22 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 1 



others. Cardboard boxes inlaid with wax 

 paper are also used, but they are not relia- 

 ble for shipping. 



I must now consider the last point, name- 

 ly, the sale of honey. I am well aware of 

 the fact that the bee-keepers of the United 

 States worry over the disposal of their prod- 

 uct. It seems that not all succeed in selling 

 their honey easily, rapidly, and advantage- 

 ously. What are the reasons for this ? 

 Certainly not overproduction. This does not 

 exist in any country under the sun, and sure- 

 ly not in this country. There are hundreds 

 of thousands, nay, almost millions of fam- 

 ilies, which are totally unacquainted with 

 the taste of honey; others may know it, but 

 have had it presented to them in such a 

 shape that they prefer corn syrup. The 

 duty of acquainting the population of all 

 classes with the products of our apiaries is 

 incumbent upon the bee-keepers themselves. 

 It is their duty to show that honeyis ex- 

 tremely wholesome and useful. It is the 

 duty of bee-keepers to teach families to con- 

 sider honey not merely in the light of a 

 dainty, but as a necessary article of food. 

 One of the principal requirements for the 

 booming of any article is the presentation 

 of it to the consumer in good quality and 

 the most attractive form. Honey is no ex- 

 ception to this rule. Probably the principal 

 part in the popularization of honey must be 

 played by those bee-keepers or retail deal- 

 ers who peddle the honey from house to 

 house. The success of these people depends 

 upon their own ability and cleverness. In 

 order to obtain a large circle of customers 

 they must not only give a half-way decent, 

 but a very attractive appearance to their 

 wares. I remember what a Russian bee- 

 keeper said on the subject: "What's the 

 use," he said, "of going fishing without 

 bait? Not a sucker will catch on to a bare 

 hook for his particular pleasure any more 

 than he would walk ashore and jump into 

 the frying-pan." Mr. Smith was perfectly 

 right in his remarks made in the Bee-keep- 

 er's Review, when he said: 



Don't ask them if, they " want to buy some honey." 

 Of course they don't until ?/om make t/ejw want what 

 you have, and then they will buy without asking. 



Honey packed in such attractive boxes 

 will prove a sufficient bait for the buyer, 

 and may be its own inducement for him to 

 purchase it. 



It is to be regretted that the illustrations 

 can not convey an adequate idea of the 

 striking appearance and the richness of col- 

 oring of the boxes in reality, for they are 

 really beautiful articles, and the best con- 

 fectioners and stores in the Russian capitals 

 are not above carrying them. These boxes 

 are as cohvenient as they are pretty. They 

 may be properly served on the table without 

 removing the honey. If their contents have 

 been only partly used, the remainder may be 

 very conveniently set aside for future use, 

 the boxes being provided with hinged lids, 

 which may be easily opened or closed. 

 Neither dust nor the bothersome flies can 

 get at them. Honey in this shape makes a 



nice present for children, or adult friends 

 and relatives. It may be easily taken along 

 on a trip or for picnics, where it is bound to 

 be an attractive ornament of the improvised 

 table. 



In conclusion I would say that what I 

 have written was not with the object of fill- 

 ing up space in this journal. I desire that 

 this method of producing and packing honey 

 be adopted. The fact that the suggestion 

 comes from Ru.=sia will do no harm. I am 

 sure that you will approve it, once you have 

 tried it. 



[This method of putting up comb honey 

 has much to recommend it, and could it 

 once get a foothold in this country it might 

 help the bee-keeper who has difficulty in 

 producing a Fancy or ^No. 1 comb honey to 

 get a fancy price for his product put up in 

 this form. At all events it strikes me Tas 

 being the best solution of the chunk -honey 

 problem. It would have all its advantages 

 with none of the bad features. The rapidly 

 increasing scarcity of basswood for sections 

 may in time force us to adopt something of 

 this kind. — Ed.] 



QUEENS MATING MORE THAN ONCE. 



Evidence that They Do; Overstocking; Priority 



Rights to Location ; Baby Nuclei— a 



Caution Concerning. 



BY J. E. CHAMBERS. 



In Gleanings during the past year I have 

 noted many things of uncommon interest to 

 me. As a specialist I have been more inter- 

 ested, perhaps, than some who keep bees 

 only as a side issue. Nevertheless, I am per- 

 suaded that the subjects under the above 

 heading possess an abiding interest to many 

 besides myself. This belief has induced me 

 to undertake the task of telling the results 

 of my own observations, along with other 

 things as they appear to my mind. For quite 

 a long time after reading the articles of Prof. 

 Benton and others regarding the second mat- 

 ing of queens, I had my doubts, thinking that 

 perhaps a mistake had been made in some or 

 all of the observations mentioned. However, 

 within the last month some things have come 

 under my notice that incline me to change 

 my opinion very materially, and to place no 

 manner of doubt on the assertion that they 

 do sometimes, at least, mate more than once. 

 It is true that, in this particular case, I did 

 not note any indication of a second mating; 

 but I did observe two succeeding flights of 

 at least ten minutes' duration, and I am seri- 

 ously of the opinion that she did not fly out 

 these two last times for an airing, nor for 

 wing exercise. The circumstances connect- 

 ed with these observations were such that all 

 my faculties were under requisition, and I 

 know positively that no mistake was possible. 



On the 25th of last September I sold a 

 friend a very fine and promising young Car- 

 niolan breeder— such a queen as I had never 

 seen before, and bees the gentlest I have 



