A False Rumor. 



Some evil-disposed persons, it seems, 

 have reported Tliurber & Co., of New York, 

 in financial difficulty. As bee-keepers are 

 interested in the soundness of this firm, we 

 give tiie following article from tlie Nciv 

 York Tribune of Jan. 32, concerning these 

 false reports: 



Reports have been in circulation in 

 Wall St., tliat two prominent grocery houses 

 were financially embarrassed. Yesterday 

 it was rumored that the paper of II. K. &■ F. 

 B. Tliurber tt Co., had gone to protest. — 

 Inquiry was made of II. K. Thurber last 

 evening in regard to the matter. He denied 

 in most emphatic tones all rumors detri- 

 mental to the credit of his firm. He said: 



We keep only one bank account, and that is with 

 the Importers' and Traders' Bank, where I aui a 

 slcirkholder and director. For a week, cir more, 

 unfavnralile htnrk's have been cimilatiMl ciincerninK 

 our Muuni-iul ^^tall(lint;, evidently oriMinatiii^' on Wall 

 Street, where there are stock-jobbers, wliu are try- 

 ing to create a panic. On Monday, the names of 

 several large grocery houses were coupled with ours, 

 as about to fail. Our tirra is abundantly able to meet 

 all its oblit,'ations, doHar for dollar, inside of 2U days. 

 The fact is, tliat instead of being in trouble, we have 

 been discounting our thirty-day bills— particularly 

 sugar accounts. On Thursday, we checked out in 

 this way, ii;(W,U(X); on Saturday, nearly )?8(),mtU; and on 

 Monday, when the stock-jobbers were trying to put 

 us among the broken firms, we discounted current 

 accounts for over $2'2.00. None of these accounts 

 fall duo until February 13, but having more money 

 in the bank than we require, we made the discount. 

 We have not failed, and we are not in trouble in any 

 way; and if all the other houses in the grocery trade 

 should become embarrassed, the tirm of H. K. & F. 

 B. Thurber & Co. would still be transacting business 

 as usual. 



James Buell, President of the Importers' 

 and Traders' Bank, said tiiat '"he had so 

 mucli confidence in the scmndness of Thur- 

 ber ct Co., that he would discount their 

 paper at 7 per cent., to the amount of $100,- 

 000. He stated tliat H. K. Thurber was 

 worth, at least, .^l,.500,000, and the credit of 

 the firm, of wliich lie was tlie head, was as 

 good as that of any firm in the country." 



E. H. Perkins, jr.. Cashier of the Import- 

 ers' and Traders' bank, said in regard to H. 

 K. & F. B. Thurber & Co.: " For tlie past 

 5 or C> years I have seen their balance slieet, 

 and it always indicated gains of at least 

 SilOO,000. The inontiily sales of tlie house I 

 kuow to be over .'?1,000,000, and the Thur- 

 bers have always been noted among grocery 

 men for their short credit system, which 

 lias prevented them from incurring any 

 long debts. Besides this, the Thurbers 

 work on a solid foundation, tiieir available 

 assets being, at the very least, .'$1,500,000.— 

 They always have a considerable sum 

 deposited with us, but I do not know exactly 

 how much there is at present." 



Honey Markets. 



^iW A Cakd.— The last season's trial of 

 Bingham's smoker has demonstrated that it 

 was not only new but useful. The U. S. 

 Patent Office has reported' the same, and 

 granted a patent. Being the lef/al maker of 

 the direct draft improvement in smokers, 

 and having received the most flattering 

 r('|>i>rts from all, every effort will be made 

 to kcc]i its merits in workmanship up to its 

 usefulness as an implement in the manage- 

 ment of bees. Thanking all my friends for 

 tlieir liind ivords and consideration, I 

 remain, &c., T. F. Bingham. 



Abronia, Allegan Co.. Mich., Jan. 21, 1878. 



NEW YORK.— We quote as follows: 



HONEY.— Fancy caps, in neat crates, of prime, 

 well-flUed combs, white honey, is scarce, and con- 

 tinues in good demand; selling aU the way from 20 

 to 22c. per lb. White honey, in irregular caps and 

 crates, 15 to 20c. Buckwheat, and dark grades, 8 to 

 12c. Strained honey, in bbls. and firkins, S to 12c. per 

 lb. Our quotations are based upon actual sales, 

 during the past month, and we certainly do not wish 

 to be understood as being able to make the prices for 

 the month of February. 



There has recently been made, large consignments 

 of dark honey, to this market, and prices have been 

 very much depressed by forced sales. Consequently, 

 we do not wish to encourage shipments of dark 

 honev. 



BEESWAX.— Rather dull sales. Quotations, Zi}4 

 to 2Syc. per lb. 



II. K. & F. B. Thukcer & Co. 

 CHICAGO.— We quote as follows: 



HONEY.— Prices easy, and range as follows:— 

 Choice white comb, 15 & It! per lb; inferior to fair, 10 

 @ IHc. per lb. 



BEESWAX.— Prices nominal, at 21 to 2G per lb for 

 bright yellow, and 15 to 20c. for common to fair. 



CINCINNATI. — Quotations by C. F. 

 Muth. Comb honey, in small boxes, 15@ 

 20c. Extracted, 1 lb. jars, in shipping order, 

 per doz.,.'52..50; per gross, S28.00. 2 lb. jars, 

 per doz., $4.50; per gross, ^50.00. 



It must be understood, that goods realize these 

 prices in our market. I buy for cash— not on con- 

 signments. I have been paying this season, for 

 choice white clover extracted honey, in bulk, 10c, and 

 7@8c for Southern, buckwheat, basswood, and dark 

 honey. For choice comb honey, in boxes, I have 

 been paying IGc net; for darker grades proportion- 

 ately less. 



SAN FRANCISCO.— We quote: 10@18 c. 



SaN FRANCISCO, Jan. 14, 1878.— We have no 

 change to note in prices. Have had tine rains in the 

 bee counties, enough to insure a living for the bees 

 and a surplus of honey. Steauxs & Smith. 



LOUISVILLE. — Quotations by B. B. 

 Barnum.— I will pay for choice, light, ex- 

 tracted honey 8@10c.; for white comb 12>^ 

 @15c., in small boxes. 



j;:^" Anyone wishing information con- 

 cerning the ability of Geo. W. Merryatt, of 

 Milton, Wis., (of late near Hebron,Wis.) as a 

 bee-keeper, can obtain it, of those who 

 know him well, upon application at tliis 

 office. 



C:^"We have recently received some 

 Russian Sunflower Seed, from E. R. 

 Billings, wliich he advertises elsewhere in 

 this issue, as a good honey-producer. The 

 seed is very fine. 



i^W The Report of the Michigan Agri- 

 cultural College apiary, for 1877, is crowded 

 out of this issue. It is long but quite in- 

 teresting, and will appear in our next. 



..^^ ■ Seeds or samples of merchandise can 

 be mailed for 1 c. per ounce. Printed matter 

 1 cent for every tivo ounces. Don't send 

 us any small packages by express, that 

 can be sent by mail. Express companies 

 have no souls'. 



__ In addition to all those who have re- 

 newed their subscriptions during the past 

 month— and they are not a few— we have 

 averaged ten new subscribers every day 

 since the New Year— thanks to our staunch 

 friends. 



