1894 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



835 



these were read at the convention, and all are 

 to be published in full in the report of the 

 meeting. 



The constitution of the North American was 

 taken in hand by a committee of five, and 

 thoroughly revised and simplified. The old by- 

 laws were entirely eliminated, the new consti- 

 tution incorporating every thing that it was 

 thought of sufficient importance to retain. A 

 movement was inaugurated to increase the 

 membership of the N. A. B. K. A. by offering 

 something besides membership for the one 

 dollar annual dues. A resolution was adopted 

 looking to this end. 



There were four applications for the next 

 meeting— one from Lincoln, Neb., supported by 

 various documents from the city organizations. 

 A telegram from Denver, Col., signed by vari- 

 ons commercial interests; an urgent invitation 

 for Buffalo, from Vice-pres. O. L. Hershiser; 

 and a strong plea for Toronto, Ont. As the 

 last-named place had a partial promise of the 

 convention at Chicago last year, it was decided 

 to go there during the Toronto Industrial Fair, 

 in September, when low rates of travel prevail, 

 and a large attendance assured. 



The officers elected for the coming year were: 

 President, R. F. Holtermann, Brantford, Ont., 

 editor Canadian Bee Journal: Vice-president, 

 L. D. Stiison, York, Neb., editor Nebraska Bee- 

 keeper; Secretary, W. Z. Hutchinson, Flint, 

 Mich., editor Review; and Treasurer, J. T. Cal- 

 vert, Medina, O. 



As has usually happened in the past, when 

 we have depended on the certificate plan for 

 reduced railroad rates, we failed in having suf- 

 ficient certificates to secure the reduction. 

 Notwithstanding the repeated requests of the 

 president and secretary, not a few omitted to 

 secure the certificates, and only forty-eight 

 were presented. 



One point was several times emphasized dur- 

 ing the convention; and that was, the necessity 

 of encouraging in every way the consumption 

 of honey, especially by working the home mar- 

 ket. Offer your customers only a choice article 

 of honey, and ask a good living price. Explain 

 the advantage of healthful honey over other 

 sweets usually used, and enforce your point by 

 leaving a sample to try, even if you don't get 

 pay for it. You will very often be rewarded 

 for such effort by gaining permanent regular 

 customers. Never get out of choice honey. If 

 your bees don't gather all you need for your 

 local trade, obtain a supply from other produc- 

 ers which you know to be pure, and which you 

 can guarantee as you do yonr own. As bearing 

 on this subject, we give in full in the next col- 

 umn the paper read by Mr. George W. York, 

 editor of the American Bee Journal, on the 

 subject, " Disposing of the Honey Crop." 



This brief report of the convention has been 

 hastily written from memory. I did not expect 

 that the necessity of my making a report would 



arise, and did not take notes with that end in 

 view. A brief report from the senior editor 

 was expected, and may still reach us in time 

 for publication in this issue. I have not at- 

 tempted any thing like a full report, but have 

 simply tri<-d to give the main points of interest, 

 and items which impressed me as being im por- 

 tant. 



In conclusion, let me urge those within reach 

 of Toronto to begin now to plan to be present 

 at the next meeting in September, 1895. 



DISPOSING OF THE HONEY CROP. 



AN ARTICLE READ BRPOKE THE ST. JOSEPH 

 CONVEXTION, 



By Oeorye W. York. 



Page upon page has been written on the sub- 

 ject of marketing honey; for all realize that, 

 unless it is well sold, there is no profit or just 

 remuneration for the labor and skill involved 

 in its production. 



A successful marketing of honey presupposes 

 its good quality, and suitable condition for 

 proper and satisfactory handling. Possessing 

 these two very important factors, the honey is 

 then ready to seek the much-desired customer. 



Upon what market shall it be placed ? Aye, 

 that's the question! Shall it be disposed of in 

 the home market— probably among the produc- 

 er's friends and neighbors— or shall it be ship- 

 ped to the nearest large city to find purchasers ? 

 Both ways have their advantages as well as 

 disadvantages. So much depends upon the 

 producer himself, that what might be best for 

 one bee-keeper would be all wrong for another 

 equally successful in honey-production. 



Each producer, of course, desires to realize 

 the most money possible for his crop. Upon 

 that point all will agree. But how about the 

 city market for such an object? The city 

 honey commission merchant, as a rule, if he 

 does any business at all, is an overworked or 

 overcrowded man. Imagine, if you please, 100 

 different lots of honey being shipped to him 

 from various parts of the country, in different 

 conditions, and all coming so as to be in stock 

 at the same time. Now, it will be utterly im- 

 possible for him to give to each shipment equal 

 attention, and some of them must of necessity 

 be neglected, or await their turns. In the 

 meantime, some of the shippers may notify him 

 to hold their honey for a certain price. Then, 

 of course, the honey of those who do not give 

 any definite instructions as to price will be sold 

 first, and probably at a lower figure. By that 

 time the market is practically supplied, a;id 

 the rest of the honey in the commission mer- 

 chant's hands must be held, or the price lower- 

 ed in order to at all effect sales. Thus it will 

 be readily seen that, at best, selling through a 

 city commission firm must often be quite un- 

 satisfactory, especially as there is so much to 

 risk in shipping honey lest the combs be broken 



