1896 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



227 



flavor from such wax at a temperature below 165°. 

 Of I'ourse, "chunk lioney" and "old discarded 

 combs," as you say, when melted would jield honey 

 "off"' in both color and flavor; but that comes 

 from stains, cocoons, and bee-bread. 



I will repeat the experiment when 1 can get some 

 good white extracted honey; or, if you could send 

 me 3 or 4 lbs. each of, say, two varieties, and charge 

 to me, I would do it forthwith. R. L. Taylor. 



Lapeer, Mich., March o. 



Just as soon as I had read the first few Hues 

 of the above letter, and before I could know 

 what his eownf was, I laid his manuscript down 

 and picked up the Ainertcaii Bee Journal, and 

 forthwith began checking the votes. When 

 through I found the results to tally exactly 

 with Mr. Taylor's. Well, this is a good one on 

 the doctor. I did not suppose he ever looked 

 through the eyes of prejudice. 



You seem a little surprised to think that I 

 did not look up the question-box referred to, 

 and verify the result myself. Why, I simply 

 assumed that the doctor was right, because I 

 have never been able to catch him on figures 

 or statistics. 



In regard to heating honey, I shall be very 

 happy indeed to send you samples for you to 

 try. Very possibly the results will tally with 

 your former experiments. If so, no one will be 

 more pleased to acknowledge it than I. 



But I was a little taken back at what you 

 said in the Bee-keepers' Review, after referring 

 to the experiment, regarding my footnotes in 

 general, to the effect that they are written "on 

 the spur of the moment," " without thought," 

 etc. Inasmuch as you imply that yonr feelings 

 were " harrowed," I take it you would not have 

 expressed yourself thus unless you were smart- 

 ing under what you considered an unfair liing 

 from me. At all events, I am not thin-skinned, 

 and am quite willing to receive criticism, and 

 to make the best of it, eveu though, in this 

 case, I feel that your strictures wen; overdrawn 

 in view of the hundreds of letters taking the 

 contrary view. 



If you could have had before you what I 

 wrote later in regard to honey-heating, and too 

 which you reply above, I am rather of the 

 opinion that your statements would have been 

 considerably modified. Of course, you do not 

 forget that I have spoken highly of your ex- 

 periments and the results secured, even if I 

 have at times criticised. I shall continue to 

 watch your experiments with interest. 



COMMISSION MERCHANTS ; SELLING AKOUND 

 HOME, ETC. 



When you ship honey to commission mer- 

 chants, be sure to preserve all correspondence 

 relating to the shipment — both the letters sent 

 to you, including freight-bills, and copies of 

 your letters sent to them. In case any difficul- 

 ty arises it is much easier for us to suggest a 

 satisfactory adjustment. 



Although I called for reports of unsatisfacto- 

 ry deals with commission houses, only a very 

 few have come in. Some of those that were 

 submitted showed that there was as much 

 blame to be attached to the bee-beeper as to 

 the commission house ; and when the latter 

 have been clearly at fault, they have so far 

 shown an inclination to make a fair adjust- 

 ment. Some commission men are rascals; but 

 those who are quoting prices for us are, so far 

 as we know, reliable and responsible. Even 

 with the best of them, complaints will some- 

 times arise — not because they are disposed to be 

 dishonest, but because the bee-keeper some- 

 times does not understand all the facts, or, 

 what is more often the case, puts his honey up 

 in such a slipshod manner that it can not bring 

 market prices, as I explained in our last issue. 



On account of the severe competition in the 

 great centers of trade, I would always advise 

 bee-keepers to sell their honey around home 

 first, all they can. In most cases they will real- 

 ize better prices. And this brings me to the 

 subject of 



PEDDLING HONEY. 



I know that peddling, in a certain sense, 

 seems to be disreputable, and beneath the dig- 

 nity of a good many. I know, too, that it is un- 

 pleasant to call from house to house trying to 

 sell honey. It is discouraging, too, to be told 

 that your choice ptire honey is "adulterated 

 stuff'," and insulting to have the door slammed 

 in your face. Well, it is not strictly necessary 

 that you peddle from house to house. Place 

 honey on sale at the local groceries, and then 

 create a demand by going around giving away 

 small samples, and telling them that your hon- 

 ey can be had at So and So's. Why! I know of 

 one paint firm who, in order to introduce their 

 goods, make a proposition to the local dealer 

 that, if he will handle their goods, they will go 

 around and drum up trade for hira. This they' 

 do; and the dealer, without any drumming on 

 his part, simply supplies the trade that comes 

 to him for that paint. This paint concern han- 

 dle pure goods only, and they are willing to 

 stake their reputation upon it. They know 

 that, when the people once know the character 

 of their goods, they will keep right on buying 

 them. Well, you handle nothing but the very 

 best pure honey. If you can manage to go 

 around town and create a favorable impression, 

 and get folks to sample it, they will buy quick 

 enough, providing they can believe they are 

 buying your honey; and if they can trust their 

 grocer they will buy it, and you in the mean- 

 time will realize several cents more a pound 

 than if you ship it to the city, where it will be 

 in close competition. Oh, yes! you say you do 

 keep your honey on sale at the groceries, but it 

 doesn't sell. But have you yet drummed up 

 the trade by going around with samples, or as 

 the paint firm referred to do'.' 



