Mar. 21, 1907 



Amgrican ^ac Journal j^;^ ^> <n,^#> i 



Stone then hastily telephoned Mr. Beck- 

 er. 'J'he meeting of the State Board 

 was within two days. Mr. Cater agreed 

 to have them raise the premium list 

 $lo on beeswax designs, and add a 

 premium on Samples of Extracted 

 Honey, and one on Case of Amber 

 Comb Honey. The State Board always 

 treats us kindly. 



Mr. Becker — I think we had better 

 let it alone for this year. It has been 

 a bad year. 



Mr. Black — The State Board wants 

 a show, and they want the worth ol 

 their money. They think they are get- 

 ting no more interesting show anywhere 

 on the grounds for their money. 



Mr. Dadant stated that he had been 

 selected as judge of the apiary exhibit 

 at the State Fair, and that one thing 

 he would like to see would be the plac- 

 ing of that exhibit in a hall where there 

 is a platform so placed that when the 

 extracting of honey takes place it might 

 be witnessed by a large number of spec- 

 tators. As it has been, four or five 

 people can get close enough to see, and 

 they exclude from the same privilege 

 everybody behind them. He strongly 

 recommended the great convenience of 

 having the extracting done where there 

 is a platform, and where people could 

 see the work done. In which case there 

 could be competition in the work of 

 extraction. 



Pres Smith — I think that is a good 

 suggestion. 



Mr. Stone — I do not believe that any- 

 thing has been done, or any other ex- 

 hibit made, at the State Fair that has 

 proved more attractive or interesting 

 than this. Extracting honey on the 

 ground is educational. 



Mr. Dadant — I wish to say a few 

 words more in regard to the education 

 of people and the cultivation of a taste 

 for extracted honey. 



Mr. Dadant then told of the great 

 difficulty that had been experienced in 

 selling extracted honey in 1868-9, and 

 how they finally succeeded in gettmg 

 people interested in it by making an ex- 

 hibition of it in Keokuk. They got busi- 

 ness men interested and aroused such 

 an interest that 300 or 400 buggies were 

 to be seen at the place, bringing people 

 from all around the country. And so 

 the value of extracted honey was 

 brought to their notice. And if people 

 can just be induced to use it, they will 

 prefer it to comb honey. 



Mr. Black — I recollect being at Keo- 

 kuk. 



Mr. Becker — While we are on this 

 subject I will say that I think the ex- 

 hibit at the State Fair has done more 

 to educate people than anything else. 

 People do not know how we get the 

 honey out of the comb. I believe if 

 we had honey enough so that we could 

 extract honey for a whole half day, it 

 would be one of the best exhibits we 

 could make, and would be found in- 

 teresting to more people than you would 

 at first think. 



Mr. Becker went on to say that he 

 sold honey in Springfield at a good 

 many stores, and he never had to ask 

 them how much they want. They ask, 

 "How much can )-ou let us have?" 

 People who have used it before want 



it. He spoke also of candied honey ; 

 that it will sometimes spoil the sale of 

 extracted honey. 



Pres. Smith .-..lid that matter was dis- 

 cussed at San Antonio. 



The advisabilily of using a label was 

 mentioned and .ipproved. The general 

 opinion seemed to be that if the pro- 

 ducer would place on the market a good 

 article, plainly marked with his guaran- 

 tee as to its purity, it would find a 

 ready sale, and the demand for it would 

 grow. 



Mr. Hinderer spoke in favor of the 

 label recommended by the National. 



Rei.ativk Vai.uks of Extracted and 

 Comb Honky. 



The relative values of comb and ex- 

 tracted honey were advocated by various 

 members. Mr. Black insisted that the 

 human system needed something be- 

 sides what is easily digested; and the 

 comb was in no way objectionable. He 

 also quoted eminent physicians as ad- 

 vising the use of milk and honey as 

 better than medicines. 



Mr. Pyle thought, while extracted 

 honey should be used, and had advant- 

 ages over the other, that the taste of 

 comb honey was far superior. 



Mr. Kildow thought the same — that 

 take a section of honey and extract it 

 and it was not the same thing, not 

 nearly as good. He never could keep 

 the same flavor outside the comb that 

 it has in the comb. 



Mr. Johnson said he thought all the 

 five senses helped each other, and sym- 

 pathized with each other. Take butter, 

 for example: If it is not a good color 

 it does not taste as well. The eye has 

 the power to control the taste. 



