254 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 15 



for he seems to be quite an adept at it al- 

 ready. — Ed.] 



«»»»»«« • ■ 



LOAVEK FREIGHT RATES ON HONEY. 



How to Prepare the Honey for Shipment; 

 New or Second-hund Packages: Impor- 

 tance of Bottom Startei's: Some Good 

 Suggestions from a Honey-huyer. 



BY FRED W. :\IUTH. 



At the annual convention of the National 

 Bee-keepers' Association held at San Anto- 

 nio, Texas, in November, there was a com- 

 mittee appointed to secure, if possible, lower 

 freight rates on honey. Being one of the 

 committee in question 1 wish to make an ex- 

 planation in behalf of the recognized high 

 freight rates, and then point out to bee-keep- 

 ers the steps that must be taken in order that 

 the committee appointed may be successful. 



We are dealers in both comb and extract- 

 ed honey, and in the course of a year receive 

 many carloads as well as innumerable small 

 shipments. In one year's time we ai"e obliged 

 to enter many claims with the railroad com- 

 panies, and are subjected to experiences 

 which enable me to write intelligently upon 

 this subject. 



I am informed by a railroad official that 

 the Classification Committee determine their 

 classitications on an average, based upon the 

 number of claims and the amount of money 

 expended for damages incurred en route in 

 the course of one year; therefore it may 

 be plainly seen that the shippers are respon- 

 sible for the exorbitant freight charges im- 

 posed upon them, and lower rates need not 

 be expected until the losses paid by the trans- 

 portation companies have reached the very 

 minimum. Consequently we must help our- 



IN THE S()UTH^-.JANUARY, AND A I'l-; A( 'H-Ti; l-;i 

 "FULL, BLOW." 

 See Bee-keeping in the Southwest, on another page. 



"AGERITES" — BERRERIS TUTFOLIATA: 



YIELDS MUCH POLLEN IN FEBRUARY. 

 See Bee-keeping in the Southwest, on another iiage. 



selves by learning how to ship our honey. 

 Other industries have done it; why not we? 

 Take, for example, the packages used by the 

 sugar-refineries. They are perfect, as well 

 as those of the coffee-importers, cereal-man- 

 ufacturers, and others that I could mention. 

 They were compelled to work, and work 

 hard, in order to bring their 

 losses down to the minimum, and 

 soon discovered that it was abso- 

 lutely necessary to use perject 

 paekages and nothing else. They 

 now have the advantage of low- 

 er freight rates than the honey- 

 shipper. 



In order to accomplish our 

 aim to secure lower rates, we 

 must, without one exception, ship 

 both comb and extracted honey 

 in first- class packages. Brother 

 bee-keeper, if you are raising 

 comb honey for the market, by 

 all means use bottom as well as 

 toji Marters in your sections, so 

 that the honey can not break 

 loose at the bottom. This is the 

 first and a very impoi'tant step 

 to be taken. Furthermore, be 

 sure to use the no-drip shipping- 

 case. Wrap each case in paper, 

 so that it will be kept clean en 

 route. Pack six or eight cases 

 into one carrier well supplied 

 with straw in the bottom, and 

 having ^handles that will extend 



