294 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



boards and end-board. The side- 

 boards contained the following- letter- 

 ing-: "Pure Honey, H. C. Ahlers, 

 West Bend, Wis." The tail-board 

 had the one word — "Honig" — in Ger- 

 man letters. This caused some merri- 

 ment, but it drew the attention of the 

 public to my outfit. 



This wag-on was g-uaranteed to carry 

 1,000 pounds, but orders came in so 

 fast that I was compelled to overload, 

 and I had numerous brealc-downs. I 

 live 30 miles from Milwaukee. My 

 boy (then 14) and I would leave home 

 sometime after midnight, get to our 

 destination about eight to ten o'clock 

 A. M., and deliver inost of the load the 

 same day. Next morning we would 

 finisli and get back home before night. 



I found tlie crocks too heavy, and 

 there always was some breakage, so I 

 started the season with the ten-and 

 twenty-pound tin, lard pails. Thej' 

 are made with special covers for honey, 

 and have the words: ''Pure Extracted 

 Honey," stamped in them. I put these 

 pails up with 13 and 25 pounds, re- 

 spectfully, of honey. Pails were 

 weighed in, as if they were honey. I 

 always pay 10 and 15 cents for the 

 empties if returned in good condition. 

 There is practically no tare. I very 

 seldom get back the first few pails 

 sold to a party. They are so handy 

 for the children to carry water, or the 

 boys take it when they go fishing. 

 This season about ten per cent, were 

 returned. Most of this crop was sold 

 right on the street. People were so 

 anxious to get some of my honey that 

 at times I have had a dozen women at 

 my wagon, all saying, "Give me a 

 pail too," or "I want an extra one for 

 my sister." In this way I have taken 

 in thirty dollars at a single stop. 

 After selling about three loads, our 

 customers and best friends had been 

 mostlj' supplied. 



DRUMMING UP TRADE — HOW TO DO IT. 



We now had to look for more trade. 

 I took one side of the street, my boy 



took the other, each with a 13-pound 

 pail. I usually go to the side, or rear 

 door. When opened I set down my 

 pail (closed) and say: "My name is 

 Ahlers. I suppose you have heard of 

 me. I am from West Bend. I am 

 related to Mr. Engel, on 20th street. 

 I have been supplying this neighbor- 

 hood with honey. Mrs. Erler, across 

 the way, has bought 25 pounds for 

 herself, ordered two pails for her sis- 

 ter, one for her motlier, and I have 

 left two pails for friends. I want you 

 to taste this honey," — at the same 

 time I pull out a sheet of a peach bas- 

 ket, and break off a splint (it is very 

 plain that no one has had this in his 

 mouth), take the cover off the pail, and 

 hold it up for convenience. While she 

 is tasting the honey I usually give her 

 about the following: "This honey is 

 not only strictly pure, but it is the 

 best that money can buy." I then 

 hand her a honey leaflet, and read to 

 her: "I guarantee all honey sold bj'^ 

 me as strictly pure, and to give entire 

 satisfaction, or money cheerfully re- 

 funded." I then say: "Keep this 

 leaflet. It gives you the most reliable 

 cooking receipts witli honey. It gives 

 3'ou such information as every con- 

 sumer of honey should know. Besides, 

 you alwa3's have my full address when 

 3'Ou want more honey." 



She may not have the money today. 

 Then I am glad to take her order for a 

 pail to be delivered in a week or two, 

 as the balance of the load is mostly 

 ordered anyway. She may take a 

 quart "just to try it." I never put 

 down an order for less than one pail. 

 The quarts are put up just for trial 

 orders, and street trade. Some cus- 

 tomers order a dozen quarts. 



don't ask people TO "buy." 



1 never a.a\i people, "Do you want 

 to buy some nice honey?" After mak- 

 ing the necessary explanation, I 

 ahvays tell them I want to sell them 

 some of the best honey it has ever been 

 their pleasureto taste. I always have, 