Mr. Black spoke of the keeping 

 qualities of comb honeJ^ He had found 

 that some that had been standing for 

 4 years was as solid and perfect as when 

 taken from the hive. 



Mr. Becker mentioned one of his cus- 

 tomers who used 60 to 75 pounds a 

 year, who wanted both kinds. 



Mr. Johnson said he sold some comb 

 honey because some wanted it. If they 

 would all take it he would rather sell 

 all extracted honey, but we must pro- 

 duce what people want. 



Pres. Smith — That is true, and bee- 

 keepers must learn that fact to be suc- 

 cessful. If consumers want a certain 

 kind, produce that variety. 



Mr. Stone thought customers will 

 want just what we educate them to, and 

 he was tired producing comb honey. 

 He thought it impracticable to use the 

 combs again for comb honey. His cus- 

 tomers just ask for honey, but few 

 ask for comb honey. Some object to 

 the extracted honey, saying it mig:ht 

 not be pure honey, could be more easily 

 adulterated ; but after explaining to them 

 how the honey is extracted they like 

 it and do not care for the other again. 



Mr. Kildow thought it made a differ- 

 ence where you live, near to or distant 

 from a large market. 



From the discussion of extracted 

 honey the talk drifted to the subject 

 of markets, and Mr. Dadant said 

 the sale to private individuals was 

 helping us today. They had been 

 unable to sell through wholesale 



grocers, (iroccrs could handle the 

 product that was labeled. 



Mr. lil.ick asked the proportion of 

 comb to honey and Mr. Dadant ans- 

 wered that he could not say positively. 

 F'rom 25 to 40 per cent. The size of 

 the cells has something to do with it. 

 Drone-cells are larger in proportion. 

 Mr. Dadant wished to say that this mat- 

 ter of eating comb depends largely up- 

 on taste. 



'i he matter of advertising, whether 

 the daily papers, the large Sunday edi- 

 tions or the bee-papers were the best 

 medium. It was said that the bee- 

 papers reached only men who were in 

 the business and not customers for 

 honey ; but some of the members said 

 they had found them to be good ad- 

 vertising mediums. Others had had 

 success from advertising in the large 

 daily newspapers. 



At this stage in the discussion Mr. 

 Holekamp was admitted to the hall and 

 a short recess was taken to enable the 

 members to meet and greet him. Then 

 Pres. Smith, who had been speaking 

 when Mr. Flolekamp came in resumed 

 his narration of how he secured the 

 local trade, by sending honey to the 

 grocer who would not buy it, but with 

 whom he left it nevertheless, to be dis- 

 posed of as he might find customers. 

 Within 30 days he telephoned Mr. Smith 

 to bring him more, and Mr. Smith has 

 had no trouble since. 



Mr. Holekamp said he thought the 

 better market for extracted honey 

 would have to be made. The demand 

 for it must be created. One great 

 trouble with extracted honey is that 

 it granulates, and then when left in 

 the dealer's hands is not marketable. 



Mr. Black said you could not sell 

 granulated honey. 



Mr. Dadant said in regard to granu- 

 lated honey, that there was a class of 

 buyers who wanted honey in glass jars 

 so it could be readily examined. He 

 suggested putting the product up in at- 

 tractive style with the producer's label 

 and guarantee that it is pure honey, 

 and this helps the grocer to sell it. 



Mr. Baxter — I endorse every word 

 Mr. Dadant says. Up our way people 

 know what granulated honey is. Most 

 of our customers like it. I have no 

 trouble with it. 



The fact that honey from different 

 kinds of blossoms will prove different 

 in this respect, was brought out. Honey 

 from alfalfa is found to granulate 

 rapidly, while that from sage does not, 

 and that from goldenrod is slow to 

 granulate. And it was said that honey 

 from sweet clover had not granulated, 

 and the next year there was basswood 

 mixed with it. Another gentleman 

 thought basswood honey was likely to 

 granulate. Spanish-needle was also 

 mentioned, and it was said the late 

 gathered honey granulates less rapidly 

 than the early. 



Bees and Fruit. 



Mr. Black brought up the question 

 as to whether bees will eat fruit. Ex- 

 periences were related and views ex- 

 changed, and the general opinion was 

 that uniss the skin has already been 

 broken, bees will not seek for honey 

 on grapes, peaches, etc., but are often 



