112 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 15 



one acre would be sufficient, and also why it 

 would not be better to have tiie timber as tall as 

 possible so that better protection would be pro- 

 vided by the tall timber around the smaller en- 

 closure. Such a condition, however, is just what 

 we do not want, for howling winds might be 

 blowing overhead that would chill every bee 

 that ventured above; and, at the same time, if 

 the sun were shining the temperature inside the 

 enclosure would, perhaps, be such that the bees 

 would venture out and be lost. It can be seen 

 that, with twice as much of a clearing, and with 

 the timber only 50 ft. high, there is some circula- 

 tion of cool air in the yard, which will hold the 

 flying forces back whenever the general weather 

 conditions outside are unfavorable. The fortu- 

 nate man is the one who has just enough outside 

 protection and no more. With no outside pro- 

 tection at all, as in cases where the hives stand 

 exposed to the full force of the wind, during 

 breeding time in the spring it is very difficult for 

 colonies to build up to the proper strength for 

 the early honey-flow in June. A high board 

 fence is of but little avail for this outside protec- 

 tion, for it protects the hives only enough to en- 

 tice the bees out of doors when it is too cold for 

 them to fly, so that they are caught in the cold 

 wind and lost. 



Remus, Michigan. 



PEDDLING HONEY. 



Making Collections; How to Liquefy Large 

 Quantities of Honey. 



BY W. A. H. Gil STRAP. 



For some years I sold about all my honey by 

 wholesale, and might have never seriously con- 

 templated a better plan had not a poor honey year 

 nearly forced me to peddle much of my crop. 

 Just how I did it might not be the best plan, but 

 some of my ideas may be worth telling. 



Most of my sales were made from a spring 

 wagon on the cover of which my advertisement 

 was plainly lettered. The wagon-cover was 

 white, and on either side of the wagon was the 

 word " Honey," large enough to be read across 

 the street, while my name and address were of 

 smaller lettering, all made of daik paint. On 

 the back part of the wagon-cover the word " Hon- 

 ey " was lettered so it could be read over a block 

 away. Most of my town sales were made in 

 Modesto, a town of perhaps 3500 people. I be- 

 gan at the east side of town, and made a house- 

 to-house canvass, up one street and down the 

 next, shuttle fashion, till the west side was reach- 

 ed. When peddling on Fourteenth Street, 

 all houses facing between Fourteenth and Thir- 

 teenth were visited, and so on. The bulk of my 

 sales were made at the homes. Frequently a 

 lady would take the honey and request me to 

 call on her husband at the shop or store for the 

 pay, and it would take only a few minutes in the 

 evening to make collections for the day. Often 

 a lady would not want the honey at the time, 

 but would want it, say, two or three weeks later, 

 and 1 made it a point to supply the honey on 

 time. If a person really wanted the honey, and 

 did not have the money on hand at the time, 1 

 would reply something like this: " You know 



your business better than I do. If you want the 

 honey, take it and leave the money at Maze's 

 drugstore when you get it. Maze is a square fel- 

 low, and I shall get the money all right." 



Many, both in country and town, would take 

 the honey on those terms, and the loss by bad 

 accounts was very small. Mr. Maze really liked 

 to do free collecting for me, as it brought pro- 

 spective customers to his store. 



One of the leading grocers said it increased his 

 honey sales when the town and surrounding 

 country became interested in honey by my ef- 

 forts. When a prospective customer on my beat 

 had already inferior honey, adultereated or oth- 

 erwise, it was a part of my business to trade for 

 it, for very few will buy honey when they have 

 any kind of honey on hand. Occasionally a per- 

 son would think my honey was adulterated, and 

 it sometimes took a quarter of an hour to con- 

 vince such a doubter, but it had to be done be- 

 fore I left. 



Granulation of our honey is one of the most 

 troublesome things in the peddler's way. The 

 best solution I have tried is a boiler, over 7 feet 

 long and nearly 2 feet wide by 20 inches deep, 

 inside measure. The sides and ends are made of 

 1/^-inch redwood boards well bolted together. 

 The heavy galvanized-iron bottom extends 4 

 inches past the body of the tank at each end (to 

 the end of the side-boards), up a little at each 

 side and up a foot in front as insurance against 

 fire that may flash up from the furnace. The 

 sheet-iron bottom was fastened to the wood by 

 screws through white lead. The lid (which 

 should not be turned down when melting honey) 

 is of matched Oregon pine fastened on with strap 

 hinges. The brick furnace is deep enough to 

 make room for weeds, brush, or vines for fuel; 

 and I regret that I used six-inch pipe instead of 

 eight-inch; for when using weeds it sometimes 

 smokes the ^oom. A slatted bottom keeps the 

 iron from sagging. By using two slatted trajs, 

 one longer than the other, and held in place by 

 brick, 1 can melt honey in five-gallon cans, and 

 in one and two quart jars at the same time. Hon- 

 ey in Mason jars must be melted well, while in 

 the cans it is not necessary to melt it for sale. 

 This boiler is also fine for melting combs for the 

 wax-press. 



Owing to change of farming plans it is not 

 likely I shall peddle much more — only fill local 

 orders. But it is delightful to hear the boys say 

 to their mothers, " Here comes the honey-man I" 

 It is also interesting to hear the ladies say, " I am 

 so glad to see you come." 



Each person talked to must be provided with 

 one of Dr. Miller's circulars, "The Food Value 

 of Honey. " 



Ceres, Cal., Dec. 4. 



ENCOURAGING RAINS IN CALIFORNIA. 



The following, just received from G. F. Mer- 

 riam Sc Son, will explain itself: 



San Diego Co. has had over three inches of rainfall wiihin two 

 days, or over lour within a week, and all Southern California has 

 had a good soaking. G. F. Merriam & Son. 



San Marcos, Cal.. Jan. 22. 



We do not know whether enough rain has 

 fallen yet to insure a crop; but if it iceeps on at 

 this rate California bee-lceepers will be wearing 

 smiles on their faces. 



