40 A. AND M. COLLEGE APIARY. 



Standard Packages. 



Up to 1902, many sizes and varieties of honey cans had been used, 

 when the Texas Bee Keepers' Association adopted as standard sized cans 

 the three, six, twelve and sixty pound cans. In shipping, the three and 

 six pound cans are crated in cases of sixty pounds each; while the twelve 

 and sixty pound cans are crated in cases of 120 pounds. This standard 

 should be strictly adhered to to prevent confusion in weights by custo- 

 mers and shippers. 



MARKETING HONEY. 



For those who are not extensive producers of honey, it is best to create 

 and depend upon a local market. Honey is esteemed a delicacy, and in 

 every locality some buyers will be found. If the bee keeper will maintain 

 strict cleanliness in all his work, offer for sale only honey of erood flavor 

 thoroughly ripened, and advertise to a small extent, he will have no 

 trouble in building up a local trade at good prices. Of course he should 

 at all times give full or liberal weight when making sales, and at all 

 times be perfectly straightforward and make no misrepresentations. 

 These points are essential to success in any line of business. Where 

 the crop is so heavy that it cannot be disposed of locally, the honey can 

 be sold to the various firms who make a business of buying in a whole- 

 sale way, and who ship direct to the retailers. In other words, these 

 firms are "honey jobbers," and must not be confused with commission 

 men. The jobber buys at a specified price and makes his profit by selling 

 again at an advanced price. The commission man sells the honey for the 

 producer and charges a certain commission for his services. Of the 

 former there are several reliable firms in our State, and one or two very 

 unreliable ones. On the whole, however, it is better to sell outright to 

 the jobber than to ship to commission men, unless, of course, the finan- 

 cial standing and reputation for honesty of the latter are unquestioned. 

 The commission man often has the opportunity, and often does get 

 for the bee keeper a higher price than if the honey had been sold to the 

 jobber, but in many cases he also receives a lower price. Many extensive 

 bee keepers find it profitable to work up a trade with grocers and others 

 in distant as well as local towns, thereby combining the work of pro- 

 duction with that of wholesaling, and getting the profits of both. 



BEES WAX. 



Bees wax is a product of the bees, and makes up the larger part of the 

 constituents of the comb. When the necessity for comb building occurs 

 in the hive, as at the approach of the swarming season and the honey 

 flow, a greater or lesser number of bees gorge themselves with honey 

 and cluster from the top of trie hive or upon the comb, remaining quietly 

 for some time. Presently (varying from one-half to three days, accord- 

 ing to different authorities) little scales of wax appear upon the under 

 side of the abdomen, being the resulting secretion of certain glands 

 located at that point. These minute scales are then taken probably 

 in the majority of cases by other bees, and carried to the newly building 

 cells. Here, by being thoroughly worked up and mixed with secretions, 

 they are added to the foundation, to make the complete comb, or built 



