108 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



OOMFOBTS AND DISCOMFOETS. 



We don't know as there is any necessity of 

 using any great amount of space in sum- 

 ming up the comforts mentioned by our 

 correspondents. One thought comes to us, 

 however. If one l)ee keeper had all of the 

 conveniences mentioned, he would be rather 

 over-burdened with comforts. AVhat would 

 be a comfort to one might be a discomfort 

 to another. For instance, we have often 

 thought of making a sort of combined seat 

 and tool box, as mentioned by some of the 

 friends, but when we thought of the everlast- 

 ing task of lugging it around with us, its 

 construction was postponed. In our own 

 apiary, the honey house is in the center, and 

 all the thousand and one little articles are 

 kept there ; and we think it less trouble to 

 go after each one when it is needed, than to 

 carry them all around with us all of the 

 time. However, each must study himself, 

 his surroundings and the conditions under 

 which he labors, and then adopt those im- 

 plements, conveniences and methods best 

 suited to the circumstances. We feel sure, 

 however, that all will get some ideas upon 

 this subject from a perusal of the present 

 issue. 



We must say that we are inclined to look 

 with favor upon the dress described by 

 A. C. Miller. There is nothing "slouchy" 

 about it : in fact, we have always admired 

 the appearance of men similarly dressed, 

 upon the "diamond " playing our " Nation- 

 al game." A helmet might answer very 

 well when no veil is worn. A straw hat 

 keeps the veil out from the sides of the face. 

 It also shades the sides of the face a little 

 more perfectly. 



HOW GOOD EXTRACTED HONEY SHALL 

 WE RAISE ? 



We think that we could count upon our 

 fingers the number of bee-keepers who be- 

 lieve that honey extracted when green is 

 equal to that ripened by the bees, or can 

 ever be made its equal. The number is cer- 

 tainly small. We think no scientific tests 

 are needed to decide whether honey ripened 

 by the bees is superior. This is one of those 

 practical questions that any one can decide. 

 Simply taste of the two kinds, and notice 

 which has the finer flavor. Many of those 

 who produce extracted honey in large quan- 

 tities, extracting before it is thorouyhly ri- 



pened, admit that such honey is inferior, as 

 a table sauce, to that ripened by the bees, 

 but say they cannot afford to produce the 

 best article possible. It costs more, but 

 will sell for no more in the general market, 

 so they say. We believe this is true. We 

 wish it were not, but the first step towards 

 remedying an undesirable condition is its 

 recognition. The raising of extracted hon- 

 ey to be shipped away for some commission 

 man to sell, is much like making butter to 

 be sold at a country store. All brings the 

 same price. There is little incentive to pro- 

 duce a superior article. White extracted 

 honey brings so much, dark so much. The 

 honey with the fine, delicate flavor, the thor- 

 oughly bee-ripened, well preserved, superior 

 article will not bring one cent more in the 

 general market. We wish it were not true, 

 but isn't it? Perhaps, for manufacturing 

 purposes, there is no advantage in having 

 such a superior article, and perhaps there is, 

 we don't know, but for a table sauce there is. 

 The only hope for the man whe raises a 

 decidedly superior article, is in seeking his 

 customers. Perhaps some will say that it is 

 our duty to advise all to raise, even for the 

 general market, the very best honey. If 

 such advice would cause all to raise only 

 such honey, we would gladly give it, and we 

 honestly believe that such a condition of 

 affairs would be a benefit to the bee business, 

 but when so many are putting upon the 

 market honey that is pvetty good, how can 

 we urge a man to go to the additional ex- 

 pense of raising the very best honey, when it 

 would be done at a loss ? If H'e were rais- 

 ing extracted honey here in Michigan, we 

 sh juld produce the best, and then seek oitr 

 customers; but more of this in the next issue. 



APIARIAN DISPLAY AT THE COMING INTERNA- 

 TIONAL EXHIBITION IN DETROIT. 



The Exposition, at Detroit, last fall, was a 

 grand show— worth going many miles to see. 

 Although we were present during the whole 

 time, and went about considerably, we came 

 upon fresh wonders every hour. We often 

 thought how Bro. Root, of Gleanings, would 

 have enjoyed this Exposition, and what a 

 " write up " he would have given it. With 

 the experience of the past to guide them, the 

 managers are putting forth great efforts to 

 eclipse their former attractions. 



The premiums offered in the apiarian de- 

 partment are very liberal. The list as ap- 



