THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3415, 29 August 1919, Page 9

THE APIARY.

By J. A,

USE OF PETROL TINS FOR EXPORT HONEY. As is well known to beekeepers, the use of petrol tins ior export honey is against tho regulations; but owing to tiie extreme price ol tin during war time, the regulations were relaxed trom season to season. Ihe department lias now notined its graders and tile beekeepers generally that, owing to the railing vaiue or tin and trie prospect that new tins will be moderate in price next season that no relaxation will talce place lor tne IiMO season, and that, consequently, nonoy packed in: petrol tins will- not pays tne grader tor export. I don't think many oeelvnepers will regret this. To see "Big Jree" stamped on a tin oi honey may not alter the flavour of the honey it the tin has been properly cleaned, but, to say tho least, it is tuggesuve of possibilities. Mr 1. W. Kirk, the head of the Department of Horticulture, says in a letter m the Journal: "I was recently at the Palmerston North Show, and found ihat one of the export cases entered lor competition contained two tins, both oi which were prominently branded 'Big Tree Benzine.' i purposely stood near tnis exhibit for nearly one hour, listening io the remarks made by the visitors. The packing of honey in petrol tinsmet with very severe condemnation indeed, quite a nunv.ber stating that that would put them off honey for many a day. If this ia the view of colonials, what must we expect trom English people, who naturally expect high-grade honey to be got up in the verybest style?'" We cannot but regret the waste of these tins, but there is no getting away from the fact that benzine and honey do not associate well together, and we think Mr Kirk is quite right in putting an end to their use for this purpose. We hope beekeepers will take note, and not go to the expense of stocking these tins. Ihe notice is timely, and it is not likely that either the "H.P.A." or the "National" will lend any help to any agitation for the purpose of securing their use for another season. As Mr E. G. Ward, of Christchurch, has elsewhere suggested, here is a chance for the H.P.A. Why not get these tins manufactured in. a wholesale way, and distributed from ,the various centres, putting out a 561 b tin with screw top, getting them all made to a pattern and embossed with tho H.P.A. brand, and made specially suitable for honey. "They'might go further, and make the cases, giving the accurate dimensions, and having the ends stencilled by machine, as is done in the case of butterboxes. The possibilities along this line will, we have no doubt, immediately suggest themselves to the management of the H.P.A., and would certainly tend very much in the direction of a uniform get up, which means so much on the market. Anyone visiting our grading stores and seeing the mixed get up that is and has during the past two seasons been passing through them will appreciate the change that could be made in this way. This is one of the changes that wa had pictured as naturally following the opening of grading depots of our own, where the H.P.A. would do all the packing and where the receiving and delivering of honey would be done in a business-like way, and where the produce would be prepared and go on to the market as honey. Just think of it. "Honey" is the name of our produce—a name to conjure with, —and we put it up in a tin embossed "Big Tree Benzine."" "With a name like_ honey, and a golden queen bee for a brand, what an opportunity for Mr Rylands and the H.P.A. to send from our shores a product that would have sweet suggestions wherever/ it went. The very thought of it puts one into poetic mood.