OCTOBER 15, 1913 



Beekeeping in the Southwest 



Louis Scholl, New Braunfels, Texas. 



THE " ilOVIES " AND BEEKEEPIXG. 



Moving" pictures are all the rage; and 

 wliile there are some objectionable features 

 connected with the way the moving-picture 

 business is overdone, yet there are some 

 \"erv good lessons that can be learned from 

 them. I have often objected to the too con- 

 stant going to moving-picture shows, espe- 

 cially of school children. Another objec- 

 tion is raised against pictures that ought 

 not to be shown on account of the evil ef- 

 fects that they may have, especially upon 

 the younger people. But there are many 

 films of a i^urely educational nature, and 

 many of these are valuable indeed, as much 

 can be learned from them that would other- 

 wise remain unknown to many j^ersons who 

 do not have the oppoi'tunity to travel or 

 even read about these things. 



Making use of the educational feature of 

 these films- is something that has been up- 

 jiermost in my mind for several days this 

 week, and it may be of interest to mention 

 the reason for this. It happened that one 

 of the picture-film concerns decided to make 

 up a film of scenes illustrating many of the 

 different industries we are engaged in here 

 at New Biaunfels. This is to be shown here 

 in our local picture shows first, and then 

 this film will make the rounds of the com- 

 jiany's circuit of a large number of cities 

 and towns of the State. In this way a wide 

 distribution will be obtained, and the adver- 

 tising feature of the film should be wortli 

 considerable to our city, and to those who 

 are represented in the various industries 

 displayed by it. 



Beekeeping, in connection with poultry- 

 raising, as a hobby and side line, will be 

 displayed as being the business or industi'y 

 represented by the writer. Handling the 

 bees in the apiary and removing some hon- 

 ey, the very thing that we produce for sale, 

 and tliat we want to advertise, and this fol- 

 lowed by views in the poultry-yards, from 

 which fine stock and egg-settings are our 

 specialty makes interesting picture-show' 

 stuff. Each firm or individual is entitled to 

 a title preceding the pictures that are reeled 

 off, which will explain what follows in the 

 scenes. 



It occurs to me that such film displays 

 should aid in advertising one's business, to 

 a certain extent at least; and if the title 

 preceding one's industry is worded well, 

 good results should be obtained. It de- 

 pends, of course, how a tiling of tliis kind 

 is sliown up, and whethei- tlie title and wliat 

 follows will awaken the thouyht that we 



would like to liave awakened to bring the 

 results desired. In addition to this the 

 question arises as to the cost of such round- 

 about advertising in comj^arison with the 

 results obtained. 



The charge for making up a thousand- 

 foot reel, showing our various industries of 

 the city of Xew Braunfels, is based on $200 

 for the cost of the entire film. Thus each 

 subscriber represented is charged 20 cents 

 per running foot, according to the number 

 of feet that he wishes to use. A hundred feet, 

 therefore, w^ould cost $20.00. While a hun- 

 dred feet does not run a great while in a 

 single show, it is true, yet it must be figured 

 that such a film will be run over and over 

 again in many different places during its 

 circuit ; and even after such a circuit is 

 completed, the film may be taken over by 

 managers of other circuits if the film is 

 interesting enough. Just what Avill be done 

 with the film we are having made here, and 

 what the consequent results will be, is dif- 

 ficult to predict ; but we hope to be able to 

 report at some later time whether the ven- 

 ture has been a success or failure. 



Right in connection with the above I have 

 thought that entire films made up of inter- 

 esting matter about the handling of bees, 

 hives, etc., the honey, honey put up in nice 

 packages, and stored on the shelves iu glass, 

 with proper signs at various places all 

 through the film, bearing the words "Honey 

 for Sale " would be an aid toward creating 

 a greater demand for honey. Proper titles 

 scattered throughout the film scenes could 

 be made to explain in such a manner that 

 the spectators icould be honey hungry by 

 the time the end of the film is reeled off. 

 This sounds like a fairy tale, and there may 

 he something in it. In order to ascertani 

 the value or the failure of such advertising, 

 only a trial is necessan', and it seems to me 

 that the National Beekeepers' Association 

 is the body that should make such a trial. 

 The funds of the old League, subscribed for 

 the purpose of advertising the beekeepers' 

 pi'oducts, should be available for this pur- 

 pose. I believe that several good films could 

 be made up that would be a real credit to 

 our industn-; and if gotten up with the 

 proper care, and the advertising idea kept 

 carefully in view, good results ought to be 

 obtained. The cost, however, in comparison 

 to the effect that such film advertising would 

 have on the demand for lioney, may be too 

 great. That would liave to be investigated. 

 If it is not found to be so, 1 should like to 

 see an experiment of using the " movies " 



Continued on page 730. 



