58 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 15. 



long." " The Department of Agriculture pro- 

 poses to import these East-Indian bees in large 

 quantities for free distribution throughout the 

 country, or for very cheap sale. A farmer de- 

 siring to go into honey-making can get a 

 queen-bee and form a swarm." 



Those who ate favorably inclined to the new 

 bees, and desirous to obtain them, may feel 

 assured that they will receive information 

 promptly through Gleanings whenevt r any 

 thing authoritative is to be said ; aid those 

 who oppose their introduction may possess 

 their souls in patience ; for, if we are to be- 

 lieve those who say Apis dorsata would be no 

 acquisition, we may also believe them when 

 they say that it could not live in our climate. 



permit the liquid portion of the honey to 

 drain off, and that reminds me that candied 

 honey is the very best there is. The inferior 

 portion of the extracted will drain off, or re- 

 main liquid. Just pound that fact into the 

 heads of jour customers. 



A PLEA FOR CANDIED HONEY ; CANDIED 

 HONEY CONFECTIONERY. 



This is about the time of year when we 

 ought to begin to talk candied honey to con- 

 sumers, for the simple reason there is usually 

 plenty of it. We have quite a trade from our 

 factory help that prefer honey in this form to 

 any other. We keep on hand the best grades of 

 comb and extracted — the latter in liquid and 

 candied form ; but the solid article not a few 

 take in preference. I suppose it is because it 

 is more of a confectionery — something one 

 can chew as he would some choice chocolate 

 bonbon. There is really something about can- 

 died honey that I like myself ; especially do I 

 prefer it when spread on bread and butter, be- 

 cause I can ' ' put it on thick . ' ' We asked one of 

 our employees with a big mustache why he 

 preferred candied honey. " Because," said he, 

 "lean eat it without having my mouth all 

 smeared up as it is liable to be with the other 

 stringy stuff." 



R C. Aikin, it will be remembered, has 

 worked up quite a trade in candied honey in 

 tin pails. His trade has been educated to like 

 it. The Dadants have also developed a 

 large trade for the same article. They put it, 

 when liquid, into the Dadant pails ; and when 

 candied and labeled, to show how it may be 

 brought to the liquid form, it is ready for mar- 

 ket. 



Suppose you try an experiment in your own 

 family. Put three kinds of honey on the ta- 

 ble; and if the candied has not been on the 

 table for a month back, just see how quickly 

 it will be taken in preference to the other two. 



As you meet your customers, always men- 

 tion your candied honey. Ask them to try a 

 sample. You will be surprised to see how 

 they will call for more. 



1 think the main reason why the candied 

 article does not sell in the open market is be- 

 cause the average consumer imagines it is 

 " sugared," or not pure in that form ; but if 

 he once understands that it is genuine honest 

 honey we shall see a marked demand for hon- 

 ey in that form in the markets generally. 



Some efforts have been made in the past to 

 make a confectionery of candied honey alone. 

 The honey is allowed to become solid, when it 

 is sliced up into small cubes, and wrapped up 

 in paraffine paper ; but before putting it in 

 the paper it is allowed to stand a few days to 



THE EANGSTROTH-MONUMENT FUND. 



Quite incidentally I happened to mention 

 in one of my letters to General Manager Secor, 

 of the U. S. Bee keepers' Union, that we had 

 had indifferent success in raising funds for the 

 Langstroth monument ; that the amount was 

 only about $100. In his reply he expressed 

 himself quite decidedly to the effect that the 

 bee-keeping world ought to do better, and 

 accordingly sent the following communication. 

 As a result of some private correspondence 

 already instituted, I believe he has increased 

 the fund something near $50. Strangely 

 enough, more funds have in the meantime 

 rolled into our office — nothing like having a 

 good man to get at a job like this. This is 

 what he has to say: 



Having been placed on the Langstroth-Monument 

 Committee I wish to make this final appeal to the bee- 

 keepers of America before erecting the slab that is to 

 mark the resting-place of the most ncted character 

 and best loved bee-keeper in our country. It seems to 

 me that, if we neglect this opportunity to do honor to 

 his name, we shall always regret it. Bee-keepers 

 ought to esteem it not only a matter of loyal duty but 

 a loving privilege to contribute to a suitable monu- 

 ment to one whose services to American apiculture 

 have been so universally acknowledged. It is one of 

 the strange things in this world, that very often the 

 inventor of useful appliances fails to receive the re- 

 wards due to his genius. Thus it was in Langst roth's 

 case. He builded, we occupy. The world now recog- 

 nizes his services, but robbed him of the material 

 fruits thereof, when needed. Will this generation be 

 satisfied to let him lie in an obscure or forgotten grave 

 when it is understood that the ingratitude, selfishness, 

 and cupidity of jealous rivals darkened for a time the 

 luster of his achievements, and marred the happiness 

 of a grand good man ? 



The committee has in preparation an inscription to 

 be engraved on the monument, which recognizes the 

 great services rendered by father Eangstroth, and 

 which attempts to pay loving tribute to his memory. 

 It is to be dedicated to him by the bee-keepers of 

 America. It is neither just nor wise that a few men 

 should erect this memorial when every one interested 

 in bees or bee-keeping is reaping the fruits of Lang- 

 stroth's genius. 



A large number of subscriptions, in amounts not to 

 exceed $5.00, would be a better recognition than a few 

 large contributions. If every reader of these lines, 

 who has not already done so, would send in his con' 

 tribution to this fund immediately it would relieve the 

 committee from the embarrassment of erecting a 

 monument which they feel is in no sense an adequate 

 expression of the admiration and love felt for the 

 " Father of American Bee-keeping." 



The committee will proceed in the spring to erect 

 such a memorial slab as the funds in hand will war- 

 rant; and if the reader does not in the next few weeks 

 send in his mite he will miss the opportunity and 

 privilege of t.eing counted as one of the donors. 



Forest City, la. Eugene Secor. 



As formerly, we shall be glad to receive 

 further funds. We promised, I believe, at 

 one time, that we would not bring this matter 

 up again; but Mr. Secor felt that it could not 

 be dropped where it was; so here we go again 

 for another pull. 



In our next issue, or as soon as practicable, 

 we will give the amount of funds secured, and 

 hope we ma}' be able to more than double our 

 previous effort, and we shall if Mr. Secor does 

 as well as he has begun. 



