1887 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



109 



spoke of the progress we had been making 

 in the matter of charity for each other. 

 Said he, " Why, I remember tlie time when 

 this convention spent nearly one whole day 

 in censuring and finding fault with the edit- 

 or of Gleanings and the editor of the A. 

 B. J. The principal complaint made of our 

 friend A. I. Root was his one-pound section. 

 I am glad he is here to-day, however, and I 

 am glad that the one-pound section is now 

 the standard the world over. We complain- 

 ed then because of the smaller package he 

 recommended. What shall we say now, 

 when a dime package of comb honey seems 

 to be the coming package ?" 



The subject of supply-dealers came in, of 

 course, during the deliberations, and friend 

 Root said he had urged the importance of 

 bee-journals not connected with the supply- 

 business, and he still felt that it would be 

 very desirable, it it were possible, to have a 

 bee-journal in no way connected or interest- 

 ed in the sale of supplies. He added, how- 

 ever, that, if experience seemed to indicate 

 it best, all things considered, to have the ed- 

 itors deal in supplies, he was willing to give 

 way and let the matter drop. He emphasiz- 

 ed, however, a point which I wish to notice 

 a little. It was this : That one who deals 

 in supplies, and has no interest in any jour- 

 nal, does not stand a particle of chance of 

 competing with the proprietor of said jour- 

 nal, on account of the editor's facilities for 

 constant advertising. At that time I want- 

 ed to put in a word ; but as so much was be- 

 fore the convention, and as it seemed a little 

 like pleading for my side of the question, I 

 let it drop. I will, however, give it here : 

 Admitting that a bee-journal is a wonderful 

 help to a dealer in bee-keepers' supplies, be- 

 cause of the reasons given, there is, notwith- 

 standing, a far better way of advertising 

 than through any bee-journal; and this bet- 

 ter way is open to all and every one in any 

 business of any kind. Shall I tell you the 

 secret ? It is, my friends, simply to surprise 

 every customer you get, by giving him the 

 goods he has paid for, before he expects 

 them ; and surprise every one who writes 

 you a letter, by getting some sort of an an- 

 swer to him before he supposes an answer 

 could possibly have had time to reach him. 



Had there been an opportunity for me to 

 say this before the convention, I suppose it 

 would have brought down the house with 

 applause, for they applauded me for many 

 things with far less truth in them than the 

 above. Now, the above few words are of so 

 very much importance to the thousands who 

 are just embarking in business, that I want 

 to digress right here in my report of the Al- 

 bany Convention, long enough to explain a 

 little how you may all avail yourselves of 

 this wonderful means of advertising. If you 

 are some distance from the postoffice, and 

 go after the mail yourself, put some postal 

 cards in your pocket. , Open your mail at the 

 oflBce, and acknowledge the receipt of letters 

 of importance right on the spot. It is a very 

 great advantage to be located near a post- 

 olBce and express office ; and if you are go- 

 ing to build up much of a business of sup- 

 plies, or sending goods by express or freight, 

 you had better get a location that will admit 



of promptness. When an order comes with 

 money, start back a postal card, telling your 

 patron what to expect ; then bend your en- 

 ergies to the fulfillment of the order in such 

 a way as to make friends with your custom- 

 ers. Now, then, get up early mornings, or 

 be out a little after dark, if need be, to get 

 the goods on an early train ;■ and if you lose 

 money by the time it takes to be prompt, on 

 a single transaction, you are laying up mon- 

 ey by building a reputation, and you are 

 building on a solid rock. 



After the convention was over, among the 

 great numbers who wanted to shake hands 

 with " Brother Root ■■ was a young man of 

 fine appearance and pleasing address. By 

 the way, 1 have begun to think several times 

 lately t was really falling in love with the 

 boys of our land— with good boys — boys who 

 do not swear nor drink, nor use tobacco — 

 boys who love bees and outdoor pursuits- 

 boys who love godliness and righteousness. 

 Well, right before me was a model boy. He 

 might have been 25 years old, but he was 

 one of America's boys for all that. He v. us 

 a schoolteacher ; and it just now occurs to 

 me that I love schoolteachers. May God 

 help us in choosing teachers for our youth, 

 who are upright in life and pure in heart. 

 After talking with him a little I found oiit 

 that his father was somewhat of a market- 

 gardenei", and that he himself was in love 

 witli intelligent agriculture. Need I tell 

 you that we became fast friends very fastf 

 When we got down to the Globe Hotel he 

 applied for a room, and was told that the 

 bee men had filled the house completely— 

 there was notroom for another one. " Why, 

 look here," said I to my friend, "if it meets 

 your approval, room with me, and then we 

 can talk bees and gardening.'' 



He seemed to be very much pleased with 

 the arrangement, and we had some big talks, 

 I tell you. Next month I will give you the 

 outcome of some of these talks ; but I want 

 to make only one point now. He, with 

 many others, spoke of our wonderful 

 promptness at the Home of the Honey-Bees, 

 and, by way of contrast, he mentioned the 

 following : 



Early in the spring his father sent for sec- 

 tion boxes, etc., for the coming harvest. He 

 sent the exact amount of money, for he had 

 previously received an estimate. The esti- 

 mate came promptly ; but after they had 

 sent the money it was almost impossible to 

 get a word from the supply-dealer. I do not 

 know whether they even acknowledged the 

 receipt of the money or not, but tney did 

 not send the goods, and did not tell when 

 they would send them. The bees began 

 gathering honey. As our friends could get 

 no answer they asked to have the goods sent 

 at once, or the money refunded ; and in any 

 case to let them know what to depend on, 

 without a moment's delay. After nearly or 

 quite two Aveeks had passed, our young 

 friend, in desperation, went across the coun- 

 try with horse and wagon, and succeeded in 

 getting some sections that were not at all 

 what he wanted, although they cost much 

 more than tiiose that were ordered and paid 

 for. After they got home with their rdd- 

 sized sections, and got p;irt of them in the 



