THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Jan. 7, 



be seen that the number of blooms o?ie plant is capable of 

 sending forth mounts into the hundreds. 



The white variety is more erect and tree-like in habit 

 than the yellow; produces fewer spikes of bloom, and its 

 stems are more woody; for honey purposes, we would prefer 

 one acre of the yellow to four of the white, while for hay and 

 pasture one acre of the yellow is preferred to a dozen of the 

 white. Now, of course, this broad statement is based upon 

 the difference in behavior of the two varieties here in northern 

 Nebraska. 



The aromatic odor of the two is identical, and to me ex- 

 tremely pleasant, therefore I cannot understand why any one 

 should accuse it of making the " atmosphere stuffy," as has 

 been done more than once in Nebraska during the past year. 

 If any bee-keeper can endorse the accusation please let him be 

 heard from. 



In quoting from my article, Dr. Miller asks, in Gleanings, 

 "Now who can tell us something more?" referring to the 

 value of the j'ellow. Present indications are that no one 

 seems in a hurry to speak out; are we to infer that they don't 

 know? The best thing you can do, Doctor, is to obtain some 

 of the seed and try it yourself. Seeing is believing, unless we 

 happen to have a faulty vision, which I do not think is the 

 case with our genial Dr. Miller. In his valuable little book, 

 " A Year Among the Bees," he states that his attempts at 

 providing bee-pasturage have not been attended with much 

 success ; melilot, figwort, cleome, buckwheat, and others, 

 having failed to respond to coaxing. Now I can arrive at only 

 one of two conclusions regarding the why : Either that nat- 

 ural conditions for honey-production are far better in some 

 times unfortunate though much maligned Nebraska than they 

 are in my native State, or — that the Doctor, while he may be 

 an excellent physician and a successful bee-keeper, must be 

 lacking in those qualities which go to make up a clever horti- 

 culturist. Better come to northern Nebraska, Doctor, where 

 Nature sows the seed, waters the plants, and matures the 

 crop, independent of man's aid. 



We are wintering our bees on their summer stands, with 

 abundant stores at their command. If they come through all 

 right, I will tell you how we fixed them ; if they don't, I may 

 keep still. Knox Co., Nebr. 



The Bee Journal — Amalgamatioii —Experiences 

 with Swindling Commission-Men. 



BV C. THEILMANN. 



With the permission of the editor of the American Bee 

 Journal, I would like to say a few words to bee-keepers, some 

 of which will be new, interesting and beneScial to them. 



This is the time of year to renew or subscribe for our 

 bee-periodicals, as we have ample time to read and inform 

 ourselves during the long winter evenings, especially those 

 who have to perform their work in the daytime. I would ad- 

 vise all bee-keepers to take the American Bee Journal, not 

 because it is the oldest bee-paper in America, but because its 

 editor is the right man in the right place for the fraternity ; 

 his ambition and character are just what we need. When I 

 say this, I am not flattering the editor, for these are real 

 facts, which prove themselves to every one who has read the 

 American Bee Journal for at least the past four or five months. 

 Mr. York has saved the bee-keepers, this season alone, thou- 

 sands of dollars on their honey crop, by exposing, /car(cs.s(jy, 

 the dishonest commission-men, in the American Bee Journal, 

 even at the risk of being prosecuted for libel, which was 

 threatened a number of times. No one in our whole fraternity 

 knows this any better than I do. No other bee-paper 

 came to the front to expose the swindlers before the Bee Jour- 

 nal did. Some held back for awhile, while others even advcr- 

 tlscil for the thieves and swindlers <iftcr the publishers were 

 notilied that they were swindlers. But the Bee Journal stood 

 for the rights and benefits of its readers, therefore subscribe 

 for It. 



UNITING THE TWO UNIONS. 



There Is another subject on which I would like to say 

 something, namely, the amalgamation question, of which con- 

 siderable Is said, and some of It I am sorry has made unpleas- 

 ant feelings. This, of course, is not very nice. I, at first, 

 was against uniting the two societies, because the old Union 

 bad a nice pile of money in its treasury to share with the New 

 Union, which had very little. But since the Now Constitution 

 was adopted at Lincoln, I can see no reason why we should 

 not unite, tor we have everything we had before, and more, 

 too ; and if we can see Improvements can wo not adopt them 

 later? Let's set aside all (julbbllng, and go on with the main 

 object In view, and we will have a strong Union. Many are 



waiting to join the New Union, and pay in their dollars to put 

 down and lieep in check the swindlers and adulterators who 

 rob us of the result of our hard labor. 



