1899 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



133 



age-tank to be under the extractor, the ar- 

 rangement is as nearly ideal as any thing 

 can be. 



Mr. Hansen does not say any thing about 

 his method of introducing, but I shotdd judge 

 by the engraving that he uses something very 

 nearly like the Peet method — a plan whereby 

 the queen is caged right on the comb, her lib- 

 eration being effected by the bees gnawing un- 

 der the cage and letting her out themselves. 



The shipping-case that we make has been 

 constructed after consulting bee-keepers and 

 commission men alike. If there is further im- 

 provement we can m dee on it without increas- 

 ing its cost too mrch we should be glad to in- 

 corporate in. Cleating the covers, as has 

 been spoken of, might be objectionable in 

 some markets, and at the same time increase 

 the cost of the cases. If there are others of 

 our subscribers who think it would be an im- 

 provement, we may think best to adopt it. — 

 Ed. 



CUBAN HONEY AS COMPETITOR OF AMERICAN 

 HONEY. 



The Effects of Glucose on Honey Markets; Writ- 

 ing to Members of Congress in the Interest 

 of a National Pure-food Law; how the 

 Dairymen Fought Oleomargarine; 

 a Valuable Article. 



BY C. DAVENPORT. 



In Gleanings for Dec. 15 a subject is touch- 

 ed upon that is of vital interest to all produc- 

 ers of honey in the United States. I refer to 

 honey from Cuba. If extracted honey can be 

 produced there for two cents per pound which 

 is superior to that from white clover (and I 

 can see no reason to doubt it), it is probably 

 true that there is no reason why comb honey 

 of the same quality can not be produced pro- 

 portionally cheap; and if the import duty is 

 removed it can be laid down in any eastern 

 city by boat at a very low cost compared to 

 what freight by rail would be. It will be 

 noticed that I have referred to Cuban honey 

 as being superior to white-clover honey, and 

 this will hold true in a large way if its only 

 difference consists in having a milder flavor, 

 for many think that from clover has almost 

 too strong a taste; and, aside from its quality, 

 from what has been said in regard to the mat- 

 ter it is to be inferred that Cuba is capable of 

 producing immense quantities. In fact, as I 

 understand it, California would be out-classed 

 in this respect ; for while that State produces 

 immense crops it is also, like most if not all 

 other States, subject to failure; and I bebeve 

 a failure of the honey crop in Cuba is some- 

 thing unknown. But if the honey from an- 

 other area, equal to California in productive- 

 ness, is thrown on the markets of the United 

 States it does not require much imagination to 

 see what an effect it would have on prices. As 

 for our having patriotism enough to receive 

 this Cuban honey, this is absurd ; and in my 

 opiirion it is not patriotism, but treason; for 

 patriotism is, as it were, if I am right, the 

 welfare of one's country and its people; and 



if any are troubled with an excess of it in the 

 former respect, let them reflect that this coun- 

 try is, and probably will be for many genera- 

 tions, heavily taxed on this account. But, 

 aside from all this, we who depend entirely or 

 mainly upon bees for our living know that, if 

 prices for our product go much lower than 

 they have been the last few years, the bees 

 will have to be given up, and our attention 

 given to some other pursuit. The prices of 

 honey have of late years been steadily declin- 

 ing; and while there are undoubtedly a num- 

 ber of reasons for this I beleive one of the 

 main ones is adulteration ; and this is becom- 

 ing (in fact, already is) a great curse to this 

 country — not only in regard to a good many 

 kinds of food, but a great many other prod- 

 ucts as well. The one article of glucose 

 alone is doing great harm in a financial way 

 to those engaged in our pursuit ; for there is, 

 I think, more of this produced annually, and 

 sold mainly for food purposes, than the entire 

 annual product of honey. And, aside from 

 the money loss to bee-keepers and others, this 

 stuff, I think, dees much harm in other ways; 

 for many who consume much of it may ruin 

 their health; for, while not necessarily injuri- 

 ous itself, I understand that acids that are 

 used in its manufacture remain in it in suffi- 

 cient quantities to make it so in such grades 

 as are mainly used for commercial purposes. 

 If we can get the right kind of national legis- 

 lation in regard to pure food it will in a finan- 

 cial way largely, perhaps, more than offset the 

 effect of any amount of honey that can be 

 produced in Cuba. The Brosius pure-food 

 bill, or any other of like nature that may in 

 the future be brought up, should receive the 

 support of all bee-keepers. Let the Member 

 of Congress from your district know that you 

 are interested in this. Write him to this ef- 

 fect. A few words only are necessary; for in- 

 stance, something like this : 



Dear Sir : — I and others here are much interested in 

 the pure-food hill, and we hope you will do what you 

 can to have it passed. 



Yours truly, 



A postal card will do. The only address 

 necessary is his name and the words " Mem- 

 ber of Congress, Washington, D. C." Better 

 than this, get up a petition — something simi- 

 lar to this will do : 



Dear Sir: — Myself, and those who sign this, trust you 

 will do what you can to have the pure-food bill become 

 a law. 



Yours truly, 



C. D. 



If it is written and signed with a lead-pen- 

 cil it will answer, and three-fourths or more of 

 the people in almost any community would be 

 glad to get a chance to sign a petition of this 

 nature, and that petitions or even individual 

 expressions from their constituents have great 

 influence with Members of Congress. There 

 is no question that this is as it should be, for 

 they are sent to Congress by the people to 

 work and make such laws as wdll be of the 

 most benefit to the people as a whole. 



As an instance in support of this I might 

 mention some facts in regard to the great in- 

 jury that threatened the dairy interests through 



