122 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 



achieved. I think I can see some reasons against 

 taking away the queen, and there may be reasons I 

 do not see, as well as some reasons favoring the plan. 

 From the minute a young worker gnaws its way 

 out of the cell, it becomes an active factor in the 

 workings of the hives. It helps to keep up the heat 

 of the hive, and before many hours commences its 

 duties as nurse and chambermaid. This sets free 

 older bees that would otherwise be kept busy at 

 housekeeping, and allows them to engage in field 

 labor, and thus every young bee hatched out is 

 practically an addition to the field force, although 

 itself may never gather a drop of nectar. 



But this holds good only for such bees as hatch 

 during the honey-tlow; for what profit is therein 

 adding to the population at a time when ail are con- 

 sumers instead of producers? So, instead of taking 

 away the queen 37 days before the honey-flow 

 ceases, we make the time 21 days. Whether we 

 gain or lose by having the queen absent during the 

 last 21 days of the honey-flow is a question worthy 

 of discussion and experiment. Is the mere pres- 

 ence of the queen a stimulus to labor under all 

 circumstances, or under some and not others? 

 Ditto brood? Some of my observations point in one 

 direction and some in the other. With my present 

 light I think I would not remove a queen unless to 

 prevent or control the swarming fever, and I do 

 not know that removal for such a cause is a profit- 

 able operation. C. C. Mili.er. 



Marengo, McHenry Co., III. 



Friend M., you hit the point exactly that 

 I would make, toward the close of your ar- 

 ticle. A queenless colony will, a great many 

 times, go ahead very well. Especially is this 

 the case with Italians, while they have 

 plenty of unsealed larvse. But my experi- 

 ence is, that, as soon as the larvte are all 

 sealed over, the amount of stores begins to 

 decrease very fast, while colonies through- 

 out the apiary, with a queen and every thing 

 else all right, will keep on storing honey 

 rapidly. This is an important matter, and we 

 should be very glad to have facts from ex- 

 perience from those who produce honey 

 largely ; and especially should we be glad to 

 have friend P^llwood tell us if he still prac- 

 tices removing the queen toward the close 

 of the season, as you have put it. 



PRICES OF HONEY. 



EXTRACTED A STAPLE, AND HOW TO MAKE IT SO. 



T NOTICE, on page 844, that Mr. Heddon, in con- 

 1^ eluding his article on "The Present Prices of 

 ^t Honey," says: " Honey is not and never will be 

 "*• any thing like a staple commodity; and the 

 moment the price is run up, consumers at 

 large give it the go-by." Of comb honey this is 

 very true. It will always remain a fancy article, to 

 say the least; but of extrncted honej' I think dif- 

 ferently. Eight cents is a fair price for extracted 

 honey; and where can you get a good article of 

 gyrup for less? As there is to be an attempt to get 

 a "corner "on sugar, prices of sugar, molasses, 

 etc., will very likely rise from 10 to 50 per cent more 

 than present prices; so if the coming season should 

 prove to be a good one for honey, I expect to gee 



honey sold cheaper than any other sweet, except- 

 ing, perhaps, glucose. Being as cheap, if not 

 cheaper, than sugar, molasses, syrups, etc., a large 

 number of people who have heretofore used the 

 latter will buy honey for that very reason, and in 

 that way our product will gain favor with the 

 masses; and very few, after using a good article of 

 extracted honey, will want any other sweet where 

 It can be obtained. 



If we want our product to become a staple article 

 we must produce a good article and place it on the 

 market in convenient shape for both retailer and 

 consumer to handle. Barrels art not to be recom- 

 mended. Some smaller package must be used. 

 The 60-lb. tin cans are excellent. Consumers can 

 either furnish their own pail or other vessel, or the 

 retailer can deal it out in water-proof paper pails, 

 such as oysters, molasses, etc., are retailed in. If 

 you prefer to put it in small packages for home 

 trade, or to sell to the retailer, small tin pails, 

 holding from 1 to 10 lbs., are most desirable; or. If 

 something very nice is wanted, use a glass pail or 

 bottle. Always label your goods, and say on the 

 label just what it is. Don't label a package of 

 buckwheat honey " White-clover honey." You may 

 get a little more for that particular package; but 

 any person who knows any thing about honey will 

 keep his "weather-eye" on that label. But when 

 folks get just what is represented they call for 

 that brand every time. 



When you have more honey than you can sell in 

 your home market, and desire to sell to retailers, 

 avoid shipping to commission men. Go yourself. 

 Take a sample of the different kinds, and get your 

 price for it. Never let them beat you down. Sell 

 direct to consumer and retailer, and you get the 

 profit the commission men would otherwise receive. 



The honey must be well ripened be fore it is placed 

 onthe market. After extracting, it is an excellent 

 plan to place it in earthen crocks holding about 

 50 pounds. Tie a rag ov^x the top to keep out flies, 

 dust, etc., and keep in a warm dry place for a few 

 weeks at least. Do not extract from combs that are 

 but partially sealed; wait till they are all sealed 

 over. Again, do not extract from combs containing 

 unsealed larvae, because it is impossible to throw out 

 thick honey without throwing out more or less larvae 

 or larval food, which can be quickly detected. If 

 we want honey to become a staple we must produce 

 a gilt-edged article. 



Yes, sir, Bro. Heddon, honey will become a staple; 

 and if It doesn't— why, I'll stand treat. 



C. S. Lewis. 



Santa Monica, Los Angeles Co , Cal., Jan. 28, 1888. 



Friend L., the corner in sugar and molas- 

 ses may possibly run it up 10 per cent ; but 

 I don't believe it can 50 per cent. The re- 

 sult of these corners, especially on the great 

 staples, is only transient. The bubble 

 must burst sooner or later. It is like dam- 

 ming up a brook because it bothers you 

 when you are digging ditches. A dam is a 

 very nice thing until it gets full of water ; 

 but unless some other channel is opened it 

 will eventually overflow and burst, and then 

 you will have a worst state of affairs than 

 ever, until the water settles down to its 

 normal state again. I do agree with you, 

 that extracted honey, and possibly comb 

 honey too, is getting to be at least a certain 

 sort of staple. 



