AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



73 



Topics of Interest. 



Norlli Aierican Bee-Keepers' Association. 



W. Z. HUTCHINSON. 



[Continued from page 50.] 



Next came an essay by Dr. C. C. Miller, 

 who was kept at home by La Orippe. 

 His essay was read by E. R. Root, as 

 follows, on 



Can We Settle on Two Sizes of 

 Sections as Standard ? 



I don't know. If it can be made to 

 appear that it would bo for the general 

 good, I have faith enough to believe 

 that some concessions would be made 

 for the sake of unanimity. 



But what good would it do ? Can I 

 get any more honey by using a section 

 of the same size as others ? Hardly. 

 Can I find more ready sale by having a 

 standard size ? The consumer hardly 

 cares whether the section he buys is 

 4J4x4J^ or 5x3%. He may, however, 

 want a smaller section than some other 

 customer wants, and that is just so 

 much of an argument in favor of having 

 a variety of sizes. But I think it may 

 be easier to sell at wholesale if my sec- 

 tions are of a standard size, and the 

 wholesale purchaser knows, without 

 seeing them, just what my sections are 

 as to size. So that I do not see that it 

 makes any special difference, consider- 

 ing merely the matter of sale. 



Looking at it from another point of 

 view, can we buy our supplies any 

 cheaper if we settle upon a standard 

 size ? I hardly need to answer the 

 question. Try getting an odd size of 

 any article made. You may be bluntly 

 told : " We do not make that size," or, 

 "We can make it for you, but will have 

 to charge you more than for a regular 

 size." 



I have taken the liberty to write to 

 three manufacturers of sections, and I 

 think I can do no better than to here 

 submit their replies. 



Watertown, Wis., Nov. 30, 1891. 

 Dk. C. C. Miller, Marengo, Ills. 



Dear Sir : — In reply to your favor of 

 Nov. 26, we think there should be but 

 one size of section, viz. : 4:Ux4:}i. As 

 to width of the section, it is difficult to 

 say. Nearly all of our foreign orders 

 are for 2-iuch sections, and domestic 

 orders vary very much ; however, 7 to 



the foot, 1% and l%,seem to be the 

 favorites. Of course A manufacturer 

 would prefer sections to be but 1% 

 inches wide, or 7 to the foot. Wo do 

 not sec why this section should be intro- 

 duced, except it may be to better ac- 

 commodate the inside measurement of 

 a different hive. But, if sections could 

 be brought to a standard width of 1% 

 or 1%, and size 4:}ix4:}i, we think it 

 would be much better for consumers, for 

 manufacturers, and also for dealers in 

 honey. 



You ask what we would recommend If 

 three sizes only wore used. We would 

 say 7 to the foot, 1% and 2 inch, all to 

 be 43i£x4i4'. 



As to advising what would be best for 

 one size, if we consulted our own con- 

 venience perhaps we should say 7 to the 

 foot, but we stand ready at all times to 

 make any sizes wanted. 



G. B. Lewis Co. 



Jamestown, N. Y., Nov. 28, 1891. 

 Dr. C.^C. Miller, Marengo, Ills. 



Dear Sir : — We are in receipt of yours 

 of Nov. 26, and will answer your in- 

 quiries, in regard to sections, as well as 

 we can. 



We judge that the percentage of odd- 

 sized sections; that is, those other than 

 4z}-:ix4:}i, ranges from 10 to 15 per cent. 



We usually keep in stock 5x5, 5x5j^,. 

 5%x4M, 5H^6h, 41^x4^, 5^^x53^, 

 and 6x6, of the odd sizes. 



It would be a great advantage to. 

 manufacturers and dealers, if only one 

 or two sizes were used, as the cost of 

 changing machinery, and the waste in 

 manufacturing one or more thousand of 

 odd-sized sections is in excess of the 

 price we get, over and above that for 

 the regular size. 



In case three sizes of sections were 

 only used, we should think the 4Jix4Ji, 

 5^4x63>i, and the 5x5 J^ would be the 

 best three sizes ; if two sizes, the 4j^x- 

 4J^ and the 5x5^, and if only one, of 

 course the 4 3€x4 Ji- 

 lt is quite impossible for us to tell you 

 the dimensions of the different sizes of 

 sections that we make. There are a 

 very large number, which would require 

 our going over all of our orders for a 

 year to get at the various sizes. 



As to the difference in price between 

 those that are nearest the "standard," 

 and those that are unusual, we make a 

 difference in accordance with the quan- 

 tity ordered. 



Of course, if a person wants one or 

 two thousand odd sized sections, we have 

 to charge higher than if he wanted, say 



