1876 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



211 



were to be found in clivers places on the floor, 

 an1 hives, hoops, covers quilts, section boxes 

 etc., were mixed up in a fearful way with 

 plates, and pans, containinac bits Df comb hon- 

 ey that had been hastily put out of the way of 

 the bees that all hives might be as speedily 

 accommodated with boxes to receive the new 

 and unexpected yield of honey in Aug. Well 

 when the matter got so bad we could stand it 

 no longer, we made every thing clean and nice 

 except the dishes of bits of comb honey. How 

 we did wish we had directed the bees to put it 

 in tliose clean sections, instead of between the 

 frames and in out of the way crannies that had 

 to be cut out with so much labor. Well we 

 thought of the letters of friend Crane, and 

 Smitii, and finally took our dishes just about 

 sunset, and emptied them all in front of the 

 hives among the bees that were clustered out. 

 Instead of any robbing uext morning, we 

 found the honey all taken up clean, and still 

 further, we found them very busy talcing all 

 the new white comb, and before night the most 

 of that was carried into the hives. Further, a 

 plate of extracted honey was placed in front of 

 one hive, and that too was all taken np clean 

 before morning, and we rejoiced to see that col- 

 onies so fed, were as soon at work in the morn- 

 ing as any. To be sure this honey went into 

 the section boxes, for their hives are so full be- 

 low that they have no other place to put it. 

 Now who will help tell how many lbs of extd. 

 it takes to get one lb. of comb honey ? If fed 

 at the entrakce in the night, we think it will 

 in no way interfere with their labors during 



the day. 



— ^ ^^^ .^ 



[For Gleanings.] 

 THE SALE OF HONEY. 



^aq|lHTOR GLEANINGS :-Perhaps of the least inter- 

 f^^\ est to beginners, and of the most importance to the 

 older apiarists, is "the sale of honey." In an- 

 other envelope, I send you samples, in the way of adver- 

 tising, of afeic of my past efforts to dispose of my pro- 

 ductions. I am well aware that some of the statements 

 are as much as the truth will bear, but something must be 

 done to offset the "popular"' pi-ejudice against extracted 

 honey, if we expect to sell at all. I have spent money 

 enough to establish a fair sized apiary, in putting up hon- 

 ey in an attractive shape. I liave always ad^'ocated 

 building up a home demand, and at the same time have 

 built up my own ten fold. I made but little progress, 

 until I quit extracting uncapped comb. I claim that all 

 uncapped, extracted honey is more or less sour, or rank 

 (as many of our friends seem to think "sour honey," 

 means vinegar) and I am now afraid that my statement, 

 on my price list of "choice machine extracted honey," is 

 not quUe up to the whole truth. Too many honey produ- 

 cers are so "slack" as to let dealers buy their hone.y at 

 low figures, and after putting in proper shape, return it to 

 their own town to be sold out at fancy prices. I consider 

 a sale cf choice extracted honey at 1'2,'i cts. per lb. of more 

 value if to my nearest neighbor. This is my centennial 

 price at home, at retail. And less than I will ivholesale 

 at abroad, unless to jobbers. Thst price gives my neigh- 

 lx)rs no occasion to "keep a few bees .just for their own 

 use," and insures to raa^ growing home trade which is 

 already worth more than any other. "I am free to con- 

 fess" thit I have no desire to see my neighbors keei)ing 

 bees, for I find it hard enough to "get up the hill,"' as it 

 is. If I don't keep my own market supplied (and few bee- 

 keepers do) but go to shijiping away at 7 and Sc per lb., 



some one ought to keep bees, who would let the people 

 here enjoy honey at 20 per cent advance. We must not 

 wait for people to "come after honey," but must introduce 

 it at their doors, and charge them for our trouble. Hov/ 

 jvjuch honey could C. O. Perrine dispose of, if he kei)t still 

 and waited for orders. No sir, he keeps men and horses 

 busy in the city, binding honey to consumers to "taste," 

 and men and circulars going over the ro id, soli ;iting or- 

 ders from dealers. 



In Gleanings for August," 1S76, friend Heddon is 

 charged wi:h—\vell — something wrong probably, that he 

 did in S iranac, Mich. Well, here is a "era«rl-out." In 

 the first jj'ace I never was nearer Saranac, than Grand 

 Rapids. My books do not contain the word, Saranac. 

 Which either shows I never sold any honey there, or else 

 never charged it up, which would make it somewhat less 

 than 30c per lb. either way. :My agent says he never sold 

 any honey there, and never used the words "unripe" or 

 "sour." Finally, I wonder it there realty is any such 

 place as "Saranac"' at .all ; undoubtedly, there are lots of 

 K.'s wlio don't like the looks of their full name, on paper. 



If I really am, one of ane Colvin's box hive converts, as 

 Mr. Hill KNOWS is the case, just take me back into the 

 arms of "ilumididles" and new fangles, and ''rock me to 

 sleep." Colvin is undoubtedly in dead earnest, and prob- 

 ably thinks I am, from a reply I wrote to him. I wouldn't 

 fear to challenge his hive, with a candle box. Bro. Hill 

 can't you find any thing I may have dropped, to pick at, 

 without feeding on the tricks I am going to play ? My 

 time has not come yet, to describe this "boss" of boxes, 

 but just for your sake brother Hill, I will say noio that it 

 tvon^t beat a nail keg, for sucesscful wintering, but won't 

 y XI be so kind as to tell me what frame hive will, and 

 why/ Don't forget the "why." "iVoMiis"eh? Well of 

 course you know all about it, and I will give you plenty of 

 time to describe it, before I do. 



James Heddon, Dowagiac, Mich., Aug. 1st, '76. 



The printed circulars that our friend enclos- 

 ed, were truly — well, astonishing, and we fear 

 he acted on the principle that our "Young 

 America's" seem to think "business," namely ; 

 spending one half your capital in advertising 

 the other half. Perhaps as many fail in bus- 

 iness, from to much advertising, as from al- 

 most any one thing, and we believe the real 

 substantial men of our day, depend mostly 

 upon the goods they send out to bring custom- 

 ers for more of the same kind ; or at least, 

 that their adverti-seraents are of a very mod- 

 est character. "Spread Eagle" circulars, are 

 not an indication of a large and healthy bus- 

 ines. We fear our friend is swinging to the 

 opposite extreme, when he offers honey at 

 retail at 13/^^ cents, but his remarks in regard 

 to bringing our honey right before the people, 

 are certainly sound. We are told that even 

 now, our hotels in the cities, although their 

 tables are supplied with almost almost all the 

 rarities in the way of fruits and vegetables, 

 seldom have a bit of honey of any kind, and 

 we have heard the excuse given that they can- 

 not afford it, because there are always those 

 who will eat so much. 'Poor fellows" 

 did they never in their lives have honey 

 enough ? who will take some decisive 

 sieps to have honey on the tables of our hotels 

 the year round ? 



We supposed of course "K." kneio that the 

 iaouey was oftered for sale in jars with your 

 label on them. Will he please rise and ex- 

 plain ? We will take good care that you are 

 not unjustly blamed, friend H. 



