GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



GENERAL COEEESPONDENCE 



THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOME HONEY MARKET 



BY L. L. BURR 



That each individual honey-producer 

 sliould always rnake an effort to develop his 

 local market goes without saying. Yet it is 

 also a well-known fact that many of the 

 large producers make no effort whatever to 

 increase home consumption. They say they 

 arc honey-producers, not salesmen. Such 

 an attitude is all right Avhen prices are good. 

 Ai the present time, however, all honey- 

 producei'S should he cognizant of the fact 

 that a condition exists that did not exist in 

 years past — namely, the war in Europe. 



As a result of the war a condition exists 

 which Avill continue to exist as long as the 

 war lasts, and ])erhaps for a period follow- 

 ing. The result is that a 

 large proportion of the 

 honey of the West In- 

 dies and of Central 

 America that in the past 

 was sent to Europe will 

 now find its way to the 

 United States. From 

 this there can be but one 

 result — that is, lo\ver 

 prices; and it behooves 

 the producers of honey 

 in this country' to devel- 

 op their liome markets 

 to the utmost if they de- 

 sire to secure the best 

 results in disposing of 

 their honey crop^ for 

 the large cities are go- 

 ing to be flooded, and 

 the prices there cannot but suffer. 



lu the following, what I have to say on 

 the subject of selling honey is from expe- 

 rience; and perhaps I may have something 

 to tell fiom that experience which will be 

 of assistance to others. 



I do not remember the first honey I sold. 

 I did it all through my boyhood, and en- 

 joyed the work. In selling honey, as in 

 every other business, there are certain eth- 

 ics that it always pays to obsen-e if one 

 desires to build up a substantial business; 

 and according to my idea they are as fol- 

 lows : 



]. If you are going to sell to the retailer, 

 do not ])eddle h.oney to the housewife in (he 

 same locality. I might here state that, as 

 to tiie matter of peddling, 1 am innocent. 

 I have never sold to any person but the 

 luerchant; and so know nothing from per- 



WOULD YOU? 



BY GRACE ALLEN 



Oh I who would live in cities 



When the blue is in the sky, 

 And walk resounding pavements 



When the grass is thick and high? 

 And who through crowds would jostle 



When the fields so broad are spread, 

 And goze on smoke-drab buildings 



When the rose is blooming red? 

 And who would brave the noises 



Of the city's rushing Toar, 

 When gentle bees are humming 



As they never hummed before ? 

 Oh who would live in cities 



Wlien the country calls so true. 

 Or compromise in suburbs ? 



7 would not! (But I do!) 



sonal experience about that art. I do know 

 from observation that nothing makes a 

 small-town merchant so sore as to have a 

 man sell liim some loroduct, and then go out 

 and peddle to that same merchant's custom- 

 el's. Where that is done, and the merchant 

 becomes aware of the fact, there is but one 

 result ; and that is, the merchant will tell 

 such a seller tliat he will see him in Hades, 

 and wish him all the tortures that the prop- 

 erty room contains, before he will purchase 

 from him a second time. 



2. If it is a small country town with but 

 a few stores, pick out the most progressive 

 merchant and inform him that, if he agrees 

 to handle your honey, 



you agree to furnish to 

 him alone, and that you 

 will not sell to any of 

 the other merchants. 

 From my experience 

 this is far more satis- 

 factory than ti'ying to 

 deal with all the store- 

 keei^ers, as the one 

 Avould sell practically 

 as much honey as all of 

 tliem put together. 

 Should the town be 

 large, pick out one 

 merchant in each neigh- 

 borhood; and in each 

 case be sure to let the 

 merchant you deal with 

 know that you are not 



going to sell to some other merchant across 



the street or around the corner. 



3. Make your prices standard in eacli 

 town. Don't sell to one merchant for one 

 price, and then later sell to some other mer- 

 chant in the same town for less money. If 

 you do you are breeding trouble. There are 

 merchants who want only the very finest 

 grade of honey, no matter what the price; 

 yet it is well, when furnishing honey to such 

 merchants, to let them know what yonv 

 prices are for other grades, and explain the 

 difference in grades, so that they can distin- 

 guish them themselves if possible; in other 

 words, treat them in such a way that they 

 cannot help knowing that you are dealing 

 with them on the square. 



4. T)ie sections that can be seen through 

 ihe glass should be a fair indication of the 

 entire contents of the case. When a mer- 



