SHIPPING CASES 261 



co-operation is a great advantage in reaching a profitable market. 



In the eastern States there are few localities where a profit- 

 able market for large quantities of honej cannot be developed 

 within fifty to one hundred miles. Methods of developing local 

 markets will be considered more in detail under " Advertising 

 Methods." 



Shipping Cases. — Comb honey is a perishable product and 

 considerable care is necessary to see that it is packed in such 

 shape that it will stand the rough handling necessary to ship- 

 ment and reach its destination in presentable condition. If 

 the average bee-keeper could spend a day in some large ware- 

 house where large amounts of honey are being received and take 

 note of the number of cases that arrive in broken and leaking 

 condition he would not be surprised at many of the poor returns 

 from shipments. A single broken section may spoil the appear- 

 ance of a whole case by dripping over the remainder which may 

 be in otherwise good condition. So much irritation arises in 

 making settlements for honey that arrives in bad condition that 

 many responsible firms refuse to handle it at all. Then again 

 dishonest firms take advantage of the fact that honey is so com- 

 monly damaged in shipment to report as damaged goods that 

 really arrive in good condition. 



Wood shipping cases holding twenty-four sections are the 

 most common as yet. The corrugated paper in bottom of case 

 offers the advantage of apparently greater safety to the honey 

 and does not add greatly to the cost. The paper will absorb 

 much of the shock of rough handling as well as part of the leak- 

 age of broken sections. 



It is very desirable that comb honey sent to market should 

 be enclosed in paper cartons. This offers several advantages. 

 The section is kept clean and free from dust and also retains 

 all its own leakage, thus saving the loss resulting from soiling 

 other sections. 



Corrugated paper shipping cases have also been tried to 

 some extent but as yet have not been widely used. Their value 



