134 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Mar. A, 



cartons perhaps can be had, nicely printed, at J-2 cent each. 

 The tin packages should also bear upon them a label, showing 

 only the producer's name, kind of honey, and brief directions 

 for liquifying in case of granulation. 



The greatest objection retail dealers have to honey is its 

 general stickiness, and tendency to ooze out in one way or 

 another. Hence the extracted honey should be in screw-cap 

 cans, and the comb honey in a pasteboard box, or carton. 

 Both are then safe and convenient to handle. But both must 

 be of the best guaiity possible. And it will not do to put half- 

 filled sections, or broken comb. Into the cartons. Every thing 

 must be strictly fine, if it is desired to secure and hold a de- 

 mand. People generally are willing to pay for what they get, 

 but they also want to get just what they pay for. 



Again, it is possible that one bee-keeper might be selected 

 to accompany large shipments of honey to different cities and 

 there dispose of it ; or he could act as an advance agent — go 

 on ahead with exact samples, and arrange all details of the 

 sales before the honey arrives. At least, that would be more 

 satisfactory than to send the honey unaccompanied by any 

 one of the Interested shippers. All know that it is always 

 more satisfactory to deal personally than by correspondence. 



But, after all, it may be that the only perfect plan of 

 marketing honey will be found in an in imitation of the city 

 milk-dealers' systam. It might be varied somewhat by having 

 a central place in each city where the honey could be stored, 

 and from which storehouse delivery wagons could get their 

 daily or weekly supply. A city could be divided into districts, 

 and each assigned to a salesman who would visit every home 

 or office, and endeavor to induce purchases. Of course, it 

 would be necessary to adopt a distinctive brand, or copyrighted 

 label, so that consumers could be educated to accept only 

 honey-packages bearing an approved label or brand. 



Certainly, all this means a long and constant campaign of 

 honey education, but in the end I believe it would pay well. I 

 wish it could first be tried in a smaller city than Chicago. 

 Why not in your own beautiful and thrifty city of Madison ? 

 If the system should prove a success here, it could be trans- 

 planted to other cities, where it doubtless would flourish. It 

 needs patient effort on the part of interested salesmen, who 

 understand thoroughly the various uses of honey, and who 

 could simply compel all grades of humanity to at least give 

 the honey one trial. Having placed that one sweetened en- 

 tering-wedge, I believe thereafter no further difficulty would 

 be experienced in making repeated sales. Pure honey always 

 " tastes like more." 



Perhaps this plan is worthy your consideration, and per- 

 haps not. I leave it with you. 



In conclusion, I would say that if anything I have said 

 shall lead to a discussion that will result in something definite 

 and helpful to you all, I shall feel well repaid for having come 

 to your meeting. While to meet and greet the splendid bee- 

 keepers of Wisconsin is indeed a delightful pleasure to me, yet 

 to be able to help you to a more profitable and successful busi- 

 ness, and to aid in the least in placing so delicious and health- 

 ful sweet as honey upon every table in the land, I would 

 count a far greater honor. George W. York. 



Chicago, 111., Jan. 25, 1897. 



The above caused an interesting discussion on size and 

 kind of packages, retailing honey, etc. 



A recess was then taken, when Mr. R. H. Schmidt exhib- 

 ited his "New Champion" bee-hive, and Mr. Van Allen 

 showed one of the Van Allen & Williams 4-frame reversible 

 extractors. 



The following 14 members then paid their dues — 50 cents 

 each : J. Hoffman, F. Wilcox, N. E. France, H. A. Winters, 

 C. Spangenberg, II. H. Brown, J. J. Ochsner, H. Lathrop, R. 

 H. Schmidt, Chas. Hildreth, A. G. Wilson, Van Allen <fc 

 Williams, John Hanko and W. J. Robinson. 



QuES. — " Will it pay us to join together to buy and sell 

 our supplies and produce?" Pres. Wilcox spoke of the good 

 such a union was to bee-keepers in California and Arizona, in 

 saving freight, but as we were so near great markets, and 

 live so scattered, it would be doubtful if such would give 

 satisfaction in Wisconsin. 



