354 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



the nuclei on the first of July with one bis; frame of 

 sealed brood or two small frames, with all adhering 

 bees, and gave each one a laying queen and drawn 

 comb. Nearly all of them built up to good strong 

 colonies by August 10, about the time the fall honey- 

 flow commences, and they gave me an average of 30 

 pounds each of surplus honey, besides their winter 

 stores. 



Brook Park, Minn., Feb. 9. Harry Bell 



Increase the Consumption, Stimulate the Market, 

 and Stiffen the Mariiet of Honey 



Are you reading the series of articles running in 

 the Saturday Evening Post, by Forrest Crissey ? 

 They are a revelation to those who are not familiar 

 with the "Association way " of doing things. He 

 has made a thorough study of associations, and in 

 these articles he compares the old, narrow, " cut- 

 throat " ways with the association methods now 

 successfully in use in many vocations. He tells us 

 how competitors who a few years ago were fighting 

 one another, each trying to build up his own busi- 

 ness by tearing down that of the other fellow, steal- 

 ing trade secrets, processes, customers, and even 

 skilled workmen, are now sitting side by side at the 

 association meetings, " swapping " information, im- 

 proved methods, and co-operating in every way for 

 the uplift of the vocation, using the energy formerly 

 required in tearing each other down to boost the 

 trade generally. In this way each is benefited finan- 

 cially, morally, and (I trust) spiritually by the asso- 

 ciation of effort. 



Almost all vocations are now taking up publicity 

 for their products in the association way. Some of 

 of them pay their professional " boosters " a prince- 

 ly salarj'. I can name half a hundred associations 

 that are advertising their products, not as individ- 

 uals, but for all as an association. These progressive 

 associations are forging ahead, while the few that 

 cling tO' the old traditions and stay in the narrow 

 rut are not getting on. 



When we comjiare the real food value of honey, 

 and the prices we are getting for it, with some of 

 the well-advertised products, we find that they are 

 getting more money for less value, and selling more 

 goods ; and about in the ratio of the publicity given 

 them, these other goods are in advance of our 

 product. 



We have only ourselves to blame for this condi- 

 tion. We have increased our production, depend- 

 ing on the good qualities of our product to sell it- 

 self. But business is not done that way now. It 

 used to be ; and when it was, honey was at the head 

 of the list of all the good things. Nowadays we all 

 eat just what shrewd publicity men can convince us 

 is necessary, sometimes against our better judgment. 

 At the same time we are offering a delicious, whole- 

 some product with a high food value, admirably fit- 

 ted to take the place of meat on the laborer's table, 

 or to grace the most exclusive banquet as the most 

 dainty of delicacies. In spite of its manifold virtues, 

 we find thousands of tables where it does not appear 

 at all, and I have known grown-up persons who 

 never tasted it in their lives. 



There is nothing surer than the fact that honey 

 will respond to proper publicity and pushing. We 

 have a case in point up around Chicago, where some 

 enterprising young men are " boosting " extracted 

 honey, and a medium amber at that, and they sell 

 tons and tons of it at a good round price, and do it 

 year in and year out. Honey advertising, local or 

 general, will give results as very few other products 

 can, as it has value, real value as a delicacy, and as 

 a health and strength giving staple. 



We are likely to have a bumper crop this year, as 

 the conditions are favorable everywhere, and we 

 have the remnants of the last year's crop to clean 

 up. But with proper united effort we can handle 

 this big crop and stiffen the prices also. We have 



20,000 beekeepers brimful of enthusiasm, ready to 

 attempt any thing that promises to advance the in- 

 terest of the industry. We have manufacturers of 

 supplies whose business would be doubled if we 

 double the production. We have big-hearted editors 

 of bee-papers who will help us every way they can ; 

 and all these, and the others who will be benefited 

 by the uplift, must work, individually and as an as- 

 sociation, to increase the consumption, stimulate the 

 market, and stiffen the price of honey. Alone, each 

 of us can do a little ; but all together, like a well- 

 drilled army, we can do wonders in this direction. 

 Do you belong to the association? If you do, get 

 Ijusy and boost. If you do not belong, get busy and 

 join so you can help boost. If you have only 200 

 lbs. of honey for the market it is a good invest- 

 ment, and the association wants you. 



Geo. W. Williams, 

 Secretary National Beekeepers' Assn. 

 Redkev, Ind. 



How to Prepare a Car of Bees for Shipment 



I am going to ship a car of bees to my place in a 

 few days ; and as I have never done any of this work 

 T don't know much about it. They will be shipped 

 only about 150 miles. You people have had con- 

 siderable experience, and any thing you suggest will 

 be gratefully received. I shall have to change roads 

 on the way. How can I get the car transferred 

 most quickly ? 



St. Joseph, Mo., April 7. J. F. Archdekin. 



[In shipping a car of bees from one point to an- 

 other, especially where they have to be transferred. 

 it is very important that arrangements be made well 

 in advance before the car is started. To that end 

 ask your agent to have the matter looked up so the 

 transfer can be made promptly at the transfer point. 



Tlie hives should be very securely braced in the 

 car to prevent any jarring or shaking one way or [he 

 other. The hives should be loaded so that the frames 

 will be parallel with the rails. If you have as many a.s 

 two or three hundred colonies it will be necessary to 

 make a very strong and rigid framework to hold the 

 hives in tiers one above the other. The frames should 

 be fastened if not of the self-spacing type, and dur- 

 ing hot weather there should be a wire screen at the 

 top and bottom of the hives. In addition it is im- 

 portant to have water along so that the bees can be 

 sprayed if they get too warm or get to roaring too 

 much in the hives. Of course, it is important to have 

 a man go- with them, and he must be prepared to 

 stay up with them almost night and day until arrival 

 at destination. 



It is desirable to get the car as far forward in the 

 train as possible to avoid the smoke from the loco 

 motive; and, besides, at that point there is a little 

 less jerk when the train is started and stopped. 



We cannot emphasize too strongly the importance 

 of having very strong framework, for the concussion 

 of the train is something terrific at times, and it will 

 knock down almost any ordinary light framework 

 unless the whole thing is made rigid and strong. — 

 Ed.] 



Combs Melting Down 



As a bee country this upper Sacramento Valley is 

 nothing to brag of. During a long warm or hot 

 season the heat is sometimes excessive. The past 

 summer combs and foundation melted to a consid- 

 erable extent, and shade and ventilation did not pre- 

 vent it. With hives ventilated both below and above, 

 and top and sides shaded, I had much loss from 

 melting combs. The strong colonies suffered less 

 than the weaker ones. A neighbor beekeeper had his 

 comb honey melted in the upper story of his house, 

 which was well ventilated. The air seemed to be 

 actually hotter outside the hives than in them 



Orland, Cal., Jan. 25. P. P. Martin. 



