THE BEE-KEEPERS" REVIEW 



219 



cage. This drew immense crowds, so 

 much so that I believe the managers of 

 the speed department objected to it on 

 the ground that it drew the crowds 

 away from the race track. Immense 

 quantities of honey were sold at fancy 

 prices. 



There are still other ways of solving 

 this problem and a most excellent one is 

 very graphically described by Arthur 

 C. . ).ier, in the American Bee-Keeper. 

 Mr. Miller tells the story as follows: 



If one may be permitted to judge by 

 the pictures of honey exhibits, the evi- 

 dent aim of the exhibitors was to see 

 how fantastic a block hous they could 

 construct from sections anc'' bottles of 

 honey and beeswax. The policy of 

 the managers of the average agricul- 

 tural and similar fairs or exhibitions 

 is largely responsible for such exhibits, 

 as their premium lists call for best or 

 largest display, etc., and rarely is the 

 exhibitor permitted to sell his mer- 

 chandise. 



A few far-sighted managers permit 

 exhibitors to sell and deliver goods, 

 provided their display for pr'zes is not 

 disturbed. The object of the^e societies 

 iS to encourage the industries, and the 

 selling of such merchandise as honey 

 at such ]tlaces is the best way to in- 

 troduce it to new consumers; in other 

 words, to encourage them by enabling 

 the bee-keepers to find a market for 

 their produce. Some energetic bee- 

 men buy space with selling privileges 

 at fairs and shows and make a profit 

 on the t*-' nsaction besides getting hold 

 of a lot ol' permanent customers. 



I propose here to tell the experience 

 and methods of two men who are in the 

 business. At the beginning I wish to 

 impress upon the reader that , men 

 and their clerks were total str'...gers to 

 the public whose trade they were 

 "soliciting. Their first step was o hire 

 about twenty feet of counter space at a 

 large fair, paying $2.00 pei- lineal foot. 

 Against the wall they had shelves for 

 Exhibits, :>jid part of the counter was 

 used for ^.ie ,^ame purpose. The ex- 

 hibits were desig^ned especiall}' to ar- 

 rest attention. Modern and old style 

 hives were d i spi "•"'''' . ^^ ■>l' 



honey extractor anu a nu?,!,,^]^ . jees 

 in I glass hive. Comb hcicj vvas dis- 

 played in ^.^ises made to take but one 

 row of sections. This gave T/'. ^ • 'dis- 

 play and took up small space. Enough 

 loose sections werei kept about lor 



ready sale, the reserve supply being 

 stacked under the counter. 



Extracted honey was shown in bot- 

 tles, but only a limited number of fidl 

 bottles (jars) were shijjped to the fair, 

 just enough to make the initiiil dis]>lay. 

 Cases of washed jars were sent, and 

 honey in cans ready to pour into jars, 

 and each day before the opening ot the 

 fair the clerks filled enough jars for 

 the day's trade. All this was to save 

 in cost of packing, transportation and 

 risk of breakage. 



Little is new thus far, but now comes 

 the vital part of their whole campaign. 

 On the counter were two glass dishes 

 of extracted honey, in each of which 

 rested a long-handled, small-bowled 

 spoon, such as is used at soda foun- 

 tains. Also two plates with combs of 

 honey, a dish of granulated honey, a 

 plate of long narrow rolls, fresh and 

 light, and a dish of crackers. The 

 kind of crackers is of the utmost im- 

 portance. They must be crisp, large 

 enough to handle easily and small 

 enough and of such shape as to be put 

 into the mouth whole. Furthermore, 

 these crackers must be very slightly 

 salt, because such saltness brings out 

 the flavor of the honey and overcomes 

 the excessive sweetness which so clo3's 

 the palate of many persons. A cracker 

 known to the trade as the "Longfel- 

 low" possesses these qualities to a 

 nicety, and one cracker broken across 

 the middle makes two pieces of just the 

 proper size. 



The use of small sticks or toothpicks 

 to sample honey with were abomina- 

 tions these people would not tolerate. 

 Not onl3' would such sticks litter the 

 floor when thrown away after use, but 

 the mere suggestion of a toothpick in 

 connection with a honey sample was 

 repulsive. If the reader doubts this, 

 just try the toothpick way and the 

 cracker way; five people will refuse 

 the stick to one who will refuse a 

 cracker. 



Everything was kept exquisitely 

 clean. No dust was allowed to accumu- 

 late, no stickiness permittee^ any- 

 where, and whenever a dish of honej' 

 began to look untidy by reason of 

 honey getting on the edges, a clean one 

 wassubstituted. Clear, uncolored glass 

 and white plates were used. Clean 

 white cloth was used for wiping up 

 any stickiness, wiping dishes, etc., and 

 whenever a cloth began to look soiled 

 it was thro": - away. If a customer's 

 fingers got sticky a clean, damp cloth 

 was offered. In other words, every- 



