1891 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



865 



chiuery, and the renewal of said machinery 

 when worn out. Just recently one of our boil- 

 ers — the oldest one — gave out. and we had to 

 stop and retlue it; and now — it leaks again! 

 We shall have to remove the defective flues, 

 and put others in their place. A few weeks ago 

 our boiler feed-water heater gave out. and 

 another had to be ordered to take its place. 

 This is only a very few of the many losses every 

 manufacturer has to encounter. All of these 

 expenses, if not figured in the cost of produc- 

 tion, have to come out of the profits. A certain 

 supply-dealer started up a few years ago to put 

 in a manufacturing plant of his own. Before 

 that, he had been buying all of his hives and 

 fixtures, and selling on commission, and was 

 doing a fairly sood business. But now he bit- 

 terly repents the project of going into manu- 

 facturing. Instead of increasing his profits as 

 he thought, he made his goods at a loss, and so 

 has many another one who thought he could 

 make his material cheaper than to buy it. The 

 trouble is, with many who go into the business, 

 they figure only two things — co?t of labor and 

 cost of material. They forget to add in quite a 

 large item of wear and tear of machinery, cost 

 of renewal, breakdowns, an occasional fire, cost 

 of insurance, interest on the money, mistakes, 

 lack of experience, storage, maintenance of 

 buildings, and a thousand and one other things 

 that eat into the profits. We do not say that 

 there are not some few small supply-dealers 

 who make money at it: but we wish the pros- 

 pective ones to count the cost and to count it 

 right before they curse the day they went into 

 the business. The fact should" not be lost sight 

 of, that a large plant can manufacture goods 

 for less money, and that the incidental ex- 

 penses are also less in proportiou. 



this to Mr. Ripley, and requ(>st bee-keepers, and 

 all others who have suffered in consequence of 

 the ruling as it now stands, to send him a gen- 

 tlemanly and courteous request that he let 

 comb honey in glass-front shipping-cases go- 

 unci'ated. The very purpose of the glass fronts 

 is to show that the package is of a fragile char- 

 acter. 



CONVENTION NOTICES. 



The Michigan State Beekeepers' Association will meet in 

 Grand Ra"ids, Mich., on Thui-sday, Dec 31st. 1891, and Friday, 

 Jan. 1st, 1892. G. E. Hll.TOX, Sec, Fieniont, Mich. 



The Northwestern Bee-keepers' Society will hold its annual 

 convention at the Commercial Hotel, corner of Luke and I)ear- 

 born Sts., Chicago, on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 19 and 20, at 

 9 A.M. Arrangements have been made with the hotel lor back 

 room, one bed, two persons, 81"'' per day each; front room, 

 $2.0() per day for each person. This date occui's during the ex- 

 position, when excursion lates on the railroads will be one fare 

 for the round trip. W. Z. Hutchinson, Sec. Flint, Mich. 



The tirst regular meeting of the Connecticut Bee-keepers' As- 

 sociation will be held at the Capitol. Hartford, Nov. Uth, com- 

 mencing at 1(1-. 30 a.m.: .afternoon session at 2:30. Papers will 

 be read, followed by discussions, and it is hoped that all inter- 

 ested in bee culture will make an effort to be present. The 

 Connecticut association is the ninth to affiliate with the North 

 American Bee-keepers' Association. 



Mrs. W. E Riley, Sec, Waterbury, Ct. 



A BAD RULING IN KEGAKD TO SHIPMENTS OF 

 COMB HONEY. 



The following illustrates just what we ex- 

 pected would take place, as we explained on 

 pa'ge 701 of current volume. We felt very sure 

 that the ruling that requires that all comb 

 honey shall have the glass fronts covered with 

 crating would work mischief, and so it is. The 

 following is a letter from a prominent honey 

 dealer: 



Mr. A. T. Root:— We are receiving quite a few 

 shipmeiit.s of honey wliere tlie bee men are com- 

 pelled to board the glass fronts, and honey has 

 reached here in very poor shape, as freiglit-haii- 

 dlers are not aware of contents, and handle roughly. 

