594 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



August, 1917 



the future buyer." As surely as oue does 

 this there will be a reaction. He Avill soon 

 be sized up, his trade divided, and his 

 reputation gone. Many farmers put the 

 big potatoes on the top ; but the buyer al- 

 ways gets to the bottom. Of course he 

 should not cheat himself by putting all the 

 l^oorest on top. But he should be on the 

 square. The grocer does not expect fancy 

 mixed with No. 2 when he buys for No. 2 

 price. The cut-rate gTocer has a right to 

 buy and sell cut-rate goods, the price being 

 agreed uj^on and the quality and quantity 

 considered; but the goods must be just as 

 represented if he is to have repeated orders. 



A REPUTATION. 



A reputation for square dealing is worth 

 a gold-mine. We have in mind some fruit- 

 growers' associations with strict inspection 

 rules. Their goods always bring a premi- 

 um. We had two cars of comb honey from 

 one shipper in which not a single case was 

 " off." Don't you think such shippers are 

 entitled to get better prices and prompter 

 sales and returns? They create a demand 

 for their goods. 



For this year increased prices are assur- 

 ed, no matter how big a crop. To say 

 comb honey may bring a dollar per case 

 more than the 1916 crop is a conservative 

 statement. Let us do all we can for a 

 bumper crop, market our comb honey early, 

 and gelt the best results. G. P. Stark. 

 Mgr. National Honey Producers' Ass'n. 



Kansas City, Mo. 



Eliminating the Middleman 



The articles on selling honey have prompt- 

 ed me to give some of my experiences. 

 Our grocers are poor individuals to depend 

 upon for the disposal of our honey. I 

 have had some of them expect 50 per cent 

 in commission, and it is now worse than 

 ever, since the war gives them an excuse to 

 exact untold profit from the public. As an 

 example, a neighbor had some choice sur- 

 plus garden truck to dispose of, and re- 

 ceived only % ct. a bunch for early beets, 

 while her commission shark retailed them 

 at 8 cts. per bunch or two bunches for 15 

 ets. Her other vegetables brought in quite 

 as discouraging results. Since then she 

 finds her own customers and receives much 

 fairer returns for her toil. 



Our experience in disposing of honey has 

 been much the same, and we find it far from 

 pleasant to sweat and toil thru the summer 

 months and then have the grocers offer such 

 low prices saying, " Why, I bought some 

 honey from a man last week at $2.00 per 

 crate." Perhaps they show you a sample — 



a dirty, propolized section weighing less 

 than ten ounces. And even after they 

 have seen your perfect sample, your price 

 still seems to puzzle them, and they refuse 

 to buy but continue to retail that same rusty 

 stock at 25 cts. It is just such experiences 

 as these that have caused us to solicit or- 

 ders for retail sales and then make the de- 

 liveries. 



In selling and creating a want for our 

 product, we find it a good plan to attend 

 large gatherings of people at picnics and 

 fairs. Also rtapieated orders will folloAV as 

 a result of a daily or weekly advertisement 

 in the local papers, letting people know that 

 you are doing the same old businiess at the 

 same old stand, and that '' Attractive goods 

 and prompt delivery " is your slogan. 



Mays Landing, N, J. C. L. Hill. 



Everybody Busy Trying to Grab 



Colonies are in fairly good shape. I 

 think I am running more than any one 

 else; and while there is a gneat deal less 

 clover (than last year, yet there is enough 

 providing we get the right weather. We 

 contracted to sell all our honey crop at an 

 advancr^ of a quarter of a cent per pound 

 on last year's prices. This was done in 

 the face of the talk of enormous increase in 

 prices. I am utterly disgusted with the 

 grab and greed of the preserit day. I have 

 said time and again that, taking the human 

 race as a whole, every one seems to be so 

 busy trying to grab that he cannot devote 

 any time lo preventing the other fellow from 

 giabbing from him. It has been amply 

 1) roved that in many cases enormous sums 

 have been made by speculators; and I, for 

 one, should I be living that long, want to 

 be able, when the crash comes, to be able 

 t(» look every one in the face and say, " I 

 had no part in it." 



Looking at it from a selfish standpoint 

 the price that honey has sold at lias done 

 much lo bring it into use and popularize it. 

 I quite concede the value of some having 

 brought honey in adveiiising before the 

 public; but the price also has popularized it. 



We shall probably liave a very large 

 apple crop, none of which is likely to be 

 exported, for not enough ships can be se- 

 cured to transport what is considered much 

 more necessary. Abundance of fruit al- 

 ways influences the demand for honey. 



Prices in the United States have been 

 about three cents a pound lower than i'' 

 Canada, and the prices Avhich prevailed 

 last winler in the United slates have only 

 reached what o'^v prices have bcfen for some 

 years. 



