320 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



At this point the President asked the 

 convention where they would hold their 

 next meeting. Cleveland, Columbus, and 

 Washington Court House were named, 

 but it was decided to go to Washington 

 C. H. 



The election of officers was the next 

 in order, and resulted as follows : 



President — S. R. Morris, of Blooming- 

 burg, O. 



Vice-President— Chas. F. Muth, of 

 Cincinnati. 



Secretary and Treasurer — Miss Dema 

 Bennett, of Bedford, O. 



J. B. Hains, E. R. Root, John Calvert, 

 and O. A. Cory were appointed a com- 

 mittee to meet with the Agricultural 

 Board and the Commissioners of the 

 World's Fair. 



The reading of the Secretary's and 

 Treasurer's reports was next in order, 

 and it was found that there was a deficit 

 of $3.00, which was very soon made up 

 and the books balanced. 



On motion President Chas. F. Muth 

 was made an honorary member of the 

 Ohio State Bee-Keepers' Asssociation. 



The convention then adjourned to 

 meet at Washington C. H., Ohio, at the 

 call of the President, sometime during 

 the Winter of 1892-93. 



S. R. MoRKis, Sec. 



firaJiiii Coffll-Honey, Etc. 



F. GKEINEB. 



'While the above subject is up for dis- 

 cussion, would it not be well for all, who 

 feel interested, and have anything to 

 offer, to take a hand in it ? Permit me 

 to give my ideas on this important sub- 

 ject. 



To begin with, I want to say that 

 location has much to do with the method 

 of grading. The honey gathered in my 

 locality is extremely difficult to grade. 

 In most seasons we have it in all shades, 

 from the light-colored basswood and 

 sumac to the dark buckwheat — yes, and 

 still darker honey-dew. 



A distinction could be made between 

 six or eight different colors ; now if we 

 must add still other grades as to appear- 

 ance, finishing, all sealed or not, travel- 

 stained, etc., we would soon, by multi- 

 plication, have 25 or 30, or more differ- 

 ent grades. Of course such a thing 

 would be an impracticability. 



It is undesirable to have many grades 

 if it can be avoided. In other locations, 

 practically only one kind of honey is 

 stored in the sections ; here we find the 



whole honey-crop of uniform color. The 

 Shenandoah Valley is such a location, 

 to judge from my two years' experience 

 there. I found the grading a very easy 

 matter — selection as to weight was all 

 that was necessary. 



In my estimation, color in grading 

 should stand first. I observed in the 

 retail trade, the lighter colored the 

 honey, the higher it is rated. I believe 

 it is far less essential that all cells next 

 to the wood be filled and sealed ; in fact, 

 I would pay no attention to this what- 

 ever ; but otherwise there should be no 

 unsealed cells (or nearly none) any- 

 where, and in any grade. However, I 

 consider it of importance to have the 

 sections of as even weight as possible. 

 I would put the ligher, as well as the" 

 heavier ones, by themselves ; but in the 

 same grade, if of the same color. 



If we examine the market reports of 

 the different places, we find that at pres- 

 ent three distinct grades at most are 

 being recognized, viz. : 1, white, fancy 

 or choice ; 2, fair or mixed ; 3, buck- 

 wheat. All honey must be embraced in 

 these three grades, and I wonder if they 

 are not sufficient for all emergencies. I 

 have graded quite a number of tons of 

 honey according to this schedule. I have 

 placed the white clover and basswood 

 honey into grade No. 1. All off-grade 

 and slightly mixed with dark honey, into 

 ]Slo. 2 ; and buckwheat and dark honey 

 into No. 3. 



It seems to me that we do not need 

 anything better, and I hope the leading 

 bee-keepers may not go into extremes, 

 making the grading of comb-honey such 

 a difficult task, that we common mortals 

 may be unable to accomplish it accord- 

 ing to the rules. 



I see no good reason why one section 

 of superfine honey should not be placed 

 in the same grade with its mate, solely 

 on account of a few cells next to the 

 wood being unsealed, or because the 

 wood part of the section is somewhat 

 soiled. (Badly soiled sections no bee- 

 keeper ought to use, and while being on 

 the hive they ought to be so protected 

 that they cannot be soiled.) 



Summing up, I would ujge, that the 

 already acknowledged three grades be 

 accepted as the standard. 



Furthermore, I want to say : To 

 signify the different grades by letters, I 

 am inclined to think is a mistake. Num- 

 bers are much the simplest, and have a 

 mcianing in themselves. Even without 

 explanation all will understand at once 

 that No. 1 stands for best grade. No. 2 

 for second grade, etc. ; but to signify A, 



