(froxrcspomUutt. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



The English Honey Markets. 



w. M. HOGE. 



I send you by this mail a very truth- 

 ful lithographic picture of the lady 

 president of the British Bee-Keepers' 

 Association, the Baroness Burdett- 

 Coutts, as well as the young American 

 gentleman, Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, to 

 whom the Baroness is reported to be 

 betrothed. This rumored marriage is 

 the present sensation of London. Not 

 only the great discrepancy in the age of 

 Mr. Bartlett and his fiance, she being 

 64 and he 28, attracts attention to the 

 happy pair, but the whole-souled liber- 

 ality which has characterized the Bar- 

 oness' stewardship of perhaps the 

 greatest fortune in the world, and a 

 constant and kindly disposition to alle- 

 viate the distress and suffering of those 

 about her, has garlanded her name 

 with the tenderest feelings of gratitude, 

 and made all the nations feel that the 

 world is better for her having lived. 

 Mr. Bartlett is one of those noble souls 

 that even men cannot help loving. It 

 is reported that the marriage lias been 

 delayed in order that a legal question 

 may be circumvented concerning the 

 reversion of a large portion of the Bar- 

 oness' heritage in case of her espousing 

 an alien to the British crown. 



The Dairy Show commences here on 

 the 26th of next month, lasting four 

 days. This is held under the presidency 

 of H. B. H. the Prince of Wales. The 

 British Bee-Keepers' Association ex- 

 hibit at the show. Neighbour & Sons 

 have new English honey stored in 

 American sections attractively dis- 

 played in their windows, placarded 2s. 

 (50c.) per pound— mostly unglassed. 



Consignments made by California 

 producers and commission merchants to 

 Liverpool, London and Hamburg, 

 which, although they netted a present 

 loss at the time, have been pregnant of 

 much good, for they introduced a su- 

 perior article to the European markets, 

 the consumers got hold of it and liked 

 it. Thus the influence of the consumer 

 is all the while working in the favor of 

 American honey, grocers' customers 

 come back saying they " want some 

 more of that American honey." Thus 

 you see the demand arises' and this 

 year English and continental buyers 

 have either sent agents to, or employed 

 agents in California to secure them 

 honey, and here comes the verification 



of the old adage that in competition 

 lies the life of trade, for the agents be- 

 ing unable to procure consignments 

 have had instructions to buy, and in the 

 presence of so many buyers, honey has 

 been sold out-and-out without the neces- 

 sity of consigning, and at prices that 

 must be remunerative to the producers. 

 The San Francisco markets quoted 

 " Honey in demand with a strong up- 

 ward tendency ;" the bulk of the pur- 

 chases have been moved forward by the 

 " all ocean route " which requires 3 to 4 

 months to make ; the parcels which w r ere 

 shipped the latter part of August and 

 September will not be due here until 

 about Christmas, too late I am afraid in 

 many cases for packers to get it ready 

 in jars, etc., for the Christmas trade. 

 I have managed to get forward several 

 car loads, which were sent early across 

 the American continent by rail to the 

 eastern states, and thence by steamer. 

 This enabled me to come into the 

 market here almost abreast with the 

 domestic honey and realize a better 

 margin of profit than I will on later 

 shipments. Yesterday there was not a 

 single pound of California honey re- 

 maining unsold. We sold none for less 

 than 12 cents per pound in ton lots. 

 Then first parcels have all been strictly 

 white in color, and heavy in body. 

 When the anticipated large shipments 

 arrive the markets will no doubt be af- 

 fected, and prices decline. There will be 

 some white clover honey wanted, one or 

 two sales having been made at 10c. per 

 pound "free on board" at New York, 

 but your readers should mark this is 

 not for basswood, for which strange to 

 say there is no demand; consumers are- 

 prejudiced against it and the preference 

 or prejudice of consumers is the all- 

 powerful factor which makes or un- 

 makes trade. 



It is with the greatest imaginable re- 

 luctance that I announce my despair of 

 there ever being a satisfactory traffic in 

 " prize " or the section honey. If they 

 could be distributed everyvvhere with 

 the combs safe and sound, they would 

 be the most salable article ever intro- 

 duced to the grocery trade, but to deal 

 in them now, is to live in a perfect at- 

 mosphere of complaints. 



The value of Chilian honey has re- 

 mained nominal, pending late arrivals 

 in this country, being placed upon the 

 market; 2.789 barrels arrived oer "Craig- 

 nair," " Pole Star" and " Osceola." 



London, England, Sept. 20, 1S80. 



[Mr. Hoge has our thanks for the very 

 interesting particulars about the honey 

 market, as well as for the lithograph 

 mentioned. — Ed.] 



