FIFTY YEAKS AMONG THE .BEES 275 



on commission. Judgment must be used as to limiting commis- 

 sion men to a certain price. Some commission men will sell off 

 promptly at any price offered, and when sending to such men 

 it is best to name a certain figure, below which the honey must 

 not be sold. I have sold in my home market, as well as in 

 towns near by, and have shipped to nine of the principal 

 cities, and it would be an impossibility for me to say what 

 would be my best market next year. Prices vary according to 

 the yield in different parts of the country. If shipping to a 

 distant point in cold weather, I keep up a hot fire to warm 

 the honey twenty-four hours before shipping. If very cold 

 I wait for a warm spell. 



LOADING SECTIONS WHEN SHIPPING. 



On a wagon, the length of a section should run across the 

 wagon — on a car, lengthwise of the car. Convenience of pack- 

 jng in a wagon, however, is of first consideration, for with 

 careful driving it matters little which way the sections are 

 placed. On the other hand, no matter what the inconvenience, 

 I would have the sections in a railroad car so that when a 

 heavy bump comes the sections must take it endwise. I always 

 prefer, if possible, to load the honey directly' into the car my- 

 self. Then I know that it will carry well unless the engine 

 does an unreasonable amount of bumping. 



PACKING SECTIONS IN A CAR. 



Very likely a number of cases of honey packed in a crate 

 do not need any special care in loading; but if I can make sure 

 that the honey will go through to its destination without any 

 reloading, I prefer to put the cases in the car one by one. If 

 the number of cases is so small that there is no need to pile one 

 case on another, then the cases are put in one end of the car 

 and kept in place by a strip of common inch lumber nailed on 

 the floor. If there are enough cases so they must be tiered 

 up, then the lower tier has a strip nailed on the floor as be- 

 fore, but each of the upper tiers is fastened differently. On 

 each side of the car is nailed a cleat to support a fence-board 

 which runs across the width of the ear, resting flat like a shelf 



