Ai-RIL, 1917 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE m 



About that Change from Comb to 

 Extracted 



After reading the editorial on page 91 

 1 took it upon myself to do a little investi- 

 gation among beekeeping acqnaintances. 

 Twenty-two letters written to comb-honey 

 producers brought sixteen answers saying 

 they would change in whole or in part to 

 extracted. Two did not reply, while four 

 will not change, but try to produce more 

 comb. Now, if this indicates anything lik? 

 a fair proportion of changes likely to occur 

 it seems to me there is a slump ahead for 

 extracted honey. Of these beekeepers, not 

 one lives west of the Mississippi River. It 

 is my opinion that no comb-honey producer 

 east of the Mississippi will gain anything 

 by changing to extracted. I have produced 

 extracted exclusively for the past seven 

 years; but having 200 comb-honey supers T 

 will use them this year. 



The second point indicates that the mar- 

 ket is overloaded with comb honey, and 

 prices eas3\ Would it not be proper to call 

 it brick honey, for that is getting to be the 

 name used by those who " got stuck " on 

 immense quantities of this so-called western 

 honey. I believe the editor has for years 

 advised beekeepers to get their comb honey 

 on the market early. Had our western 

 brothers paid heed to this advice their comb 

 would have been consumed long ago, and 

 before it changed to building material; but, 

 no — they must hold for a higher price, not 

 letting it go when wanted, then dump it on 

 to our poor innocent eastern buyers, some 

 of whom have been badlv singed. No doubt 

 some of our western brothei's are chuckling 

 because able to put one over on the eastern 

 dealers; but surely it will prove a boom- 

 erang. When visiting a dealer recently 1 

 remarked about a nice pile of comb honey. 



"Yes," he said ; " sells well : most of it 

 has been sold several times." 



He meant that it /.oc? been sold as stated 

 but he well knew it would be returned. He 

 commented on the fact that they are getting 

 to raising a great many beets out west. 

 Ten cases of such stock sold by a retailer 

 might lose him 240 customers, and at best 

 could not do otherwise than give his cus- 

 tomers a bad idea as to the quality of goods 

 he handled. 



If the surmises are correct in this mat- 

 ter, here is another body blow to the ex- 

 tracted-honey producer. Any one can sell 

 good comb honey, but not so extracted. 

 My personal experience required four years 



fo liuild up a trade worthy the name. The 

 baiklotter will soon become discouraged, 

 aiid finally close out his extracted at the best 

 offer he can get; and be assured this will 

 have a tendency to lower prices obtained by 

 those who have a trade establislied. 



The remarks regarding jjotatoes reminds 

 me of an incident occurring many years 

 ago. Potatoes sold as low as I2V2 cts. a 

 bushel, and thousands were never sold at all. 

 The growers became discouraged and disr 

 gusted. That spring my grandfather, who 

 had the name of being a shrewd, close-fisted 

 old fellow (who would skin a flea for its 

 hide) kept his own counsel and planted 60 

 acres. When others discovered what he was 

 about it was too late for them to plant. He 

 had a good crop, and sold none for less than 

 75 cts., and many at 80 and 85, making him 

 more clean mo^iey than he ever made in one 

 j^ear before. My opinion is that it is a mis- 

 take for anybody, properly prepared to pro- 

 duce comb, to change — decidedly so for any 

 Michigan or other beekee^Der who can pro- 

 duce good comb honey. Such stock will al- 

 ways bring more than extracted per pound. 

 I can name plenty of merchants who will not 

 carry extracted, and who, if they have any 

 of this " western building material " in 

 stock, have become so disgusted they will 

 handle neither extracted nor comb. 



Former!}' I have bought hundreds of 

 empty cases (two cans in a case) from the 

 National Biscuit Co. at 15 to 20 cts. per 

 case. I believe they once used many cars 

 of honey. Now I am informed they are 

 using a much cheaper substitute. If all 

 other bakers use the same, this of itself 

 would have a very depressing effect on the 

 price of extracted honey. It would seem a 

 word to the wise should be sufficient; but 

 will it? No. Many will m.ake the change 

 who really do not know whj-. 



Birmingham, Mich. A. W. Smith. 



Safe Methods of Shipping Comb 



Honey 



Comb honey is one of the hardest commod- 

 ities to ship, especially in small lots. We 

 often have a customer at a distance who 

 would like a case or two of nice comb lion- 

 ey; but the fact that it is almost impossible 

 to get it thru without considerable loss has 

 been discouraging in shipping such small 

 orders. 



