AUGUST 1, 1916 



673 



clovers — white, alsike, red, second bloom, 

 sweet clover, of late years, and several sea- 

 sons we have secured some from alfalfa. 

 The season ends with the sumac, which is 

 often the heaviest part of the fiow. I have 

 always made it a practice to get my comb 

 honey off with as little ti'avel-stain as possi- 

 ble. The extracted I want good and ripe, 

 but not too heavy and sticky. It is stored in 

 a good hot room until after the fall market. 

 I have had the thermometer go to 110° 

 F., generally 70 to 90. What I carry for 

 winter is put in a warm dry room in the 

 house. Doubtless the quality and flavor of 

 the honey have much to do Avith rejaeat 

 orders, tho tastes and oiDinion of quality 

 differ very much. 



The same label, and also a distinctive one, 

 I find, is also a help in holding trade for 

 the stores. Every section is scraped thoroly 



clean inside and outside and usually s'.amp- 

 ed on the top as a guide to keep right side 

 up. Cartons are used on all retail trade, 

 but not on all sold at wholesale. 



To summarize : 



Sell to the nearest obtainable customer or 

 market. 



Never be " grumpy " if a buyer says no. 



Get the best market price — don't cut. 



Don't retail at wholesale prices. It's a 

 waste of time and labor. 



Give customers what they want or what 

 you believe will suit them. Put the honey 

 in the best m.arketable shape and appear- 

 ance, but grade honestly. If the demand is 

 short or lacking, create it in some way. 

 Talk about honey and bees to any one who 

 may show the slightest interest. 



Be careful to keep up the qualify of your 

 honey. 



Chester, N. J. 



MARKETING HONEY LOCALLY 



BY JOSEPH GRAY 



Variety is the spice of life. In years past 

 I have jjaid considerable attention to an 

 attractive and varied display of honey; but 

 the purpose of this article is confined to 

 supplying the local needs. When I see both 

 comb and extracted honey brought 100 

 miles to be sold in this valley, while we who 

 live here market at wholesale 500 miles or 

 more distant, I think it is time to sit up and 

 cater to the home trade. The reasons for 

 this neglect are that no one will trouble 

 with sections; and then, second, it is cheap- 

 er, if you own 1000 colonies, to buy in bulk 

 by the carload, and sell in bulk. When I 

 came into possession of an apiary I figured 

 that, as I had to proceed on a smaller scale, 

 the difference between 5 cts. wholesale and 

 lyo cts. to local buyers for extracted was 

 worth the extra labor involved, also the jDro- 

 duction of a few sections in extraeting- 

 supers suitable for the local trade. 



I present your readers with my label, 

 and what it stands for as follows: 



I have spent considerable time getting up 

 labels. Let us pick this label to pieces : 



1. Locality is not too iDrominent. but 

 sufficiently so to attract attention. This is 

 an alfalfa region, and the day is here when 

 an American will purchase an article for 

 what it is, and reject it if not so labeled. 

 I try to build up an honest trade, and there- 

 foi'e I give prominence to the words alfalfa 

 honey. 



2. Ownership is not too prominent, and 

 yet iirominent enough to back up the guar- 

 antee. 



3. The guarantee of purity and quality. 

 I am at all times open to inspection to show 

 that care and cleanliness are exercised to 

 produce a pure article' of standard quality. 

 It is not my purpose to pit alfalfa honey 

 against sage or orange, but to create and 

 hold a local market for alfalfa honev. 



IMPERIAL VALLEY 



ALFALFA HONEY 



FROM THE APIARY OF 



Joseph Gray 



HEBER 



Purity and Quality Guaranteed 

 by the Producer 



NET WEIGHT lO LBS. 



NOTE: Pare Honey will Cruulate or Candy. Candied Honey 

 is an agreeable change from Licfuid Honey. To reiitore Honey to 

 iU liquid condition, place the can in a pan of water heated to 

 ■ calding (150 degrees), and allow it to remain until the Honey 



4. The net weight is a simple statement 

 to comply with a wise law and ensure the 

 customer's confidence. 



5. The note is to enlighten a customer. 

 Is there still ignorance as regards honey f 



