58 



EIGHTH ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE 



course the bairrels are easier to handle 

 than the cans, as the former can be 

 rolled, while the latter must be lifted 

 or slid around. 



The barrel as a package for extract- 

 ed honey has been more generally used 

 in the States of "Wisconsin and New 

 York. It seems that for a dry climate, 

 such as Colorado, California and other 

 "Western States the can is the only 

 safe receptacle for holding and ship- j 

 ping liquid extracted honey. Cans also ' 

 have another advantage, that they can I 

 be piled up one above another after | 

 being boxed. It is a rather difficult | 

 matter to pile up barrels of honey. 



Undoubtedly both the barrel and ' 

 can will always have their advocates. 

 It is a good deal in what one is accus- ; 

 tomed to using, especially in the; 

 climates of "Wisconsin and the Northern 

 and Eastern States. However, I be- 

 lieve the tin can is more generally 

 used today for extracted hpney than 

 ever before. If the honey-barrel ap- 

 pears in the market at all it usually 

 has come from apiaries of those who 

 began to put their honey in barrels 

 when they first started to produce ex- 

 tracted honey many years ago. Prac- 

 tically all the newer extracted honey 

 producers used cans at first and prob- 

 ably Avill continue to do so right along. 

 Of course, occasionally one who has 

 used barrels for a long time changes to 

 cans, especially after a few large losses 

 through leakage of the barrels through 

 the hoops loosening or coming off en- 

 tirely. 



The school of experience in honey- 

 shipping is very similar to that of 

 many others, in that the tuition comes 

 high. Unfortunately, however, the in- 

 nocent are called upon to bear the 

 loss, while those who are really the 

 first cauFe of it do not suffer at all. 

 By this I mean the purchaser of ex- 

 tracted honey in barrels has to stand 

 the loss, not knowing until after he 

 has paid for the honey that there was 

 any danger of loss through leakage. 



But, of course, the proper prepara- 

 tion of comb honey for shipment is 

 the main thing to be considered. There 

 is seldom very much risk in shipping 

 extracted honey, no matter in what 

 kind of receptacle, as often it is gran- 

 ulated before sending to the wholesale 

 market, and thus there is no danger of 

 loss whatever. It is very different with 

 comb honey. The delicate combs are 

 so easily broken, especially if shipped 

 in cool weather. This is one reason 



•^hy comb honey should be sent to 

 riiarket bebore the temperature gets as 

 low as the freezing point. In fairly 

 Warm weather the comb is rather 

 tough, and seems to withstand consid- 

 jbrable jolting; but in cold weather It 

 ildoesn't take very much, of a jar to 

 'cause the combs to break out of the 

 sections. Unfortunately, also, a good 

 many bee-keepers don't use bottom- 

 starters in sections, so that the combs 

 are not fastened on all four sides. 

 Where the sections'" are plumb full of 

 honey, and the comb well attached on 

 all sides it would be almost impossible 

 to break any of them out of the sec- 

 tions, no matter how much the honey 

 was bumped around on its way to 

 market. 



Of course, where comb honey is 

 shipped by the carload, and the cases 

 are properly fastened in the car, the 

 combs running parallel with the rail- 

 road track, it is very seldom that any 

 of the combs are broken. In loading a 

 car it is well to have straw or hay or 

 excelsior at the ends of the car, so 

 that the sudden stopping or starting 

 will not cause breakage. It is not 

 necessary to have any packing in the 

 bottom of the car, but it would be well 

 to lay down paper first so as to keep 

 the honey cases clean. Paper or can- 

 vas should also be put over the tops of 

 the cases after the car is loaded, so as 

 to keep dust and soot from soiling the 

 top row of cases. It pays to keep 

 everj'thing nice and clean in connec- 

 tion with comb honey. Appearance 

 goes a long way in getting the right 

 price for it. Do the best we may, still 

 the cases are bound to show the effects 

 of handling. 



This paper is perhaps, long enough, 

 and if most of the important points 

 have not been covered in it there are 

 no doubt plenty of honey-producers 

 and experts here who will add anything 

 that I have omitted to mention. 



George W. York. 



Chicago, 111., Nov. 10. 1908. 



Dr. MHpfr: Mr. President, Mr. York 

 is mistal^n if he thinks I am going to 

 make up a remark he forgot. You 

 can have six or eight. 



Mr. Holekamp: I would like to re- 

 mark this, I would never advise a bee- 

 keeper to put less than eight cases 

 in a crate, rather more than less. A 

 crate will be handled by pulling it, or 

 two men getting hold of it. If there is 

 less in a crate they will roll it like a 



