260 



ULBANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



tion for a considerable length of time, not 

 as dictators, but as the target for every 

 politician who thinks his one mission in life 

 is to secure for the people something at the 

 expense of transportation companies. 



While we admit that some of this legisla- 

 tion has been beneficial to all concerned, 

 still, if continued, the pendulum will swing 

 past its arc of usefulness and destroy What 

 good has been accomplished. The failure at 

 the present time to sell railroad bonds at 

 par is withholding the placing of large or- 

 ders'for new freight cars. 



Beekeepers are interested, with the public 

 at large, in well-maintained and bountiful 

 passenger service, fast freight schedules, fine 

 railroad depots and freight houses, enlarge- 

 ment of terminals to prevent congestion in 

 an adequate supply of fine rolling stock, and, 

 in fact, everything that makes a railroad. 



A recent new venture on the part of rail- 

 roads is the organization of bureaus for the 

 prevention of loss and damage claims. This 

 is of vital importance to all shippers. The 

 men handling this matter are chosen for 

 their long terms of commendable service, and 

 it is their duty to see the packages accepted 

 for transportation are strong enough to with- 

 stand ordinary handling; that placards on 

 packages requiring special handling are ob- 

 served, such as "Comb Honey," "Very 

 Fragile," "Handle with Care," "Glass," 

 "This side up," "Inflammable," "Explo- 

 sive," etc.; to see that large transfers and 

 small stations do not delay, improperly han- 

 dle, nor poorly stow any freight. Switching 

 in yards, also freight trains, are watched 

 both day and night. 



These bureaus not only decrease the loss 

 thru claims, but the prevention of every 

 claim is the elimination of a complaint from 

 a customer to a shipper. Customers have 

 frequently been known to cancel orders due 

 to continued claims resulting from poor 

 packages. 



Railroads are frequently rebuked for de- 

 clining to accept insecure packages at the 

 owners' risk. This is wrong. Take, for 

 instance, an insecure can of extracted hon- 

 ey. All the releases a shipper could execute 

 would not repay a carrier for the loss it 

 would sustain by damage to silk or other 

 high-grade freight loaded in the same car, 

 due to the leaky can. 



The successful shipping of comb honey 

 begins with its production. The foundation 

 should first be securely fastened to the sec- 

 tions. The comb honey should then be plac- 

 ed in factory-made shipping-cases (notice I 

 emphasized factory). First, factory-made 

 shipping-cases are the exact size, thus avoid- 

 ing any play. Furthermore, they are usually 

 equipped with corrugated cushions which 

 absorb much of the shock of transportation 

 without damage to contents. 



The shipping-cases should then be placed 

 in carriers with the sections all running the 

 same direction. That is, when the package 

 is finally placed in the car all the sections in 



the package will be parallel to the rails of 

 the track. 



The caTiers should be constructed of 

 sound lumber, secured with cement-coated 

 nails. I much prefer a box to a crate, one 

 which holds from 175 to 200 lbs. , The car- 

 rier should be cushioned on the bottom with 

 about three inches of straw, and provided 

 at the top with pieces which extend beyond 

 the crate in such a manner as to form han- 

 dles with which to carry the package. 



Stencil your carriers with a mixture of 

 lampblack and oil in the following manner: 



From 



To 



Stingless Apiary, 

 Beeville, 



Texas. 



Mr. Eatmore, 



Wellsville, 

 N. Y. 



Do not u .e tags written in ink and fasten- 

 ed on witl) tacks, as ink blurs, and tags are 

 very easily torn off. Placard your packages 

 "Comb honey, very fragile." There are 

 good advertising features in this method of 

 marking. 



For carloads, anticipate your wants. See 

 that suitable cars are used — those free from 

 noxious odors, leaky roofs, and journal-boxes 

 improperly packed. Avoid shipping comb 

 honey in extremely cold weather if possible, 

 and avoid shipping small packages of comb 

 honey. 



Do not use old rusty second-hand cans for 

 extracted honey. 



Do not load carloads of bees without first 

 ascertaining the time of your departure. 



Do not expect trainmen to place your car 

 free from the smoke and gas of the engine 

 unless you request it. They do not under- 

 stand the peculiarities of bees. 



On less than carload shipments patronize 

 railroads that make long haul thru package 

 cars. This avoids unnecessary handling. 



Patronize railroads that pay legitimate 

 claims promptly. 



Patronize railroads that advertise sched- 

 ules and maintain them. 



File your bills of lading and expense bills. 

 They are valuable, and should not be de- 

 stroyed. 



Eemember, continued claims on the same 

 commodity have a tendency to increase the 

 rate. 



Tell the railroads your trouble; ask their 

 help; they are your friends. 



F. C. Snook, 

 Inspector for Freight Claim Dept. Erie E. R. 

 To be continued 



A Correction 



In oui- last issue, page 217, we say that 

 Dr. Kolni was elected vice-president of the 

 National. The name should be W. M. Co- 

 pen haver, of Helena, Mont, 



