August, 1917 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



595 



Perhaps many will not like what T have 

 said; but they are welcome to throw all the 

 stones they please. But to prevent any one 

 from attacking me on the ground that I am 

 not interested, let me say that there is 

 probably no one in Canada who has a better 

 chance of securing a good honey crop than 

 we have. R. F. Holtermann. 



Brantford, Can. 



Don't Ask the Consumer too High a 

 Price 



Last season I sold nearly 5000 lbs. of my 

 own honey, and also some that I had pur- 

 chased. I asked only one man (a mer- 

 chant) to buy. I was sorry for having ask- 

 ed him, as I could have sold it all and 

 realized more money. 



I first study the market prices in the dif- 

 ferent centers, and then begin by putting 

 my price a cent or two above the whole- 

 sale. I would discourage selling to middle- 

 men, as I think the commission men want 

 to extract too large a profit, and therefore 

 the honey business is hurt. The syrup man- 

 ufacturers get the consumer's trade. There 

 is one syrup manufacturer in this country 

 who prints the picture of a beehive on his 

 syrup labels, which I contiaiid is raisl(?ading, 

 and tends to hurt honey sales. This should 

 be stopped. 



I would rather sell my honey lo the con- 

 sumer at a wholesale price than ship to a 

 commission house, as the freight and tins 

 are saved to me, and the public is thereby 

 encouraged to use honey, which in the end 

 gets me more for my honey than any other 

 way. 



Don't drive the consumer to inveslt in 

 other lines by asking too high a pries for 

 your honey. Geo. W. Strangways. 



Elora, Ont., July 11. 



No Trouble to Sell Honey at a Coun- 

 try Fair 



The illustration shows my honey display 

 at our fair last fall. Fifteen years ago 1 

 started selling my honey this way, and now 

 I cannot produce enough to go round, so I 

 have to buy. It takes over a ton of honey 

 to last the two days. 



I have often wondered why more bee- 

 keepers do not sell their honey at fairs. 

 There is no way that will sell the honey 

 like having lots of bees and queens, and 

 showing them. When the people see them 

 they become interested and are sure to buy 

 some honey before they go. My observa- 

 tory hive is 4 ft. high and 5 ft. long, w'ith a 

 big glass front all filled with brood-frames, 



E. C. Miller, East Claridoh, Ohio, sells ovei' a 

 Ion of honey every year at a country fair. 



extracting-frames, and sections at top. I 

 had a nucleus hive out in front so people 

 could get right up close and see the c^ueen 

 lay eggs. My exhibit was 15 ft. long and 

 does not show all on card. It is no' trouble 

 to sell honey at a country fair. 



East Claridon, Ohio. E. C. Miller. 



Swapping Honey for Grain 



Many of the farming class givi>i but little 

 attention to the garden and fruit-growing, 

 their time and attention being fully occu- 

 pied with the farm and ^^^lock - raising. 

 Years ago I found that many who would 

 not purchase for cash would gladly exchange 

 grain for honey. So just after thrashing- 

 time I could start out with honey in 5 and 10 

 pound pails and return with a load of grain, 

 as f lom 5 to 20 lbs. would be left a|t almost 

 every house. 



Then in January and February when 

 preserves were largely used up and houses 

 wives in villages and country Avere hungry 

 for something to " piece out " till mapl? 

 syrup came in these pails of honey just 

 filled the bill. In this way hundreds of 

 pounds were worked off at good prices. 



Season is late here, but pi'ospects are 

 good. 



Toronto, Ont. F. P. Clare. 



If You Expect a Good Price, Ask it 



In response to your query, " How shall 

 we get the most for our honey?" I will 

 suggest that the answer may be found in 

 two words, " Ask it." It is perfectly plain 

 to me that, if we don't ask enough we shall 

 not get enough. 



Many beekeepers have not sufficient con- 

 fidence or vision to expect a good crop ; 

 and then if it comies to them unexpectedly 



