1907 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



687 



We are pained to record the death of Ju- 

 lius Hoffman, the inventor of the frame bear- 

 ing his name, at his home near Canajoharie, 

 N. Y. We received notice of this too late 

 for further comment in this issue. 



Don't he discouraged, even if the season 

 has been backward and you have lost many 

 colonies, With a lot of hives and good 

 combs, many of them containing stores, you 

 can very soon, by dividing, get back your 

 bees, even if you don't get much of a crop. 

 Give the bees a chance. 



LATEST FROM CALIFORNIA. 



Just as we go to press with this form, late 

 reports, both from Central and Southern 

 California, are somewhat discouraging. 

 There may be a fair crop from both sections, 

 and there may be an entire failure. The 

 next few days will tell the tale. Some of 

 our Southern States seem to have had a se- 

 vere setback by the backward season. 



DR. BIGELOW PRESIDENT OF THE AGASSIZ 

 ASSOCIATION. 



Our esteemed friend Prof. Edward F. Bige- 

 low has just been elected to the presidential 

 chair of the Agassiz Association, a world- 

 wide organization having for its object the 

 popularization of nature study and outdoor 

 science. In connection with the election of 

 Dr. Bigelow it has been decided to erect a 

 building for a permanent headquarters for 

 the society, and in addition a museum, library, 

 and a model school of nature study, all to be 

 located in Stamford, Conn. 



It ought to be stated that the Agassiz As- 

 sociation is not a combination of scientists, 

 but, rather, a collection of people who are 

 endeavoring to extend their knowledge of 

 animated nature; and it rather aims to inter- 

 est ordinary every-day people who wish to 

 educate themselves along such lines. The 

 work is particularly interesting to teachers. 



We are certain of one thing, Dr. Bigelow 

 will not neglect the study of bees in connec- 

 tion with the work he has undertaken, and 

 an apiary will surely form a prominent part 

 of any nature-study enterprise with which he 

 has to do. For this I'eason, and the fact we 

 are well acquainted with the doctor personal- 

 ly, we wish the Association every success. 



Those who may be interested in this kind 

 of work, and who desire more information, 

 should apply to Dr. Bigelow, Stamford, Conn. , 

 for all particulars. 



GRADING RULES. 



One of the difficulties met in the honey 

 market is the lack of uniform grading-rules 

 and rules governing the sales of honey 

 throughout the United States. The well- 

 known Colorado I'ules have been adopted by 

 nearly all dealei's and bee-keepers in that 

 State, whether members of the Colorado as- 

 sociations or not, and these rules are pretty 

 well known in many of the Eastern markets. 

 Throughout the East and other sections of 



the United States, however, various other 

 rules, adopted either by the National or local 

 associations, are employed; and in the absence 

 of a definite agreement between shipper and 

 buyer a great deal of trouble arises at times. 

 Our attention is brought to the work of the 

 Produce Reporter Co., of Chicago, in a let 

 ter received, under date of April 5, from 

 Frank Rauchfuss, Denver, as follows: 



As you will see by the enclosed booklet, this com- 

 pany covers most of the trade that is interested in the 

 handling of honey io a jobbing way; and by getting 

 them to adopt grading-rules which will be just to the 

 producer as well as the dealer, and sufficiently elastic 

 to cover every section of the United States, a great 

 good will be done to the bee-keeping industry, because 

 alongside of better prices, what we need very much 

 a sufficient protection of the shipper against the dis- 

 honest commission man and jobber. I take the liber- 

 ty of calling your attention to this, as I know you have 

 the best interest of the producer at heart. 



We quote also from the booklet referred to: 



TRADING RULES AND GRADES. 



These are published in our credit-book for the gov 

 ernment of contracts between subscribers. Subscrib- 

 ers are expected, as far as possible, to insist also upon 

 the agreement to these rules by all of their customers. 

 This is accomplished by publishing on their stationery 

 and by incorporating in their quotations or orders 



All contracts governed by Produce Reporter Co.'s 

 Rules and Grades." 



GRADE-TERMS ARE DEFINED 



upon potatoes, apples, cabbage, beans, peaches, or- 

 anges, tomatoes, etc. 



TRADE-TERMS ARE DEFINED 



such as "prompt shipment," "quick shipment," 

 carload," etc. 



RULES GOVERNING 



'F. O. B. sales," " weights," what constitutes accept- 

 ance, joint accounts, "Advance on consignments," 

 payment of brokers, brokerage rates on different prod- 

 ucts, etc., are plainly laid down. 



ADJUSTING RULES 



and ways to handle rejected shipments equitably to 

 both the shipper and receiver are provided. These 

 are published in the "Credit-book." 



AMENDMENTS AND ADDITIONS 



will be made to meet the experience and growing re- 

 quirements of subscribers. 



I |The columns of Gleanings are open to 

 any suggestions from parties along this line. 



REPORTS OF WINTERING AND SPRINGING 



CALLED FOR; THEIR BEARING ON 



THE MARKET. 



We shall be pleased to get reports of the 

 condition of the bees over the country gen- 

 erally. It is very important to know the 

 exact actual conditions, as they necessarily 

 have a strong bearing on the market. In 

 this connection bee-keepers should realize 

 that it is a serious thing, in that it reacts like 

 a tremendous boomerang, to make out the 

 situation for their localities worse than it re- 

 ally is; for while this has a tendency to stift"- 

 en the market tenijjorarily the result is al- 

 most sure to be disastrous in the end. The 

 effort to bull the market by giving out the 

 information that " there is no honey in sight, ' ' 

 "season a failure," etc , after a fair crop has 

 actually been obtained, is sure to demoralize 

 prices later on. When that unexpected crop 

 begins to unload on the market, then it is 

 that the market begins to tumble, buyers be- 

 come panicky, with the result that they will 

 put prices clear down, where they will stay. 



