1897 



IGLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



153 



stuff to hide it, while I want to show my honey, 

 as it looks finer to a honey-lover than the finest 

 work of art on a label. Lithographs are so 

 common nowadays that people take little no- 

 tice of them; but any choice article of food, 

 put up in clean and attractive packages, always 

 commands attention; therefore I use only a 

 small white label, 1 by 2 inches, giving my 

 name and address, and the words "Pure Hon- 

 ey." We might get a pointer here from the 

 druggists, who are apt to display clear and 

 sparkling liquids in the window. 



I make a tour of the principal towns in my 

 county every two months or oftener, according 

 to the demands of the trade; and if any of the 

 stock left is beginning to candy, or has become 

 unsightly In any way, it is replaced with fresh 

 goods free of charge. However, this very sel- 

 dom happens— almost never— except in the case 

 of some little stock that is carried over the 

 summer. 



fowls' honey-peddling case. 



'^ I consider it to my interest that the grocer 

 who handles my honey shall make a good profit 

 —20 to 30 per cent is none too much on small 

 packages. They should be classed as "fancy 

 groceries," and should bring a better profit 

 than honey in bulk, or sugar and flour. In this 

 way I secure the hearty co-operation of the 

 grocer, which would not be the case if his prof- 

 its were small. 



I sell pint Mason jars at $2.75 per doz., 130.00 

 per gross; third-pints, $1.10 per doz.; per gross, 

 $12.00. Pints run about 19 lbs. to the doz.; third- 

 pints, about 6. Pints retail for 30 cts.'Jeach; 

 third-pints from 12 to 15 cts. each,;according to 

 circumstances. But it will be argued' these 

 prices are too high, and honey will not be used 

 largely if these prices prevail.nl answer that 

 this is for a fancy article in small packages. 

 Do not choice red raspberries in pint boxes sell 

 high? and yet good fruit can be bought cheap 

 in larger quantities, and large; quantities are 

 used too. Almost any grocer will sell on small- 

 er margin in bulk by the crockful or pailful, as 

 the large packages need no display, and the 

 profit on the large package is as much as on 

 the little one. 



I believe bee-keepers ought to push the local 

 trade more. Much might be done by advertis- 

 ing in one way or another. I would suggest, 



Mr. Editor, that you get up some notices print- 

 ed in large letters on cards, say 12 by 20 inches, 

 to hang in stores. They might run something 

 like this: 



< FOWLS' PURE HONEY FOR SALE HERE. < 

 ( don't buy imitations. S 



S See that Fowls' name is on the package. S 



Or if a larger amount of matter is wanted, 

 something like this might do: 



FOWLS* PURE HONEY FOR SALE HERE. 



Notice to Consumers.— Fure honey is the most 

 healthful sweet known. Many of our modern 

 diseases are traceable to the excessive use of 

 cjine sufrai'S. Honey is more easily assimilated 

 in the human stomach. This is the deci-iion of 

 eminent physicians. But honey, to be healthful, 

 must be pure. Honey compounds are not henlth- 

 f ul, and are not c/teaper. Consumers should re- 

 alize that honey that is 100 per cent pure is 

 cheaper as well us more who'esome than a com- ' 

 pound that only clnims to be riO per cent pure, 

 even if the pure article sold for double tlie price 

 of the spurious. Our pure-food laws are for our | 

 protection, and require that a formula be print- 

 ed on all mixed goods. 



I sell the most of the honey sold in bulk in 

 my own town, and 1 find but comparatively 

 few will buy in bulk, although the price is 

 much cheaper. By far the larger numberwant 

 only a pint or less at a time. Of course. I do 

 not undersell the grocers on the same size of 

 packages they handle. In soliciting orders 

 from boarding house keepers and families I 

 prefer to take along my samples in flint-glass 

 Mason jars, and I carry them in a sample case 

 which allows the light to strike through, just 

 as in the grocery. Even amber honey from fall 

 flowers looks fine if I can get the jars between 

 my customers and the sun; and once people be- 

 gin to admire its beauty, it's not difficult to get 

 them to taste, which sometimes goes a long way 

 toward making a sale. As I never allow any 

 but my best honey to go in to the grocery trade 

 I have to work off all my off grades to families, 

 boarding-houses, and bakeries. The dark and 

 strong kinds, if I have any, are used for cook- 

 ing, and recipes are given away with the hon- 

 ey, some of which I have taken from the book 

 " Honey as Food," advertised by the American 

 Bee Journal, and some that are original with 

 me. I have used type- written ^lopies of recipes, 

 but find ihis too much trouble, and think now I 

 should like some printed leaflets with a few 

 good recipes, and some extracts from Prof. 

 Cook's article on honey as food, which appear- 

 ed in the American Bee Journal some time 

 ago. The reason I do not want to use the book 

 "Honey as Food" to give to my customers is 

 that I have found by trying that some of the 

 recipes are worthless, and I am afraid they 

 might try one of that kind the very first one, 

 and then chuck the book into the stove in dis- 



