430 THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



Of course Mr. Tabor moved his family with him when coming 

 here, except an old mother who stayed behind with other members 

 of his family. I have often heard him say that the distance down to 

 his old Indiana home was but 300 miles by rail; that he ought to go 

 home on a visit, but like many others in his position had kept put- 

 ting it off. 



It was at this time he received a wire that his mother was very 

 sick, and to come. Instinctively he thrust his hands down deep 

 into his pockets, for he di d not have mo ney enough by him to make 

 the trip. He c ould havgwentto the Bank anmSorroW^Tlie money, 

 "as his credit was perfectly good, but he was of that thrifty disposi- 

 tion he did not like the idea of borrowing if there was any way of 

 getting around it. ' 



His first thought was of the potatoes in the cellar, then of the 

 low price they were bringing, but something had to be done, so he 

 loaded on his farm wagon 60 bushels of as fine potatoes as ever 

 decorated a table and sold them at ten cents the bushel. Six dol- 

 lars the load ! 



The sequel came when visiting his mother down at his old home 

 in Indiana, for he was asked to just go over to the grocery and buy 

 a bushel of potatoes for the table. Having secured the bushel of 

 potatoes, he carelessly dropped a dollar on the counter and waited 

 for the change — which never came. He remonstrated, saying, "You 

 do not charge a dollar the bushel for potatoes, do you?" "Yes," 

 says the groceryman, "they are Michigan potatoes, and are thus the 

 very finest stock in the market," (which my neighbor did not con- 

 tradict) but, says he, "I sold not ten days ago potatoes in Michigan 

 just like those at only ten cents the bushel !" "Can't help that," an- 

 swered the groceryman, "they sell for a dollar here." 



When the bushel of potatoes was carried home, my neighbor 

 asked for a pencil and paper, and this is how he figured. One bushel 

 of potatoes, ten cents ; lining car, furnishing stove and wood and do 

 the loading at producing end, three cents ; more than enough for 

 freight, ten cents ; man to go with load in cold, freezing weather to 

 keep 'fire, say two cents per bushel, making twenty-five cents they 

 cost on track at Indiana point. Query: "What became of the other 

 seventy-five cents the bushel?" 



Producers of both honey and farm products can divide up the 

 difference between themselves and the consumer by cutting out the 

 middle man to a considerable extent, if they would only put a little 

 thought and exertion to work along this line and be their own mid- 

 dleman at every possible point, to both their and the consumer's 

 advantage. 



If you cannot sell direct to the consumer, sell as direct as you 

 can. It will be to your advantage. 



