1911 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



37 



General Correspondence 



SECOND HAND CANS. 



Does it Pay to Use Them ? Occasional Lots of 



Cans will do for Use the Second Time; but 



in the End the Second-hand Business 



Proves Unsatisfactory. 



BY F. B. CAVANAGH. 



The only possible object in using second- 

 hand cans is the saving in cost over new 

 ones; therefore if second-hand cans cost us 

 30 cts. less per case we can obviously sell our 

 honey at % ct. per lb. less when we mar- 

 ket. Furthermore, if the cans have con- 

 tained nice light honey, and have been 

 carelessly drained, there will be close to a 

 pound of honey in each can, which, includ- 

 ed in the selling weights, may net us 10 to 

 15 cts. more per case. All very well so far, 

 and a good-appearing proposition; but now 

 for the facts and figures governing both 

 sides of the case. 



In the first place, it is exceedingly hard to 

 get cans which are good enough. The deal- 

 er empties his once-used cans after melting 

 the contents by placing the can in hot wa- 

 ter. The can looks very good, but in reali- 

 ty it is injured at the time of emptying 

 when he shoves it back into the box to 

 await an order from some bee-keeper. Mr. 

 Beekeeper writes a letter something like 

 this: 



Honey Bend, May 22, 1910. 

 Honey Bottler Co., Big City, U. S. A. 



Gentlemen: — 

 Have you any good second-hand cans, con- 

 forming strictly to the following specifications? 

 New cans used but OLce for white-clover, alfalfa, or 

 sage honey; bright, and free from rust both inside 

 and out; free from leaks; not battered, and with 

 caps which fit: cases to be in good condition for 

 shipping. You might also quote me on the same 

 cans shipped without cases. 



I had decided never to use second-hand cans 

 again, as 1 had to throw out fully one-fifth of those 

 purchased of a firm last year. However, the 100 

 cans you sent me loose last fall were so good (with 

 the exception of the ones the trainmen used in play- 

 ing football) also, that your firm is highly recom- 

 mended to us; hence we contemplate trying once 

 more if prices are right. Yours very truly, 



E. Z. Beeman. 



In due time a cheerful reply comes back: 



Big City. U. S. A., May 27, 1910. 

 Mr. E. Z. JSee7»a«.— Replying to your favor of the 

 22d, we have for immediate shipment 200 cases of 

 good cans such as you describe, in good solid box- 

 es. For these we ask 30 cts. a case. We also have 

 100 loose cans at 5 cts. each. 



These will be good: cans used but once; and on 

 receiving them, if you find any you can not use, 

 just throw them out and report to us. 

 Yours truly, 



Honey Bottler Co. 



The order is sent. Mr. Beeman, being 

 busy at the time the cans arrive, takes a 

 hasty glance at a few cans opened at ran- 

 dom, finds them bright and good, is satis- 

 fied, and stores them away. 



In a couple of weeks comes another letter 

 advising of several hundred more cans in 

 stock. Beeman writes that the first lot 



looks fine, and if others are as good he says, 

 " Ship us the 100 boxes and 200 loose cans." 



The Honey Bottler Co. replies later that 

 they have shipped 100 boxes of cans, 40 

 cases of which have had maple syrup in 

 them marked X X, and which are good cans, 

 and "we hope you can use them at 20 cts. 

 per case; also 200 loose cans, some of which 

 are not so good, so we include 25 extra ones. 

 Trusting you can use the entire shipment, 

 we beg to remain, etc. 



"P. S. — You may throw out any cans 

 which you can not use." 



Now, the proper thing to do was to inspect 

 the cans before accepting. However, Mr. 

 Beeman, being busy at out-apiaries, leaves 

 strict advice to the agent and drayman not 

 to delay a minute in getting those cans in- 

 side the shop. No bees must get at them; 

 hence the cans are piled inside, and, feeling 

 secure of the company's good faith and the 

 clause to throw out any poor ones, Mr. B. 

 waits for a rainy day to inspect the cans. 



It rains at last, so to the shop goes Mr. 

 Beeman and helpers armed with towels, a 

 tank of cold water, tub of hot water on a 

 gasoline-stove, also hammer and nails to 

 renail boxes. 



The first 200 cases tested are satisfactory, 

 barring a dozen with nail-holes. Of the re- 

 maining 400 cans, over 160 are sour inside, 

 or blackened with an evil-smelling rusty 

 substance, much unlike maple syrup. 

 About 100 remaining cans are tarnished 

 outside, and hardly fit to use; but Mr. Bee- 

 man polishes them up and keeps them, 

 hoping to make a little better report. He 

 very kindly writes the Honey Bottler Co., 

 expressing regrets. They, being very much 

 surprised, and somewhat offended, reply 

 thus in substance: "Enclose shipping-bill 

 for 25 cans, which," they add, "ends the 

 matter so far as we are concerned." 



Mr. Beeman takes the local bank's cash- 

 ier down and has him look the lot over. He 

 smells the openings of many cans with ap- 

 propriate exclamations of disgust. He 

 writes his confirmation of condition of cans, 

 and sends it in the same mail with Mr. Bee- 

 man's kind repetition of facts. 



The Honey Bottler Co. say they now rec- 

 ollect having sent cans used for maple syr- 

 up, and are, therefore, enclosing billing for 

 75 more loose cans to replace these. The 

 letter closes thus: "The cans we sent you 

 were exactly what you ordered; and if you 

 are not satisfied now, then we certainly shall 

 not do any thing further in this matter." 



Mr. Beeman calls attention to the matter 

 of freight, which aggregated over $30.00 (no 

 reply) ; offers to return cans (no reply) ; 

 writes a sassy letter, saying he will take 

 such action as the case justifies (no reply). 

 Honey Bottler has the money. Mr. Bee- 

 man has the freight-bills and dray-bills to 

 pay, and a shop cluttered with cans which, 

 like whited sepulchers, look good outside, 

 but are very bad inside. 



The reader may draw his own conclusions, 

 knowing that this firm is rated and well 

 recommended. 



