l'»04 



GLEANLXGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



491 



frames (Juinby depth, frames unspaced, 

 part closed-end frame, and closed end 

 throughout, etc. The same variation exists 

 in the hives and in the supers. 



Speaking: about smokers, I am rather of 

 the opinion that it would be better for Mr. 

 Bing^ham and ourselves to use a much heav- 

 ier grade of stock in the stoves or fire-bar- 

 rels of smokers where the same are to be 

 used by bee- keepers operating 50() colonies 

 or more. I am sure friend Bingham will 

 be perfectly willing to furnish — certainly 

 we are — a heavier grade of metal for those 

 who desire it, at an expense that will be 

 onl}' trifling; but it will hardly be neces- 

 sary to tax the great majority of smoker- 

 users with an expense that will be entirely 

 unnecessary by making all the smokers of 

 heavier stuff. This whole question of sup- 

 plies resolves itself down to the matter of 

 furnishing each bee- keeper what his special 

 needs call for. — Ed.] 



SELLING HONEY. 



A Convenient Traveling°outfit ; an Excellent Article. 



BY G. C. GREINER. 



Selling honey on the road is, for many of 

 us, not an enjoyable occupation, and it is 

 made still more unpleasant if we have not 

 a convenient outfit. 



For a number of years I have used a 

 square- box one-horse buggy for my honey- 

 expeditions. Although convenient in other 

 respects, it did not serve this special pur- 

 pose. To take my usual daily load of from 

 four to six crates of extracted honey, and a 

 small allowance of sections, I had to call 

 into service all available space under the 

 seat, on the seat, on the bottom in front of 

 the seat, etc., which contracted my allot- 

 ment of space to most uncomfortable quar- 

 ters. But this was not the worst feature. 

 As much as I tried to keep my goods clean, 

 and keep them from getting dusty by cover- 

 ing up with blankets, when I uncovered 

 them to make an exhibition they would have, 

 to my annoyance, a very perceptible coat of 

 dust all over them. When it was muddy, 



and no dust flying, the same trouble had to 

 be encountered. The wheel would occasion- 

 ally throw chunks of mud in the box; these 

 would work themselves under the crates, be 

 pulverized by the constant motion of buggy 



and crates, and, consequently, the unsight- 

 ly appearance would be the same, wet or 

 dry. I was generally compelled to give my 

 samples a regular dusting before I CDuld 

 make a call to show my goods. 



To get out of this dilemma I studied out 

 and built during last summer's leisure 

 hours the wagon which is shown by Fig. 1. 

 It is the same running-year, the old box 

 being removed and the new one put in its 

 place. Outside of my own work the whole 

 expense of the rig does not exceed $2.00 — a 

 mere trifle in comparison to the convenience 

 and its adaptability to the business. Most 

 of the material is taken from discarded dry- 

 goods boxes which were lying around and 

 considered worthless. 



The advantages of the rig are many. 

 The enclosed back part is practically dust 

 and water proof. Being a double-decker, the 

 space for storing is ample. It will hold four 

 crates below, and, if necessary, the same 

 above, the quantity it was designed to carry. 

 The open front and seat are spacious enough 

 to provide a comfortable place for the driver, 

 with an additional large storeroom below 

 the seat. 



As will be noticed, the wagon is conspic- 

 uously lettered "Pure Honey." This is one 

 of the most important features of the rig. 

 It helps to make many sales that would 

 otherwise not be thought of, and it saves 

 the salesman an unlimited amount of talk- 

 ing and a great deal of time. As an illus- 

 tration I will refer to only that one case 

 when the druggist was induced to inquire 

 for the honey-man, and the sales that fol- 

 lowed, just because "Pure Honey" was in 

 plain sight. 



To make the advertisement complete, my 

 name and address are added. This, too, is, 

 in many instances, the cause of sales. A 

 short time ago, when I was driving along 

 the street of one of our neighboring cities, 

 a passerby on the sidewalk motioned to me 

 to stop. Then he said: "If you are the 

 Greiner who supplies such and such a 

 place, I want some of your honey." Of 

 course, a sale was made right there and 

 then, which tallied one more for the letter- 

 ing. 



In Fig. 2 is shown the sample case, which 

 I take with me whenever I enter a house or 

 store where I expect to sell honey. I al- 



