men. The idea is old, and has been in use for a number 

 of years. It was originated, I believe, by that prince of 

 American bee-keepers — Capt. J. E. Hetherington, of New 

 York State — the man who has the reputation of owning and 

 operation the largest number of colonies of anyone bee-keeper 

 in the world. One of these cases was sent to us by a friend of 

 the Captain's two or three years ago. I knew at the time it 

 was a good thing, but neglected to bring it before our readers." 



Terrill Bros.— A Commission Firm on South 

 Water Street — seem to be in a fair way to get their Just deserts 

 for alledged swindling transactions that it is reported they 

 have been guilty of. In the daily Chicago Tribune for Satur- 

 day, Sept. 26, appeared an account of the result of some 

 detective work, which began with these words in bold-face 

 letters as a heading: 



"On A. S. Terrill's trail. Evidence of peculiar commis- 

 sion transactions in hand. Detective Eddy says he is pre- 

 pared to Institute court proceedings which will result in con- 

 viction of fraudulent dealings. Names of firms which have 

 received consignments and then disappeared. List of victims 

 said to be large." 



Then came the following paragraphs detailing the mat- 

 ters above referred to : 



Detective E. B. Eddy says he has in hand suiBcient evi- 

 dence to convict A. S. Terrill, who has a record in South 

 Water street commission circles, of fraudulent dealings. 



The United States Express Company recently took up the 

 case of Terrill, whose career has been referred to frequently 

 in the Tribune, and put Detective Eddy at work to unravel 

 the complicated situation of affairs which Is said to have cost 

 farmers of the West thousands of dollars in the last few years. 

 Mr. Eddy says he will institute proceedings in court at once. 



A. S. Terrill has been known as the head of half a dozen 

 concerns which were held in bad odor by South Water street 

 merchants. The different firms which he organized. It is said, 

 sent agents throughout the country to solicit shipments of 

 produce. As an inducement prices were offered a few cents 

 above the market, and all kinds of favorable conditions were 

 pictured. When the shipments were handled the consignee 

 often failed to receive his money, it Is said, and when he came 



