Oct. 4, 1906 



843 



American Ttee Journal 



so. He replied by saying that lie had no difficulty in dis- 

 posing of his crop. Right he was. We received several ship- 

 ments from him. just to see how it would sell, but on ac- 

 count of the grading, we could not possibly pay him the 

 price he could have otherwise demanded. Transactions of 

 this kind give rise to the fact that such shipments are neither 

 profitable to the producer nor the dealer. 



About one month ago. a farmer walked into my office, 

 and asked for Mr. Muth. When I had made myself known, 

 he said he had 223 cases of comb honey down at the wharf- 

 boat, and asked what we were paying for good honey. Upon 

 my question as to how it was packed, he replied, "In the caps, 

 just as it was taken from the hi "Why," I said, "isn't 



it in shipping-cases like that honey over there?" pointing 

 to some nicely packed comb honey. "No," he said, "it is still 

 in the caps, and when I sell it, I want the caps back, as I 

 thought I could probably make a trade, that would be worth 

 my while." I told him that we made no offers, unless we 

 saw the exact condition of the honey, but if he would name 

 a price that would justify, I would go down to the wharf and 

 look at his lot. I can assure you he startled me when he 

 said, "If you will take the whole lot. and return the caps, 

 I will make the price at 14 cents; that's the price at which 

 riiv honey is selling." Of course, I was not interested, and I 

 failed to understand or learn where he sold his honey in 

 our city. I really believe he went on down the river. I 

 leave it to you to form your own opinion of such ship- 

 ments. 



Now, let me relate another transaction with a producer, 

 who understands his business. This bee-keeper wrote us 

 stating that he had some 25.000 pounds of comb honey that 

 graded Extra Fancy, Fancy, and No. i.and that he knew it would 

 please us. for it was graded according to rules and his best 

 judgment. He quoted a price that met with our approval, 

 and his correspondence was so satisfactory that we imme- 

 diately came to the conclusion that he was a practical bee- 

 keeper, and informed him that we would accept the ship- 

 ment at his price, provided he would ship us as a sample a 

 few carriers of each grade, and if the same came up to our 

 expectations, he could expect our order for the entire lot. 

 Promptly we received a shipment of 15 carriers. (By the 

 way, this was the first shipment of comb honey this sea- 

 son ) . 



Right here I wish to relate to you how I disposed of the 

 first cases which I used to feel the pulse of the market. The 

 day this lot arrived, a dealer in bee-supplies and honey from 

 another city was visiting at our store. The 15 carriers, con- 

 sisting of some 160 cases, were opened, and a finer lot of 

 honey we never saw before. I took one of the cases, told my 

 friend, the dealer, to come with me, and I would show him 

 how to sell honey. Our first stop was at the finest retail 

 grocery in Cincinnati. The proprietor, a fine gentleman, 

 wants only the finest of everything, and i- well posted. Pass- 

 ing through the store, saluting the clerks, I was making up 

 my mind as to how many cases I should sell him. "Shall I 

 say 25 or 30 cases?" said I to my friend, "or shall I sell him 

 40 cases?" I finally concluded to sell him 50 cases and make 

 the price 15' _■ cents per pound. 1 walked up to the elderly 

 gentleman, who is always very busy, and business must be 

 done quickly and to the point. I showed him the case of 

 honey: he knew I would offer only the finest. He asked 

 if the lot was all like that sample case. My reply in the 

 affirmative closed that sale of 50 cases at 15J/2 cents, in less 

 time than it takes to tell it. 



When we were again on the street, I remarked how 

 easy it was to sell at 15^ cents, and proposed that we go to 

 another store and try our luck at 16 cents. Well, I did sell 

 8 cases at 16 cents, and felt that I had not reached the top 

 of the market even at that price. We repaired to the next 

 store, and after quite a bit of hesitation and arguing. 1 sold 

 another 10 cases at 16J/2 cents. This price, however, proved 

 to be the limit, for at the next store I tried my very best to 

 sell this party 5 cases at 17 cents, but in vain. He was will- 

 ing to pay ioj/j cents, but no more ; sold him 2 cases. Well, 

 in this way, we learn what price the market will pay. 



This producer shipped us honey as fast as he could pack 

 it: we forwarded a check the very same day shipments ar- 

 rived, and in the entire shipment, just think of it, there was 

 not (.ni' leak] case! Hi- honej was packed a- he stated in his 

 first letter, viz.. Extra Fancy, Fancy, and X". 1. The rows 

 in the center of the case were equally as fine as the ones next 

 the glass. This producer is certainly an honor to the frater- 



nity, and if more would follow his example I know there 

 would be less complaints and lamenting about the cheap 

 prices of honey. 



Recently, a bee-keeper shipped us a barrel of beeswax 

 at which time he wrote us stating that he knew from past 

 transactions that we would do the right thing by him. The 

 wax was not all choice, but upon its arrival we separated it, 

 allowing him 30 cents per pound for the good quality, and 

 25 cents for the poorer grade. A few days before I left 

 home, I received a letter from him stating that he received 

 our check for his wax, which was more than he expected. 

 We may also depend upon him for his shipments of honey 

 in the future It pleases us when a shipper is well satisfied. 



Here is another transaction : Recently a party shipped 

 us 21 carriers of comb honey, 12 over one road and the other 

 9 over another. Never before have we seen honey packed 

 as this was. The bottom of the carrier was the exact size 

 of one case; there was a thin layer of straw, upon which 

 were placed 5 cases of honey, one above the other. This, 

 with 4 sides and a top constituted the carrier, which could 

 be rolled about as a baggage master would handle a trunk. 



FRED W. MUTH 



The condition in which this honey arrived was most de- 

 plorable. Five of our employees worked one whole day over- 

 hauling the lot. The fruit of the day's work was a great 

 big lot of chunk honey that we were compelled to close out 

 at 6 cents per pound. Withal, we are still in hopes that the 

 R. R. Co. will grant reclamation, and if they do, we will 

 send the shipper a check in full for his shipment. Now. when 

 we forward remittance to this shipper, we will write him 

 a nice letter, telling him how to pack his comb honey in the 

 future, so that it will stand transportation. I venture to say that 

 our advice will not he received with gratefulness, but proba- 

 bly with scorn. Now, if the bee-papers, which are ever ready 

 to do the individual bee-keeper some good, would print slips 

 teaching the bee-keeper how to prepare both his extracted 

 and comb honey for shipment, using as few words a- possible, 

 and enclose one of these slips in each copy of the paper 

 for one whole year, believe me, the benefit derived would 

 be amazing. 



And last, but not least, 1 want to relate a little instanc 

 that will close my talk on this subject. Some time ago 

 we opened communications with a producer of comb honey— 

 of whom we had heard, 'tis true, but had never had an> 

 dealings with him. Well, he hesitated and procrastinated so 

 long that we finally wrote him stating that he had very little 

 faith in mankind, and that if he didn't trust us, he needn't 

 mind shipping us his honey. He was satisfied with o " 

 offer, and decided to favor us with h ' ' -intent. W) 