 We are very lieavy receivers of produce on this 

 market, and have considerable inliueiice with the 

 railroad companies, and feel confident that we can 

 secure tlie removal of the law compelling agents to 

 "refuse honey in crates unless glass is protected;" 

 but before attempting to take a voice in the above, 

 we prefer corresponding with you. We ai'e at all 

 times ready to champion any cause to further the 

 interests of the bee-men; so, command us when we 

 can be of ser^^ce. We have one complaint lo make; 

 and that is, that bee-men are trying to impose upon 

 us by sending honey -dew, which we do not want to 

 sell to the trade. S. T. Fish & Co. 



Chicago, Oct. 24, 1891. 



We wish that all interested bee-keepers and 

 all commission merchants would send their 

 protest to J. T. Ripley. Rookery, Room 733. Chi- 

 cago. Mr. Ripley, as the pages of our journal 

 have shown, has shown a disposition to grant 

 concessions to bee-keepers when the rulings are 

 manifestly wrong, and for this he has our 

 hearty thanks. But with regard to crating 

 packages of glassed comb honey, he does not 

 see fit to modify the ruling. We "feel sure, from 

 what we know of him. that, when the facts are 

 properly brought before him. and enough bee- 

 keepers" render their protest, he will grant us 

 what we ask. We will send a marked copy of 



As previously stated, the meeting of the North American 

 Bee keepers' Association will take place at Albany. N. Y., Dec. 

 8 to 11. Our ))resident has been working hard, and has secured 

 reduced railroad rates from Chicago and the Missis^ipid Riv- 

 er, and from the South. The meeting promises to lie the best 

 in the history of the association, and we hope the West will 

 send a good delegation. Besides personal members' attend- 

 ance, we e.xpect every local and State association to send one 

 or more delegates. This will be a good occasion for Western 

 bee-men to become acquainted with the noted bee-keepers of 

 the East, nearly all of whom will attend this meeting. Bee- 

 keijif IS desiring to attend will please send their names either 

 to the president. Mr. P. H. Elwood. Starkville. N. Y.. or to the 

 undersigned, as we intend to publish a lull list of those who 

 are expected to be present. C. P. Dadant, Sec, Hamilton, 111. 



Special Notices. 



FIGWORT, OR SI.MPSON HONEY-PLANT, SEED 

 WANTED. 



If any of our readers have anj^ of the above to 

 sell, please write, sending small samijle. State how 

 much you have, and what you want for it. 



EARLY-ORDER DISCOUNT. 



We desire tt) remind all you forehanded people 

 wlio take advantage of early-order discounts, tliat 

 the time is rapiilly growing sliorter when we allow 

 tlie largest disrount. Only a little over a month re- 

 mains in which to secure tlie o per cent we allow on 

 orders sent for goods for next season's use. On 

 Dec. 1st the discount drops to -1 per cent, as j-ou will 

 see by referring to page 4 of our price li.st, where 

 you will als;) lintl the limit of the goods tt) which 

 the discount applies. I believe the number is in- 

 creasing each J ear, of those who take advantage of 

 this discount; and those who try the plan once, 

 usually continue to do so, for thej' learn the great 

 advantage of having their goods on hand to make 

 up during the wi.iter months, when time is plenti- 

 ful; ;ind when liusy spring returns, and the bees 

 begin to require "tixin's," they are at hand for im- 

 mediate use, readj' to secure the best p( >ssi ble results 

 from the bees. The forehanded bee-keepers pursue 

 this policy; but the slipshod ones wait till the last 

 minute, when they liaven't time to send for the 

 best-made goods without incurring a loss in honey or 

 swarms, and %"ery often have to put up with a make- 

 shift in the way of hives and tixtures. We have 

 heard of cases of this kind so often that we otter 

 the advice for .vour good, as well as to secure a 

 larger proportion of orders during the dull season, 

 when we have time to give them most caieful at- 

 tention. Mail}- things point to a good season next 

 year. Anticipate your needs, and order early. 



POULTRY. 



Choice Fowls and Eggs for sale at 

 all times. Finelv illustrated circu- 

 lar free. GEER BROS., St. Marys, Mo. 21tfdb 



