844 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Dec. 1. 



then put the culls (that's the word) in another 

 case by themselves, and sell them at a " cull " 

 price ? More than that, as the sections are all 

 alike why not sell them by count to the gro- 

 cer ? Hi is sure to sell them that way to his 

 customers. In that way there are no awkward 

 fractions to puzzle over. He buys for twelve. 

 He sells for fitleen. Take your choice — the 

 last ssction in the case wilf sell as well as the 

 first. But, 3'ou may say, honey differs so much 

 in weight, color, sealing, travel-stain, propolis- 

 stain; and (referring to the printed grading- 

 rules) bulged an I crooked combs (which we 

 don't have to contend with, for our cleated 

 separators make the bees build their combs as 

 straight as a darning-needle stuck in a board) 

 that it would be an impossible job to accom- 

 plish. 



The engraving shows how easy it is in actu- 

 al practice. I put the six sections, shown at 



of judgment for each particular salesman to 

 consider all the conditions of his market, and 

 get as good a price for his goods as possible, 

 and yet allow his friend the grocer to compete 

 with anybody's e'se honey of equal quality. 



Referring again to the grocer's siile of the 

 bargain, we know there are many varieties of 

 'em. Some grocers have a " toney " trade 

 that demands only the best of every thing, 

 and are willing to ]3ay for it. We can just fit 

 his case. That " fancy " brand was selected 

 with an eye to capture his trade. The other 

 dealer is situated differently — wants only cheap 

 goods. "No. 2" is what fills his long-felt 

 want. Now, notice ! Haven't we got just 

 what every buyer delights to find — a variety 

 to select from ? Doesn't that very consider- 

 ation build up the enormous trade of the great 

 city department stores, " because you can pur- 

 chase there any thing, from a house and lot to 



a postmaster - general " — if j'ou 



^ , have the legal tender? But, my 



"^l grip is packed, and the train is 



~ nearly due, and I am off after that 



friend of ours the retail grocer. 

 ! Groton, N. Y. 



m^ . 



the right on the shelf, in front of me. Pick- 

 ing up a section from the storage-case, a 

 glance will generally shovv which grade it is. 

 If any doubts exist, hold it near to the sam- 

 ples and give the lower grade the benefit of 

 the doubt — that is, after packing, the goods 

 should be better than the samples 



The two sections shown at the right of the 

 engraving we name "Fancy" (fancy white, 

 fancy mixed, fancy buckwheat, as the case 

 may be). The next two we name "No. 1." 

 The two next to " No. 1," toward the left 

 hand, is " No. 2 ; " the remaining two are con- 

 signed to the extractor. The "No. 2" isn't 

 fairly shown up by the picture. The lower 

 one is very full weight, but poorly sealed. 

 The upper one is sealed well, but is capped off 

 short— making it light weight. 



This plan of grading and selling has proved 

 very satisfactory with us for the last three 

 years, and we have upward of one hundred 

 and fifty customers who express themselves 

 highly pleased with the system. 



One more knotty problem to solve before 

 we can take the road with that neat-looking 

 sample case, which is a half-section of a regu- 

 lar shipping-case ; and that is — the price tist. 

 Three grades each, for three kinds of honey; 

 nine styles to price according to actual value, 

 in.stead of weight. The "fancy" mu.st bring 

 a relatively higher price (and are worth it) in 

 order to bring up the average; for Nos. 1 and 

 2 must be cheap to sell at all. It is a matter 



[It does indeed seem like poor 

 policy to ship honey to a connnis- 

 sion house, then in mauy cases 

 have that same honey come back 

 again almost to our very door. 

 As frieud Niver well remarks, why 

 ,->* not save these two freights, and 



pocket the money yourself ? Re- 

 ferring to the eugraviug and to 

 Mr. Niver's method of grading, 

 the reader will now see wliere I 

 got the idea of having photos of certain grades 

 of lioney to take the place of gradiug-rules, 

 which so far have been unable to fill the bill, 

 for the simple reason that language is totally 

 inadequate lo describe just exactly what fancy, 

 No. I, etc., should be. Unfortunately, the en- 

 graving herewith shown is not a good one, al- 

 though it will illustrate somewhat the idea. — 

 Ed.] 



SOLID SEALED STOKES FOR WINTERING. 



Treating Foul Brood ; The new Section and Cleated 

 Separator. 



BY F. A. GEMMILIv. 



It is not often that I write for Gi,E.\ninGS, 

 nor, in fact, for any other journal. There are 

 several rea.sons for this; the principal one, 

 however, beiiig my inability to furnish nmch 

 of practical value that has not been contrib- 

 uted by others having more experience than 

 myself.' As, however, Dr. Miller, in Stray 

 Straws, states as follows: " F. A. Gemmill, 

 in Ca>i. Bee Journal, says he has had success 

 wintering on solid sealed stores, and quotes 

 McEvoy as indorsing him;" and as Mr. E. R. 

 Root has practiced putting such combs right 

 into the center of the brood-nest, with success, 

 I trust you will, if not already too well sup- 

 plied with more important matter, find room 

 for this effusion. 



