Jan. 25, 1900. 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



57 



amount to be used for the purpose of experimental investi- 

 ffations in apiculture. Theresultof a recommendation of a 

 similar nature a year ag-o was the introduction into the 

 clause appropriating- for entomological investigations of 

 the words, " Pnivided, That two thousand dollars of this 

 sum may be expended for the purpose of experimental in- 

 vestigations in apiculture." As a matter of fact, in pre- 

 vious years certain of the funds of this Division have been 

 expended for experimental work in apiculture, since this 

 subject comes properly under the scope of " Entomological 

 investigations." There seems, however, to be a great de- 

 mand among the bee-keepers of the country for more work 

 of this kind than the entomologist feels justified in under- 

 taking by means of the lump fund. In other words, there 

 is so much work which must be done upon injurious insects 

 that the entire sum is none too great to carry it on. If the 

 demanded work in apiculture is done at all well, additional 

 means must be provided for it. 



Should this latter recommendation be approved, and 

 should the appropriation be made, it might be the means of 

 importing into this country successfully one or both of the 

 giant Indian bees which inhabit the Philippines. Bee- 

 keepers have long: been anxious to have the merits of these 

 larg^e Indian bees investig-ated in the proper way, and this 

 would create a favorable opportunity. 



We presume that " the proper way " referred to in the 

 last sentence above, means that the " larg-e Indian bees" 

 will be experimented with first in their native land. Then 

 if they prove sufficiently home-loving as to be content to 

 stay in hives, and not all desert for the limb of some tree, 

 it will be time to consider the possibility of their impor- 

 tation and use as honej'-gatherers in this country — likely in 

 Florida, Louisana and Texas, where they would perhaps do 

 the best. 



Bumble-Bees for Australia. — The San Francisco 

 Weekly Bulletin reported that in January, 1899, the New 

 South Wales department of agriculture had a short time be- 

 fore received a consignment of bumble-bees by steamer 

 from New Zealand. They were liberated in the Botanic 

 gardens and in the Linnean Society's grounds at Elizabeth. 



Selling Granulated Extracted Honey. — In spite of the 

 general opinion that the only plan to run successfully a re- 

 tail trade in extracted honey is to sell it in the liquid form, 

 and gather up for remelting that which granulates, there 

 are some who insist that the public can be taught to do 

 their own melting. There can be no question as to which 

 way gives the seller the least trouble after a set of custo- 

 mers has been so taught, and the fact that the thing has 

 been done is a very strong argument in favor of the belief 

 that it can be done. 



It is well known that the late C. F. Muth did a very 

 large business in retailing extracted honey, and his clientele 

 were so trained that they preferred the honey in the granu- 

 lated 'orm. He was saved all anxiety about this honey 

 granulating too soon, all trouble of gathering up from 

 groceries or private customers any that had begun to granu- 

 late — in fact, so far as Mr. Muth was concerned, it was the 

 same as if he had honey that never candied. 



Among those at the present day who advocate selling 

 in the granulated state, there is probably no one more 

 prominent than R. C. Aikin, and his advocacy is entirely 

 consistent in view of his own experience. Those who have 

 a permanent residence, and expect to have the same custo- 

 mers year after year, may well consider the advisability of 

 following Mr. Aikin's example. He says in the Progres- 

 sive Bee-Keeper : 



" Do not tell me the people will not have it so — they ivlU 

 have it so, if we just put it up that way and keep it in the 

 markets. The main trouble is introducing it where the 

 idea is new ; but that is easy, for it is so much better for 

 the grocer that he becomes your voluntary ag^ent in show- 

 ing and explaining, and just get a customer to try a pail or 

 two, and the thing is done. 



" A little country town of probably less than 2,000 popu- 



lation, a farming community with very few well-to-do 

 farmers — such is my territory for trade, and honey in pails, 

 and candied, .s'c/A' riglil along. If my trade increases year 

 by year as it has in the past live years, it will soon take 

 carloads to supply it annually. Selling customers glass 

 and other expensive packages with a lilllc honey in them 

 will soon disgust the mas.ses with buying honey, when they 

 can get a hundred pounds of sugar in a .Vcent sack. Study 

 between the lines here and you will discover why honey 

 does not become a staple — it can and 2vill." 



BECAUSE THEY BE. 



Yes, nies are flies, because they fly. 



And fleas are fleas, because they flee ; 

 And that is very clearly why 

 Bees are bees, because they be. 



— Modern Farmer. 

 * * * * * 



"A. B. Williams & Co., of Cleveland, who some time 

 ago furnisht quotations of the Cleveland honey market for 

 Gleanings in Bee-Culture, have made an assignment ; and 

 from all that we can learn their creditors will get very lit- 

 tle. The liabilities appear to be from $10,000 to $12,000, and 

 assets about $1,500. We have not publisht their quotations 

 the past season, because we were not fully satisfied with 

 the way they treated their shippers. The principal com- 

 plaint was their tardiness in answering letters. We did not 

 have a sufficiently definite' case against them to warrant 

 our publishing a word of caution, yet we did not have suffi- 

 cient confidence in them to continue publishing their quota- 

 tions. They had 10 cases of our honey unsettled for when 

 they failed. We know of several others who have likewise 

 suffered loss. When I called on them about three weeks 

 ago they had very little honey in the house, but I do not 

 know how much they had sold, and had not yet settled for. 

 I hope very few have lost at their hands." 



We were surprised to find the above in Gleanings in 

 Bee-Culture for Jan. 15. Nothing further need be said, we 

 think. 



« « # » * 



Mr. Wm. H. EagerTY, was born in Onondaga Co., New 

 York, moved to Iowa later, where he engaged in the bee- 

 business, and then about five years ago went to Republic 



Co., Kans., where he 

 now lives and keeps 

 bees. He has nearly 

 70 colonies, which he 

 looks after both for 

 pleasure and profit. 

 He wrote thus of his 

 work last September: 



" I have had four 

 good years and only 

 one failure. I try to 

 do my part or share 

 of the work. So many 

 were going into the 

 business in a ship- 

 shod way that we 

 should have been 

 swept away with the 

 liee-disease known as 

 foul brood. But now 

 they will 'about 

 ship,' and scud for 

 home quarters, I 

 think. I never object 

 to persons going into 

 Wm. H. Eagerly. the bee-business if 



they will only pre- 

 pare themselves well for the work, and not just murder the 

 bees thru ignorance." 



Mr. Eagerty has written some for the bee-papers, and 

 we have no doubt he understands the business all right. 

 We do not know him persotially, only that he has been one 

 of our regular subscribers for years. 



