1897 



QLEANIN(}S IN BEE CULTURE. 



443 



By R. C. Aikin. 



MARKETING HONKY. 



In a preceding article, on page 407, I discuss- 

 ed this question, showing that there was no 

 regular p(icka<jc or method of getting extracted 

 honey on the market in shape to retail. We 

 have the wholesale packages that are all right 

 for the bakers' and manufacturers' trade; but 

 what we want is a strictly retail package— one 

 that can be both wholesaled and retailed. I 

 suggested that the honey be canned as fruit 

 and vegetables, crated as they are, then it can 

 go through the regular trade channels. If we 

 do this, there is the 



CANDYING QUESTION. 



I have been making it a practice to sell all 

 my extracted honey liquid, both wholesale and 

 retail, except to those who wanted it other- 

 wise, or who were prepared to liquefy for them- 

 selves when they wished it so. I have had 

 local customers vafco would take it as quickly 

 candied as liquid, and some who preferred it 

 candied. There are two main reasons for put- 

 ting it out liquid; viz.: If in wholesale pack- 

 age, the purchaser will want it so he can draw 

 it out for retail. Few who buy at wholesale 

 are prepared to liquefy, and neither the dealer 

 nor consumer, as a rule, knows how to properly 

 liquefy. It would not be a hard matter to edu- 

 cate the dealers to do the liquefying; but sup- 

 pose they do melt it, it will candy again if not 

 soon used, so, after all, the consumer has to 

 liquefy— rather rellquefy. If, then, the con- 

 sumer must liquefy, why not do away with the 

 whole matter, and, just as soon as the honey is 

 extracted, put it in small cans of, say, 1, 3, or 

 5 pound sizes — or, possibly, better only two sizes, 

 say 3 and 5 pound? Let it candy, and let the 

 consumer follow printed instructions and lique- 

 fy for himself; or, if he prefers, use it in the 

 candied state. This would save the darkening 

 and flavor-killing process of so many meltings. 

 Just give the people a chance to buy honey at 

 or near the price of other sweets of similar 

 grade, and they will soon learn to do the melt- 

 ing. If only she had or could get it, would not 

 every housewife soon learn how to prepare 

 honey? It is an insult to the intelligence 

 of our women to say that they would not 

 learn to liquefy honey when every can has 

 plain instructions on it. They will learn it as 

 they learn how to prepare the many kinds of 

 food products. If anybody doubts this, just let 



him establish a trade on honey in candied form; 

 always have the article at regular trading- 

 places, at prices that will compete with other 

 sweets of same grade, and I am sure he will 

 find customers; but rest assured that, if you 

 are constantly changing size, style, and cost of 

 package, and do not keep the goods always on 

 hand to be had when called for, you will soon 

 lose your trade. 



Mr. J. L. Strong, of Clarinda, la., who has 

 been for many years producing honey there, 

 tells me that, by a little instruction now and 

 then to his customers, they soon begin to call 

 for the candied honey, many preferring to use 

 it that way. No, no, friends; the people are 

 not so slow to use our products as we are to put 

 it in proper shape and get it to them. They 

 want it so they can buy it at the stores with 

 their other purchases of groceries, and we 

 must put it there. 



Last year a number of Colorado apiarists 

 talked very seriously of organizing a company 

 and buying honey-cans in car lots, putting up 

 our own and neighbors' honey. In correspon- 

 dence with one of the most extensive honey- 

 dealers in Chicago they said they would not 

 take the responsibility of selling such goods; 

 but if I would make a start and put up my 

 honey that way they would try to introduce it. 

 The plan we had in mind was to organize and 

 get a registered trade-mark, put the goods out 

 under an association guarantee, and that all 

 goods should be standard grade. On account 

 of failure of crop, and the heavy loss of bees 

 from some unknown cause, the matter was 

 dropped. I am very much interested to know 

 the outcome of the efforts of the California 

 association. Very few men produce in quanti- 

 ty to undertake any thing of the kind; but by 

 organized effort there could be a great change 

 wrought, and much good done. Let me here 

 repeat what I said in the previous part of this 

 discussion, that there is not honey enough on 

 the market to make it an object for people to 

 invest in honey-depots or packing-houses, or to 

 get the product properly before the public. 



HOME MARKETS. 



Last year— 1896— I had a very light crop, 

 amounting to two tons or less. As I wanted to 

 get off on our tour in the wagon, 1 wanted to 

 dispose of the honey as quickly as possible. I 

 found the quotations were from 5 to 7 cents, 

 delivered, in the wholesale markets, iireights 

 to Denver are about X cent, and to Chicago 

 about II 90 per 100 lbs. If I sent the honey to 

 these markets, and took what was left after 

 freights and commission were out, I should 

 have only 4 or 5 cents, to say nothing of cost of 

 cans, and the risk. If I left the honey for some 

 one e'se to look after, the liquefying and bother 

 would eat up a large per cent of it. I had sold 

 much more honey the previous year than my 

 present crop, right at the honey-house, at from 



