GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



December, 19^ 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



small iiK-ome rather than to engage in some 

 other less interesting vocation. But each 

 generation is becoming more and more prac- 

 tical, and if we wish our children to follow 

 us in beekeeping we must use all our ef- 

 forts to establisli beekeeping on a level that 

 will compare favorably with other indus- 

 tries. This, in my humble judgment, can 

 only be done by associated endeavors — not 

 necessarily in the big central co-operative 

 associations with their necessary large over- 

 head and in some cases burdensome ex- 

 penses, but rather in smaller corporations 

 associated together in form similar to other 

 successful industries, each maintaining its 

 own sales organizations but selling at asso- 

 ciated prices and each trying to make qual- 

 ity their greatest asset. 



Our organizations, though loosely organ- 

 ized, have done much in stabilizing the hon- 

 ey markets, and the future is unlimited so 

 far as we know. We can each do our mite, 

 and, by collecting together, the mites are 

 made mighty. The slogan of today is 

 ' ' Good Business. ' ' Let us all help to make 

 lioney production a good business. 



Eansomville, N. Y. Howard M. Myers. 



In Michigan. 



. This seems to be a sea- 

 son of price-cutting in 

 the honey market. One large department 

 store in Lansing has sold quantities of white 

 lioney in five-pound pails as low as 69c per 

 pail. Eopeated protests are received from 

 members of the State Association that their 

 neighbors are selling white honey at 75c 

 per live-pound pail. This is folly. 



On the other hand, a beekeeper is selling 

 his crop of honey, house-to-house in Lansing 

 at $1.25 for a five-pound pail, which shows 

 that the public is walling to pay the price 

 provided quality is assured. Too many 

 beekeepers are allowing their neighbors to 

 set the price which they should receive for 

 honey. Too many become overanxious to 

 move their honey crop before Christmas. 



One association member, who was moving 

 honey satisfactorily at 90c for five pounds, 

 cut his price to 75c to meet competition at 

 the city market on Saturday. Much to his 

 surprise his honey moved no faster at 75c 

 than at 90e. How long will it take bee- 

 keepers to become familiar Avith the psy- 

 chology of selling? We hear much, these 

 days, of the comparison of honey prices with 

 prices of farm produce in general. Although 

 we must expect that the lowering of prices 

 for farm produce suggests a reduction in 

 the price for honey, the fact remains that 

 many beekeepers have never yet received a 

 fair price for their honey. The beekeeper 

 should not sell his honey in retail packages 

 at wholesale prices. 



To assist beekeepers in determining ap- 

 proximately what they should receive for 

 their honey a scale of prices was sent to 



eacli member of the Association. It has 

 been suggested that reports from a price- 

 fixing committee should be mailed to bee- 

 keepers at the beginning of each month to 

 keep them in close touch with conditions of 

 the local honey market all the time. 



However, there are two classes of bee- 

 keepers who cut prices — one because they 

 do not know the actual market price and the 

 other because they think they must sell 

 cheaper than their neighbors to get rid of 

 their honey. The former ma.y be assisted 

 through receiving information, the latter 

 can only be helped by being supplied with 

 a n.ew point of view. 



The weather tliis fall has been especially 

 advantageous for the preparation of bees 

 for winter. Judging from the volume of in- 

 quiries received for directions for packing, 

 Michigan beekeepers are preparing their 

 bees for a cold winter. As before, tele- 

 graphic reports will be sent to beekeepers, 

 informing them of the proper time to place 

 their bees in the cellar the latter part of the 

 month. A year ago a number of beekeepers 

 who wintered in cellars availed themselves 

 of this opportunity. 



It has been brought to our notice that ex- 

 service men may secure licenses from county 

 clerks for one dollar to sell house-to-house in 

 cities. This is due to an act of Congress 

 and holds good in all states according to 

 our information. Since so many ex-service 

 men are studying beekeeping throughout the 

 country this service should be of real value 

 to those who want to sell from house to 

 house. In this connection some members of 

 the Association have encountered difficulties 

 in selling their honey in cities outside their 

 own county. To settle the matter an opin- 

 ion was secured from the Attorney General, 

 which stated that so long as there was no 

 question as to the honey being taken from 

 diseased colonies, the beekeeper could sell 

 his own honey any place he could obtain a 

 market. 



Although the fall honey flow was below 

 average, few beekeepers in this locality 

 needed to feed for stores. There is a grow- 

 ing tendency among beekeepers to use the 

 Demuth feeder or even a deep hive-body 

 for winter stores. We are urging plenty of 

 Avell-ripened honey for stores in place of 

 feeding sugar syrup in excess. Many are 

 using the tarred-paper packing-ease this 

 winter. 



A schedule is now being prepared where- 

 bv two-day beekeepers' schools will be held 

 in approximately 30 counties during the 

 coming winter. Each year the attendance 

 at these county beekeepers' schools in- 

 creases. Manv beekeepers who can not 

 spend time to attend conventions and state 

 meetings will drive up to the county seat 

 to the two days' program. Through the co- 

 operation of the local papers these schools 



