DECEMBER 1, 1916 



not 



It will be remembered that the western 

 classification effective Sept. 1 required the 

 payment of two and a half times first-class 

 rates on comb honey in cases not protected 

 by carriers, and double first on comb honey 

 packed in carriers. 



On Oct. 26 there was held in Chicago be- 

 fore a sub-committee of the Western Classi- 

 fication Committee a hearing for a lower 

 classification. Representing the beekeepers 

 and others interested in the shipping of 

 comb honey, there was Frank C. Pellett, of 

 Iowa, assisted by Mr. Lewis, of the Iowa 

 Commission ; E. J. Baxter, of Illinois,presi- 

 dent of the Illinois and Tri-state Beekeepers' 

 Association and J. T. Calvert, of Gleanings 

 IN Bee Culture. Mr. Francis Jager, Pres- 

 dent of the National Association, had spent 

 several days in Chicago doing some good 

 work but did not remain for the hearing. 



It appeared from some remarks by Chair- 

 man Fyfe that the committee had been bom- 

 barded with letters as a result of notices 

 appearing not only in Gleanings but in 

 the American Bee Journal as well, and our 

 case had been practically won before the 

 hearing occurred. We were promised a con- 

 cession in the first supplement to be issued 

 soon, and to become effective January, 1917. 

 The rates to be granted will probably be 

 first class on honey in carriers, with no re- 

 duction on that shipped unprotected, if, in- 

 deed, such honey will be accepted at all in 

 local lots. 



It appeared in the evidence that the rail- 

 roads had been called upon to pay damages 

 in excessive amounts, not only on the honey 

 broken in transit but often on other goods 

 of gi-eater value which were injured because 

 of the leaking honey. Damage claims were 

 more noticeable in the far West, where the 

 use of carriers is not so common as thruout 

 the East. The Southern Pacific Railroad 

 alone had been called upon to pay over 

 $800 in claims. 



There had also been numerous claims for 

 losses in Texas and Oklahoma where fric- 

 tion-top cans and pails are largely used, 

 showing that these containers are not en- 

 tirely satisfactory for safe shipment. 



The evidence presented at the hearing 

 showed that where comb honey was put in 

 carriers of not over 250 lbs. gross, having 

 not less than four inches of cushion mate- 

 rial in the bottom, and handles to move them 

 with, it reached its destination without dam- 

 age — especially if the honey was at all suit- 

 able for shipment. Out of nearly a million 

 pounds of comb honey shipped in one year 

 by The A. I. Root Co., there were less than 

 five dollars in claims. 



No one should offer for shipment, either 



by freight or express, comb honey that is not 

 well fastened to the wood section-box, top 

 and bottom, or top and both sides. Honey 

 not well fastened, if such is produced, 

 should be disposed of locally. 



It is unfair to the interests of careful bee- 

 keejjcrs who use care, not only in the pro- 

 duction but the packing for shipment of 

 comb honey in safe carriers, to attempt to 

 ship comb honey not well fastened, or to 

 ship any comb lioney in light cases without 

 carriers. 



The increased toll of many thousand dol- 

 lars taken by the railroads in recent months 

 is the direct i-esult of excessive claims due 

 to careless, thoughtless, and slipshod ship- 

 pers who have not been willing to take 

 sufficient pains and expense in properly 

 preparing their honey for safe carriage. 



While the lesson has been expensive we 

 trust it has been well learned, and that ship- 

 pers of comb honey will in future give the 

 railroads a fair show by properly protecting 

 eomb honey for safe transport before offei'- 

 ing it for shipment. 



Beekeepers in western classification terri- 

 tory are to be congi-atulated that relief is in 

 sight from the excessive rates now in effect. 



There is need for a similar campaign in 

 the territory covered by the southern classi- 

 fication where double first-class rates prevail 

 on comb honey. We urge beekeepers and 

 others affected to write to the Southern 

 Classification Committee, W. R. Rowe, 

 chairman, Atlanta, Ga., protesting against 

 the present unreasonable rates. 



We have already entered a petition to the 

 committee for a reduction. If this is 

 backed up by the right kind of appeals from 

 those interested we may hope for action 

 similar to that expected from the western 

 committee. 



This campaign should have been under- 

 taken several months ago, but we overlooked 

 calling attention to it then. Let a united 

 effort be made now, and we may look for 

 some relief. 



The 1917 Edition of the A B C and 

 X Y Z of Bee Culture 



The new 900-page double-column volume 

 is nearing completion. It has been a tre- 

 mendous undertaking, because every subject 

 has been either revised or entirely rewritten, 

 the most important having been entirely re- 

 written or nearly so. The minor subjects, 

 while they have received changes and correc- 

 tions and additions, are much the same as 

 before. A large number of new subjects 

 that never appeared before are now incor- 



