(Entered at ttad Post-OfBce at Cblca^o ae BecoDd-Class Mall-Matter.) 

 Published Weekly at $1.00 a Year, by George W. Vork & Co., 334 Dearborn Street. 



GEOUGK W. YORK, Editor 



CHICAGO, ILL., JANUARY 31, 1907 



Vol. XLVII— No, 5 



iiormi ^ofcs 

 and Comments 



Getting Freight-Rates Lowered on 

 Honey 



Mr. Fred W. Muth, a member of the Na- 

 tional Freight-Rate Committee, sends us the 

 following for publication : 



At the annual convention of the National 

 Bee-Keepers' Association at San Antonio, 

 Tex., in November, 1006, there was a commit- 

 tee appointed to secure, if possible, lower 

 freight-rates on honey. Being one of that 

 committee, I wish to make an explanation in 

 behalf of the recognized high freight-rates, 

 and then point out to each and every bee- 

 keeper the steps that must be taken in order 

 that the committee may be successful. 



In the course of a year we receive many 

 car-loads, as well as innumerable shipments 

 of both comb and extracted boney. In one 

 year's time we are obliged to enter many, 

 many claims with the railroad companies, and 

 are subjected to experiences which enable me 

 to write intelligently upon this subject. 



I am informed by a railroad official that the 

 Classification Committees determine their 

 classifications on an average, based upon the 

 number of claims and the amount of money 

 .expended for damages incurred en route in the 

 course of one year. Therefore, it is plainly 

 seen that the shipjters are responsible for the 

 exorbitant freight-charges imposed upon 

 themselves, and lower rates need not be expect- 

 ed until the losses paid by the transportation 

 companies have reached the very minimum. 

 Consequently, we must help ourselves, by 

 learning how to ship our honey. Other in- 

 dustries have done it; why not we! Take, 

 for example, the packages used by the sugar 

 refineries — l/iey are perfect; as well as those 

 of the coffee importers, cereal manufacturers, 

 and countless others that I could mention. 

 They were compelled to work, and work hard 

 in order to bring their losses down to the 

 minimum, and discovered that it was abso- 

 lutely necessary to use perfect packages, and 

 nothiiif] else. They now have the advantage 

 of lower freight-rates than the honey-shipper. 



In order to accomplish our aim to secure 

 ower rates, we must, withoutone exception, 

 hip both comb and extracted honey in first- 

 lass packages. Bee-keepers, it you are pro- 

 ucing comb honey for the market, by all 



means use bottom as well as top starters in your 

 sections, so that the honey can not break 

 loose at the bottom. This is the first and a 

 very important step to be taken. 



Furthermore, be sure to use the nodrip 

 shipping-case. Wrap each case in paper, so 

 that it will be kept clean en route. Pack t5 or 

 8 cases in one carrier, well supplied with 

 straw in the bottom, and having bandies that 

 extend from 4 to 6 inches beyond its sides. 

 Lastly, do no forget the usual "Handle 

 With Care" placard. 



Now, if every bee-keeper and shipper of 

 honey will follow the above instructions to 

 the letter, it will tend to introduce a method 

 that is both simple and practical, and he will 

 not only realize a greater profit in his prod- 

 uct, but will also be assisting those who are 

 giving their time and lending their experience 

 to secure lower freight-rates. 



The producers and shippers of carloads of 

 comb honey appreciate the value and advan- 

 tage of bottom as well as top starters For 

 instance, last summer we received two car- 

 loads of comb honey from two diflerent ship- 

 pers. The one oar contained 1170, and the 

 other 13.50 cases, and in the entire lot there 

 was not one comb broken! These shippers 

 understand their business. On the other 

 hand, we received quite a number of small 

 shipments, with here and there a broken 

 comb, frequently some badly damaged lots, 

 caused by the failure to use bottom starters. 

 These experiences are trying and disgusting, 

 and were the shipper in question subjected to 

 a few of them, he would, without doubt, pay 

 more attention to the manner in which he 

 produced his honey, and his method of pack- 

 ing for shipment. These are the shipments 

 that are responsible for the high freight- 

 rates. Do not misunderstand me — there are 

 many producers and shippers of honey on a 

 small scale, who thoroughly understand this 

 part of the work, and we must give the credit 

 that is due them. 



A word regarding extracted honey: The 

 railroad companies pay more damage claims 

 on account of poor packages used for ex- 

 tracted honey than for comb honey, and it 

 behooves us to snip our extracted honey in 

 new cans, if this style of package is to be used ; 

 or, if it be barrels, let them be good ones, 

 well coopered, an^l first-class in everjf respect. 



The greatest trouble rests with the bee- 

 keeper; heelings entirely too much to sec- 

 ond-hiind packages, just because he can buy 

 them a little cheaper; whereas, if he were to 

 ship his product in good packagess, the 

 freight-rates would be comparatively less, 

 and, in the end, his cost for shipping would 

 be a great deal less than at the present time, 

 and there would be no trouble with the rail- 

 road companies, nor any unsatisfactory trans- 

 actions. 



Therefore, we must ask the bee-keepers to 

 help— each and every one— if they want us to 

 obtain lower freight-rates. 



Respectfully submitted, 



Fred W. Muth, 

 Member Freight-Rate Committee. 



We are very glad to place the foregoing be- 

 fore our readers. It is exactly in line with 

 the suggestion we made at the San Antonio 

 National convention (see page 'M of the Na- 

 tional Report pamphlet), that "the dealers 

 should write something about the proper 

 shipping packages,'' if they desire the bee- 

 papers to help induce bee-keepers to improve 

 their methods of production and preparation 

 for shippiog. For years we have urged put- 

 ting 6 or S cases of honey in large crates or 

 carriers, with straw or hay underneath to 

 break the force of a jar or jolt in handling 

 and shipping, and with properly printed cau- 

 tions on the outside, so that freight handlers 

 would not handle honey as they would a box 

 of baseballs. 



Also, Dr. Miller has for years described his 

 method of using bottom starters (as well as 

 top ones) in sections of comb honey. But so 

 many bee-keepers seem slow to profit by the 

 good advice given in the bee-papers. Or, it 

 may be that many bee-keepers who are help- 

 ing to cause the continuance of high freight- 

 rates on honey do not read bee-papers. Of 

 course, such are -'saving at the spigot and 

 losing at the bunghole." 



But we are very certain that all the bee- 

 papers will be glad to help in every way pos- 

 sible to save money for their readers. Per- 

 haps one of the first things needed is for 

 every present reading bee-keeper to see to it 

 that all his neighbor bee-keepers read the bee- 

 papers also. This would help all around. 



Bees and Qrapes 



The following has been called forth by Mr. 

 Kennedy's article, page 980 (1906) : 



.John Kennedy seems to think that more 

 should give their experience as to bees work- 



