1896. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



661 



J. Stahmann, of Weaver, then gave a very interesting essay 

 on "The New Bee-Disease, Pickled Brood, or White Fungus." 



These papers excited the interest of every one present. 

 Foul brood was given a very thorough investigation, and a 

 committee v^as appointed to confer with the State Bee-Keep- 

 ers' Association at their convention to be held the coming 

 January, with the aim of securing legislative enactment to 

 control and prevent, if possible, the spread of this contagious 

 disease. 



The last session was opened by Mr. C. F. Lang, of 

 Wisconsin, who spolie very interestingly of his season with 

 the bees. The question-box was opened, and queries on nearly 

 every vital subject of apiarian management were propounded 

 and discussed. OfiScers for the ensuing year were elected, 

 being the same as last year, and an adjournment to meet at 

 Winona next year, at a time to be fixed later, was taken. 



No wish could have been more completely gratified than 

 was the one expressed by the President at the close of his 

 opening address, for a pleasant and profitable meeting. It 

 was a complete success. St. Paul, Minn. 



Something About Selling Honey on Commission 



BY W. Z. HUTCHINSON. 



Nearly all of the honey sold in the large cities is sold 

 through the agency of commission-men, and in many instances 

 there are mistakes, misunderstandings, and dissatisfaction. 

 One cause for all of this trouble is the great difference in 

 honey. There is the difference rising from the varied sources 

 from which honey is gathered, the different methods employed 

 by different bee-keepers in securing the crop, in packing it for 

 market, the condition in which it reaches the market, etc. If 

 honey could be graded as exactly as grain can be graded, 

 much of this friction would be avoided. One trouble is, that 

 each bee-keeper often thinks that Ms honey is first-class, and 

 so represents it to the dealer to whom it is shipped. It some- 

 times turns out otherwise, and then there are disputes and 

 trouble. The North American Bee-Keepers' Association has 

 tried to lessen the troubles by formulating a set of rules for 

 use In grading honey. The honey is graded according to the 

 conditions of the combs, and then classified according to color 

 — "white," "amber" and "dark" being the terms used. 

 Dealers say, however, that this attempt at grading honey has 

 produced no practical benefit. 



If producers are inclined to grade their honey too high, 

 dealers are not free from the fault of quoting too high. Of 

 course prices are likely to fluctuate, and honey is sometimes 

 sold at a higher figure than the published quotations, but the 

 reverse is usually true. Of course these high quotations are 

 given to induce shipments. A newly-established commission 

 firm of Chicago sent out circulars last fall soliciting consign- 

 ments of honey, and, as an inducement to shippers, prices 

 four or five cents above the regular quotations were given. 

 In correspondence with shippers they promised to get these 

 prices and to make quick sales, and advised immediate ship- 

 ments. When returns were finally made, they were often 

 four or five cents below the regular quotations, 10 per cent. 

 commission was charged where only five had been mentioned 

 in the circular, freight bills and cartage were high, and there 

 was general dissatisfaction. One man sent over 400 pounds 

 of fine white honey, and received only a little over $16 as 

 the net proceeds— about four c»nts per pound. Another man 

 sent a carload from New Mexico, and it netted him only about 

 three cents per pound ! This is for comb honey. The New 

 Mexico man wrote me that he and his sons had lost $1,000 

 by the deal. 



This firm gave good references, and paid their bills 

 promptly, and may have been honest for all that I know, but 

 they made the mistake of promising to get high prices, and 



then failed to get more than two-thirds the market price, or, 

 at least, they reported sales at this low figure. Only yester- 

 day I received a letter from a man who had sent this firm 90 

 pounds of dried apples, 10 bushels of walnuts, and 10 bushels 

 of butternuts. He enclosed a letter they had written him 

 when he inquired about sending the produce. Walnuts they 

 told him were selling at from 50 to 75 cents per bushel, and 

 butternuts from $1.00 to .$1.50. The price of dried apples was 

 not mentioned, but quick sales were promised, as it was early 

 and there was a scarcity of nuts. It was two months before 

 he received any returns, and the net proceeds were $3.03 ! 

 Such transactions are very discouraging to producers, and 

 work an injury to commission-men who are honest and know 

 how to do business. 



I presume that commission-men are as honest as the com- 

 mon run of people, but the opportunities and temptations for 

 trickery are greater than in many other kinds of business. 

 The goods are in their hands, and the shipper has to take 

 their word as to the price at which they are sold. Of course, 

 prices at which shipments are sold can be verified, but unless 

 the quantity involved is large, an investigation, and perhaps 

 a lawsuit, are too expensive. Not only is there a chance for 

 dishonesty in reporting sales, but there is a temptation to sell 

 at a low price, to "shade" the price a little for the sake of 

 making a sale and getting the commission. In short, the 

 shipper is almost completely at the mercy of the commission 

 merchant, and for this reason should use extraordinary care 

 In selecting the man to whom he is to send his product. Select 

 one who has for years made a specialty of handling honey, 

 and one who gives satisfaction, and who, you believe, is 

 honest. Have correspondence in advance of shipment. Learn 

 the state of the market, describe your goods fully, and if you 

 are not willing to allow them to be sold at any price that the 

 merchant thinks best, then limit him in price. Say, " If you 

 can't get so much, don't sell." 



As a rule, there is more satisfaction In making an out and 

 out sale. Better prices, however, are sometimes realized 

 when honey is sold on commission, as the man who buys and 

 pays cash down is pretty careful not to pay too much. 



My own experience with commission-men has been very 

 pleasant and satisfactory, but I have never sent any honey to 

 any firm that had no established reputation for honesty and 

 fair dealing. I have sometimes put a limit upon the price, 

 but, as a rule, I would rather select the best market aud the 

 best man, and then trust to them. The man who is on the 

 spot can usually tell better than any one else as to when it is 

 best to sell at a certain price. Choose well your man— there 

 lies nearly the whole secret. 



But the shipper of honey is not the only one who has 

 troubles. The commission-man comes in for his share. Honey 

 is poorly put up, comes to hand broken and dripping, or the 

 inner sections are imperfect or of dark honey, while the outer 

 ones are white and perfect. All these things cause trouble 

 and unpleasantness. This very Chicago firm to which I have 

 referred recently sent me a case of honey to show that a com- 

 plaining shipper ought not to complain because they did not 

 make satisfactory sales. The honey was dark, and not a 

 comb remained fastened in the frames. The case was just one 

 mush of broken combs and dripping honey. Honey should 

 never be sent by express. The rapid handling is almost sure 

 to break it. By freight is the way to send it. The small 

 cases should be put into a crate with handles at each end, 

 and the crate of such size that two men will be required to 

 handle It with ease, as this will iasure more careful handling. 

 The combs should be placed parallel with the track. If there 

 are transfers to be made, it is well to go to a printing office 

 and have some labels printed bearing a large ^W, and the 

 reading should be as follows: "Put this crate in the car so 

 that the hand points towards the front end of the car."— Coun- 

 try Gentleman. 