Amalgamation was discust at much length, which resulted 

 in all except one voting in favor of it. 



Various conveniences in the apiary were mentioned. A 

 hive-cleaner was described by Mr. Huffman. Position of hives 

 in the yard, kind of stands for hives, temperature for cellars 

 while wintering (40 ■ to 45^), were all talkt of. 



QuES. — " Which is the more profitable, comb or extracted 

 honey production V" A vote was taken, and the majority 

 were for extracted honey. 



A motion was unanimously carried that the Wisconsin 



Society does not indorse the importation of Apis dorsata by the 

 Government. 



The second day's session was called to order by the Sec- 

 retary, and Mr. York chosen to act as temporary chairman. 

 As the Secretary had to appear before the legislative commit- 

 tee to support the claims for the Bills introduced, Mr. Lathrop 

 was appointed Secretary, pro tern. 



QuES. — "Are we satisfied with the grading of honey 

 known as North American grading ?" A long discussion fol- 

 lowed, all agreeing that the grading should be simplified — 

 more like white, light or medium, and dark. 



QuES. — "Canunfinisht sections be used and produce a 

 good grade of honey ?" Pres. Wilcox said he did so. 



Mr. York reported that 2-pound sections are now out of 

 the Chicago market, and that dealers buy comb honey by the 

 pound, and retail it by the section. Sectious 7-to-the-foot are 

 well liked. 



QuES. — " What shall be done with unfinisht sections?" 

 Sell all possible, and extract the rest, or let the bees take it 

 out, and save them for next season. 



On liquifying extracted honey in barrels, Mr. York said 

 he placed a barrel of honey on its side, on a steam radiator, 

 made of steam-pipes, and as it melted the honey ran into a 

 large can below. He takes a whole barrel head out, and 

 when sufficiently liquified to do so, he dumps the whole barrel 

 of honey into the can, then puts the can on the radiator where 

 the honey is soon thoroughly liquified. 



The election of officers resulted as follows: President, F. 

 Wilcox; Vice-President, Jacob Huffman ; Secretary, N. E. 

 France ; Treasurer, Harry Lathrop. 



The Secretary reported that he had been before the legis- 

 lative committee, pleading for the two Bills — foul brood and 

 sweet clover ; that the committee would not make a final re- 

 port for a few days, but he was told by one of the committee 

 that they would likely recommend sweet clover stricken from 

 the noxious weed list. The Secretary hoped to be able to re- 

 port soon favorably on the foul brood Bill. 



As many had to go home soon after dinner, the conven- 

 tion adjourned sine die. N. E. France, Sec. 



CONDnCTED BY 



DR. O. O. MILLER, JUAREKGO, ILL. 



[Questions may be mailed to the Bee Journal, or to Dr. Miller direct.! 



management for Comb Honey. 



1. I have a large double-section super. I will cage the 

 queen, place her in the middle tier, with a good swarm. Will 

 it be any good ? 



2. I have a double hive, and will put a division-board, 

 bee-tight, and a queen perforated zinc over the brood-frames, 

 and put two swarms into the same, with a 72-section super 

 over them. Will that do ? G. C. D., Iowa. 



Answers. — 1. You may get some good work done in that 

 way, but very likely the same swarm might do better without 

 having the queen caged. Even those who favor caging a 

 queen of a colony would hardly cage the queen of a swarm. 



2. That's a little on the plan of the Wells double-hive 

 method in England, only in that case there is not a close 

 division-board between the two colonies, bi t a board with 

 holes burned through too small for the bees to pass. Some 

 claim success with the Wells plan, while others say they'd 

 get more honey by keeping the two colonies separate. Your 

 plan might be worth trying. I should say at a guess, that 

 with strong colonies you wouldn't gain anything, but weak 

 colonies would do better if kept in separate hives. 



Wintering Bees in a Cellar ITnder a Kiteiien. 



I have at present 44 colonies of bees on the summer 

 stands, In slnglo-wallod hives, with super on top and filled 

 with chaCf. So far all are alive and seem to be wintering well. 



