THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



11 



People get into the habit of running- 

 bills for the month, paying- up the next 

 day or two after pay day, and g"oing- 

 broke from then until the pay car 

 comes ag"ain. I had a wholesome fear 

 of the credit business, so attempted to 

 take orders for delivery just after pay 

 day. This was not practicable, as it 

 takes half as long- to deliver as it does 

 to take the orders, under ordinary con- 

 ditions, but so many were absent from 

 home, settling bills, shopping, etc., 

 just after pay day, that it was really a 

 bad date to attempt delivery. Credit 

 for a monthly settlement at pay day, 

 was the only way — "when you are in 

 Rome do as the Romans do," — so, after 

 atrial, \ changed localities. Orders 30 

 days old are stale, many have forgotten 

 them entirely, and when you trust out. 

 honey it is impossible to avoid losses. 

 My experience in Sayre resulted in a 

 rule, "never work a town with only 

 one pay day per month." 



Sayre people bought candied buck- 

 wheat in tin pails, 11 pounds, or 

 alfalfa honey 8 pounds for a dollar, 

 and 100 hundred pounds of the buck- 

 wheat to 5 pounds of the alfalfa were 

 about the amounts sold, respectively. 

 My samples were carried in quart 

 milk pails, with spoon inside, cover 

 carefully closed, and honey liquefied. 

 I also carried candied honey in a tin 

 box in iny overcoat pocket. 



A GLIMPSE AT THE COST OF CANVASS- 

 ING. 



Calling at the kitchen door, I tell the 

 lady that I am leaving samples of 

 honey with all the neighbors, and if 

 she will get a dish, I will be pleased 

 to also leave a sample with her. If 

 she says they never use honey because 

 none of the family cares for it, don't 

 argue the case, life is too short for 

 that; get to the next house. If the dish 

 is forthcoming, give a spoonful or two, 

 which is as good or better than a 

 quart, and while doing that, state 

 plainly the price, style of package, 

 when to be delivered, etc, I add that 



the package can be returned at my next 

 call, which will be in one month as 

 near as may be, and I pay cash for the 

 package, whether they re-order or not. 

 This little kink clinches many an 

 an order. 



Talk business %\.r2cv^\\\.. All attempts 

 to "jolly" a lady by admiring the 

 children, petting the cat, retailing 

 neighborhood gossip, or up-to-date re- 

 marks about the weather, parties, or 

 what not, is all nonsense. She feels 

 insulted at your estimate of her ability 

 to see through the little game. 



The average housewife, in the wage 

 earner's home (and I have no use for 

 any other class), is usually a shrewd, 

 careful buyer, and is well posted on 

 prices and comparative values. She is 

 on the lookout for bargains whereby 

 she can furnish as good a table as 

 possible, with the income available. 

 My main argument is the comparative 

 cheapness of extracted honey as a 

 food, quoting Prof. Wiley and others, 

 giving hone}' leaflets, etc., stating 

 positively that all who are posted on 

 the subject, concede honey to be 

 healthful. If the order is given I care- 

 fully note name, address, time prom- 

 ised for delivery, in a nice looking 

 order book {^style counts, more than you 

 would think), leaving nothing to the 

 memory. If for any reason the lady 

 withholds the order, but thinks she 

 may order at a future time, note that 

 down and call the next trip. I only 

 call on customers (and those who were 

 absent the first call) on my subsequent 

 trips. What good can come by wast- 

 ing time, and annoying people who 

 don't use honey ? 



HOW A CANVASSER MAY INTEREST AND 

 IMPRESS PEOPLE. 



The above is a general outline of my 

 work for the first time over a route. 

 Careful, painstaking work pays, tak- 

 ing plenty of time to explain every- 

 thing, if your customer shows inter- 

 est, or asksqaestions. I usually carry 

 supply catalogues, bee zinc, bee veil- 



