1884 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



69 



PUT ON YOUR COUNTY. 



The troubles, losses, vexations, and disappoint- 

 ments, in consequence of having goods sent wrong 

 on account of the county being omitted, are not yet 

 over. You may say that we can find the county by 

 the Postal Guide; but the Postal Guides are often 

 wrong. Every man knows better what county he 

 lives in, than anybody else; and it seems to me he is 

 the one to tell. A friend writes to-day that he does 

 not think he should be held responsible for omitting 

 the county, as he had given it in his previous letter. 

 The trouble is, friends, how can wc know that there 

 has been a "previous letter," unless you say so? 

 Old regular customers we can remember, it is true; 

 but where from 100 to 300 letters are coming daily, 

 just think of the task of looking up the correspond- 

 ence for each one who omits to give his county. I do 

 not see any other way than to have it printed on all 

 your stationery. 



THE PURPLE BASKET. 



In my article on half-heartedness on p. 16, last 

 number, I told you I would at once make some ar- 

 rangement for matter demanding immediate atten- 

 tion. Well, we have got the arrangement. It is a 

 little willow basket with a card securely tacked to 

 one side. On this card is printed in plain black let- 

 ters,— 



To clerk receiving this basket : Attend to contents 

 immediately. Then give to next clerk to whom it 

 belongs. Be sure to have an answer of some kind 

 go out bv next mall. When you can't get any 

 further with it, put it on my desk. A. I. KoOT. 



On the other side of the basket we have got this: 

 Don't let this basket rest. 

 Till it fetches round on Mr. Root's desk. 



The basket was finished just before opening a large 

 mail, and I tell you it did excellent service just that 

 one day. It was traveling almost constantly, and 

 reached nearly every desk in the offlce during the 

 day, and resulted in straightening out a good many 

 jangles, and getting replies back to the badly used 

 friends by the very first mail. Now, then, when you 

 write something that needs urgent attention, just 

 say, "The clerk who opens the mail will please put 

 this at once In the purple basket." And then if you 

 do not get some kind of a reply by return mail, it 

 will be funny. 



SETTLING ACCOUNTS. 



As usual at the close of the year, we have more or 

 less wrangling in attempting to settle up all unfin- 

 ished balances; and there is one point on which I 

 fear a good many of the friends misunderstand us. 

 It isnot that we wish to get every cent that is due 

 us, but we want things right. If there is 35 cts. due 

 us, we want it; and if there is 35 cts. due you, we 

 want to pay it, and I hope we ^re just as vehement 

 in trying to have the latter made right, as the for- 

 mer. I have been accused of being " fierce on a 

 dun." I think likely I am, dear friends; but many 

 of you have found out that I am " fierce " when the 

 balance is the other way. The clerk who has charge 

 of the matter tells me that we have sent statements 

 to about 1500 people who have credits here, and 

 Sometimes we have had quite a jangling in trying to 

 make them take what belongs to them. For in- 

 stance, after a credit has stood a year, and we do not 

 get any reply in regard to settlements, we write to 

 the postmaster, if he says the man has moved 

 away, we write to the postmaster where he now re- 

 sides, and so on; and a few of the friends have got 



indignant about it, and have told us to give it to 

 some charitable institution, and stop dunning them 

 with postals. Please bear in mind, now, will you 

 not? that our business has gone beyond my immedi- 

 ate eye, or my recollection, and that a great part of 

 it is done by clerks who simply follow established 

 rules; and I hope you will find them just as anxious 

 to pay the debts of the establishment as to collect 

 them. You can not think how it lubricates the 

 wheels of the machinery of our business to have all 

 of you reply promptly when you get a card of debit, 

 or credit either. If our account is not right, please 

 " say so; " and if it takes of your time, and postage 

 too, say so. Make out your bill, and I will gladly pay 

 it. If you are awful busy, just tell your little girl to 

 write us about it. I like to do business with little 

 girls, and little boys too, for they will almost always 

 talk, and they generally talk right out, no matter 

 whom it hits. 



CONVENTION NOTICES. 



The Maine Bee-Keepers' Association will hold 

 their annual convention at Lewiston, Feb. U and 15, 

 1884. F. O. Additon, Prcs. 



Wm. Hoyt, Sec. 



The 15th annual convention of the Northeastern 

 Bee-Keepers' Association of New York will be held 

 in Syracuse, Jan. 33, S3, and 34. 1884. Judging from 

 the programme we have received, a profitable time 

 is anticipated. 



CIKCUIiARS RECEIVED. 



Friend T. R. Good. Tullahoma, Tenn., has sent us a 

 postal price list of queens and bees for 1884. 



U- B. Dodge, Fredonia, N. Y., has sent us a one- 

 page price list of bees, queens, and supplies. 



Bright Bros., Mazeppa, Minn., send out a very 

 pretty price list for 1884, we presume, although it Is 

 dated '83. 



M. H. Hunt, of Bell Branch, Mich., has just order- 

 ed from our press his annual circular of apiarian 

 supplies. 



As you will see in another column, we have just 

 shipped friend Viallon his regular annual announce- 

 ment for the coming season, relative to bee matters. 



Guyton Bros., Waco. Tex., have likewise lately re- 

 ceived from our job rooms their circular and price 

 list of bee fixtures for 1884. 



Friends Flanagan & Illinski, of Belleville, 111., have 

 also received from here their annual price list of 

 bees and apiarian supplies. 



Lest you may think our printers have not been 

 very busy this past month, we will add that they 

 have also just printed a price list of apiarian supplies 

 for F. A. Salisbury & Co.. Geddes, N. Y., and have 

 several more now in process of completion, which 

 will be duly announced when done. In sending for 

 estimates, some of the friends have asked for low 

 rates, on account of this being the dull part of the 

 season. Please remember that winter is the printer's 

 harvest-time, and summer his vacation. The rush 

 in the saw-room seems to be transferred to the type- 

 room just now. But whether we do the work in 

 summer or winter, we will alway.s give our lowe.st 

 rates; and please remember, too, that our rates In- 

 clu<le the free use of any of our cuts. Would it not 

 be well to bear this in mind when saving that other 

 parties will do your work for a little less? 



Mrs. Cotton sends out a new circular for 1884, and 

 also a now and revised edition of her bee-book. I 

 can not find that she ott'ors the book for sale, except 

 with the drawings and ilhistrations for making the 

 hive, i\t four (toUarx. I do not see how we can con- 

 sistently give any different advice to those who make 

 inquiries in regard to her, from that we gave a year 

 or so ago, as follows: 



I am biiim- askpil my opinion of the new circulars Mr.s. Cot- 

 ton is apraiii sending out quite plentif nlly. The statements she 

 makes, and the prices she charges tor the goods she sends out, 

 would, in my opinion, forbid her being classed with our regu- 

 lar supply dealers, to say nothing of the strings of complaints 

 against her that have filled our bee-journals for years past. 



