576 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



September, 1922 



markets in the towus near by, as well as 

 the cities, are more than supplied with comb 

 honey, so that the honey must be sent to 

 a distant market, too far away to deliver 

 by truck. In that case, less than carload 

 shipments should be sent in carriers. 



How to Ship Comb Honey in Carlots. 



When sending honey in carlots the car- 

 riers are not needed. The railroad com- 

 panies should furnish a strong serviceable 

 car that will stand rough usage — one that 

 has not been used for carrying phosphate, 

 wool or live stock. A wagonload of straw 

 should be provided in advance. The floor 

 should be swept out when the car is ready. 

 The cases of comb honey should be neatly 

 piled in the car one on top of the other, 

 and of even height, like cord wood, until 

 the Whole car is filled within a foot or 18 

 inches of each end. It is not advisable to 

 pile the honey up higher than about eight 

 cases single tier, or four cases double tier. 

 It is important that the cases be piled snug- 

 ly against each other, in such a way that the 

 combs will be parallel with the track be- 

 neath. 



Any intervening space left on the sides 

 next to the car should be filled in with 

 crating, boards, or straw tightly wedged in. 

 There is not a great deal of side movement 

 in a car; but it is important to provide for 

 a slight amount of it. The intervening 

 space of 18 inches at each end of the car 

 should be filled in with closely packed straw. 

 This can not be packed in too snugly. The 

 purpose of the straw is to provide against 

 serious end shocks due to stopping or start- 

 ing of the train. It sometimes happens that 

 a car of comb honey is shot ahead on a 

 switch; and unless a man is on top of the 

 car at the brake the car may be jammed 

 into another one. It is, therefore, impor- 

 tant to see that the end spaces at the end of 

 the cases in the car are cushioned with 

 tightly packed straw. To keep the straw 

 from working up at each end, thus allow- 

 ing end shock between the eases, boards 

 sliould be put over the top of tlie straw and 

 lield down by cleats on each side of the 

 ear. 



Should there not be quite enough comb 

 honey to fill the car it would be well to 

 leave the space next to the doors, and fill in 

 with very rigid bracing made up of 2 by 

 4's fastened in such a way that they can 

 not possibly work loose. 



Many and many a car of comb lioney sent 

 long distances has had a heavy breakage, 

 caused by carelessness on the part of tlu' 

 sliipper or by his inexcusable ignorance in 

 not seeing to it that the comb honey was 

 packed solid and properly cushioned at the 

 ends and sides of the car. The shipper 

 should make up his mind that his comb 

 honey is more fragile than eggs in egg-car- 

 riers: that it is relatively heavy; that the 

 railroad companies en route will give his 

 honey the heaviest end-banging it has ever 

 had. He must play safe. While he may it' 

 cover damages from the railroad company, 



the process for doing this is exceedingly long 

 and diflicult, with the possible and probable 

 result that the railroad company will get 

 out of paying for the damage, or it may 

 pay a merely nominal sum. 



Perhaps in all beedom there is nothing 

 more aggravating than a car of broken- 

 down comb honey. If it is sent against a 

 draft attached to the bill of lading, the con- 

 signee is likely to refuse payment. It lies 

 on the tracks while telegrams are flying 

 back and forth; and, even though a com- 

 Y)romise be effected, no one is satisfied. In 

 the mean time robber bees get busy, and 

 sting the railroad men who are trying to 

 ' ' clean up. ' ' This is not all. Foul brood may 

 be scattered far and wide. So, be careful, 

 Mr. Beekeeper. 



This is what iiiiiy liappi'u it' the nids nf tlie car 



are not cushioned with straw. The car received 



a hard hump and the honey pushed out the end 



of the car. 



The subjoined illustration shows what 

 happens in a p;ood many cases when proper 

 provision is not made for the end shocks 

 that must inevitably occur when the train 

 stops or starts. When comb honey, heavy 

 as it is, is jostled about in the car, say the 

 space of a foot or more between the cases, 

 and the cases slide this way and that, the 

 inevitable result is a breakdown. Possibly 

 tlie whole end of the car may be slioved 

 out as shown in the cut. 