EXPERIENCES WITH SWINDLING COMMISSION-MEN. 



I have just returned from Chicago, on my third trip to 

 secure something for a carload of fancy honey I shipped their 

 last August to a commission-man. The honey was received in 

 fine condition, but the man refuses to pay for it, although tha 

 honey was all sold, according to his own statement, on Aug. 

 28. I have had a number of lawsuits about it, and finally 

 .secured a judgment the last time for $1,423.60, but I don't 

 know whether it can be collected. I have had lots of trouble 

 about it, and $165 expenses so far, besides being unjustly 

 arrested twice for alleged " stealing " of the " statement " that 

 was given me for my honey ! They also sued me for $10,000 

 libel, for which I had to give bonds, in all for $11,500 ; and 

 if I hadn't had a good, rich friend in Chicago I would have 

 had to go to jail. I was ashamed at first to think that I was- 

 caught in this way, and tried to k%ep it silent, like hundreds of 

 others who never tell of their losses in this way ; but it would 

 be far better if every one would make it public, as a warning- 

 to others, even at the risk of being laught at by jealous and 

 envious persons. 



The reader will be surprised when I say that I was told, 

 on good authority, that the producers and shippers alone have 

 lost $188,000 by the commission-men on South Water street, 

 Chicago, this year, although there are good and reliable mett 

 on that street. 



Some think I was not careful enough to whom I sent my 

 honey. That may be correct, but I had sent the same mao 

 big shipments of honey heretofore, and he always did as he 

 agreed. Why should I send to a new man, whom I didn't 

 know ? 



The following will show you how bold those swindlers 

 become : 



One of my neighors consigned 2,200 pounds of honey to a 

 friend of his in Chicago. This friend sold the honey to a com- 

 mission-man, cash on delivery. When the honey was at the 

 store he went there and demanded pay. He was told that he 

 (the buyer) had a month's time to pay in. At last he was told 

 to go to the office, which he did, and a quarrel was the result. 

 He decided to take the honey away, but when he got there to 

 do it, the honey was gone. He immediately telegrapht to 

 the shipper to come down, and when he arrived the commis- 

 sion-man told him that he had sent him a check the day before. 

 This was disputed, and ended in a quarrel. A revolver was 

 secured by the bee-keeper, and the money demanded again, 

 with no result. An attempt was made to shoot, and this was 

 the last the bee-keeper knew, until he found himself thrown 

 out on the street ; and this is what he got, too, for his honey. 



A man from Wisconsin sent 8,000 pounds of honey to a, 

 Chicago commission-man, and not hearing anything from it 

 for awhile, went to look it up, and found his honey was gone. 

 He couldn't collect a cent. This honey was all his support for 

 five little children and a sick wife at home. The tears ran 

 down his cheeks while he stood in the streets of Chicago. 



While my neighbor stood at the store of a commission- 

 man, another bee-keeper had a lot of honey there for sale. 

 They swindled him out of it while he was right in sight of it. 

 He didn't get a cent. 



Detective Eddy went with a shipper from Iowa, who 

 claimed .$239 from Terrill Bros. In their office Terrill drew 

 a long-handled knife, and threatened to stab Eddy, after hav- 

 ing closed the door. The creditor begged for his life, and to 

 let him out, when he would give him a receipt for what he 

 owed him. 



Eddy was offered $50 to get another man from Wisconsin 

 out of town, who had sent Terrill Bros, a lot of cheese. 



Many shippers have taken legal steps, and, as a rule, with 

 no satisfaction. The saying is, " With many dogs the rabbits 

 are dead ;" and " One man is no man." But if all the bee- 

 keepers would unite, they could accomplish what no man can- 

 do alone. VVabasha Co., Minn. 



Selling the Crop of Honey. 



BY C. A. BUNCH. 



I always aim to have my comb honey stored in first-class 

 V-grooved basswood sections, and take it to market in double- 

 tier 24-section cases. My market for comb honey is at the 

 towns and cities in driving distance from my home, and I sell 

 to grocerymen or restaurant keepers for the cash, but never 

 sell comb honey to commission-men. 



The price may be low, but to sell comb honey seems to be 

 an easy matter. If the sections have the propolis nicely scraped 



