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fHE AMHRICAN BE£ JOLRNAS 



419 



fully lift the frame and would find floured bees passing here 

 and there. Keeping a close watch, I would see one enter a 

 cell, deposit her load, then withdraw therefrom, brush herself, 

 and fly from the comb in search of another load. Others, as I 

 also observed, would pass here and there over the combs 

 seeming somewhat bothered. I supposed from this that they 

 were depositing their day's gathering in some other comb, and 

 were hunting for it. But other bees could be seen giving up 

 to those which we designate as house or nurse bees. 



Continuing my observation, I fitted up supers, glassing 

 the sides, thus showing the sections, and continuing the dust- 

 ing process, I found the same convincing evidence, that the 

 markt bees were seen depositing nectar in the section-combs. 

 Thus, I was theoretically led to devise the side-entrance from 

 the bottom of the hive, intersecting the same in supers, keep- 

 ing the entire force of the colony together during the season, 

 as per my method previously given in the bee-papers. I 

 greatly enjoy this manipulating, and not only so, but, as I 

 have previously stated, it has been the means by which I was 

 enabled to satisfy every claim, financially, that stood against 

 me, both just and unjust, from the fact that it reduced the ex- 

 penses for hives, frames, comb foundation, and other expenses 

 in wintering, etc., besides giving greater yields, nearly doub- 

 ling in comb honey the amount by that of the increase method. 

 Now, please remember, I am speaking only for my locality. 



In regard to the entrances that Mr. Doolittle speaks of, I 

 know nothing about that, but I do remember the kind of en- 

 trance my father gave for his bees, over 50 years ago. It 

 was so large that one day in whsat harvest an old neighbor 

 who, having Imbibed the contents of an old, long-neck wine- 

 bottle, came for some honey. No one was at home but mother 

 and myself, and as no honey had been taken, mother could 

 not fill his order, so the old man swore he must have some 

 honey, and staggered out to the apiary of a hundred colonies. 

 Selecting one of the largest hives, he laid down and rolled 

 himself under the hive, thrusting his hand and arm up Into 

 the hive, drawing down a great bunch of comb and bees, and, 

 as mother and I rusht to the rescue of the old man, we were 

 badly stung, but not in comparison to the old man, who did 

 not appreciate eating his honey after getting it, but was taken 

 home and a physician called. But In three months the old 

 man died. So you see large entrances were used in those 

 days, and my father used to say that bees would not swarm 

 so much when no bottoms were used ; and many times the 

 combs were built clear down to the ground from those great 

 big hives, and whether hereditary or not, I surely advocate a 

 large entrance. 



As to the side passage-way, as I use in my method, it is as 

 eagerly accepted and used by the bees as a pedestrian with a 

 crate of honey on his shoulder would seek the unobstructed 

 sidewalk in Chicago to avoid delay. Morgan Co., Ohio. 



Home Marketing of Honey — An Experience. 



BY F. L. THOMP.SON. 



Three years ago I tried to get up a home market for ex- 

 tracted honey by soliciting from house to house. In this way 

 I sold from perhaps 700 to 1,000 pounds — I have forgotten 

 the exact amount. I concluded, however, that it did not pay. 

 By intense application I could make good daily wages, but 

 that was all. The work was not at all what I was fitted for, 

 and the perpetual feeling of being a round bolt in a square 

 hole was wearing, to say the least, without mentioning the 

 time thus wasted for a mere pittance (the difference between 

 the wholesale and retail price, with the expenses of retailing) 

 which might have been far more profitably employed, men- 

 tally, if not financially. At that time my plan was simply to 

 show people the honey, letting them taste if they wanted to 

 (but very few did). 



The past winter I concluded to try it again, on a some- 

 what different plan. I had read of the wonderful success 

 attending the plan of giving away samples, together with 

 honey leaflets. I accordingly provided myself with a number 

 of these leaflets, and printed some of my own, giving the gist 

 of the matter in a very few words, so that it could be read 

 through in half a minute or so. I gave away samples of my 

 honey (a good quality), pouring it out of a nice, little majolica 

 pitcher, holding about a quart and a half ; and also at the 

 same time samples of granulated honey, wrapt in little squares 

 of parchment paper. In this way I called at about 500 

 houses, distributing my leaflets and circulars at each place. 



Quite a number, perhaps 5 to 10 per cent., refused to 

 take the samples at all. Perhaps about half of those that did 

 take samples would take a quarter's worth of honey when I 

 made my second call. Some took 10 cents' worth, and a few 



5 cents' worth. A very few took a dollar's worth. I sold in 

 all about 500 pounds. Not more than about one-third of 

 those who had bought the first time did so again, when I made 

 my third call. At many places I had to make three, four and 

 five calls — they " hadn't the money " just then, or " had com- 

 pany," or something. I had learned by my former experience 

 that when any one said " not to day," he or she (generally 

 she) meant " not at all." Sometimes they would say, " Perhaps 

 some other time." I made second calls at such places, but 

 might have spared myself the trouble. Almost invariably it 

 turned out that the above formula had been a mere evasion. 



In giving away the samples, I took occasion to remark that 

 the granulated sample was a proof of purity; that many 

 would buy extracted honey if they thought they could get it 

 pure ; that I was a bee-keeper trying to get enough customers 

 to take all my own honey ; that the circulars told just why 

 honey was a healthier food than sugar, and contained a num- 

 ber of recipes for cooking with honey ; and more talk, if the 

 opportunity afforded. I was generally well treated, perhaps 

 more civilly than when I did not give away samples. But I 

 met all the mean people I wanted to see, and a few more. 



It will be seen that the sample-and-circular plan was not 

 even as successful as my former one, which was poor enough. 

 I do not know why that was ; but I want to offer both these 

 experiences as a solemn example to those who are enchanted 

 by the siren voices of those who sing that the home market of 

 the individual Is the remedy for all ills. I have proved by 

 two actual, prolonged trials that, for me, it is not; hence, it 

 is reasonable to infer that the experience of some others may 

 be like mine. 



Of course, explanations may be given for my want of 

 success. I know one or two who have had good success in 

 selling honey from house to house. I think the appearance of 

 their rigs and outfits " gave them away " as coming from the 

 country. Result, confidence. Unfortunately, I couldn't fall 

 back on that. When 1 put on poor clothes, or rather when I 

 don't put on good ones, people take me — not for a farmer — 

 but for a " sheeny " of the rag-buying or tin-peddling variety. 

 My conscience wouldn't let me hire a female in a calico dress 

 to sit in the wagon and personate the "old woman," and I 

 couldn't afford a horse and wagon anyhow, just for that. 

 Then, as intimated, I am a poor hand at the work. I can't 

 think of the right thing to say, or the right words to express 

 what thoughts I do have, until the opportunity has past. 



Another bee-keeping friend sells a great deal of honey — 

 always 10 pounds at a time — through his friends. When 1 

 started out in the work, he thought of course J could sell 10 

 or 15 buckets a day. I venture to say that if he had tried my 

 plan, he would not have sold much more than I ; while I can't 

 try his because I haven't a wide circle of acquaintances, nor 

 any who are apt to take orders from others for me. So it goes. 



In every case, if instances of success in selling honey were 

 analyzed, I believe it would be found that those who advocate 

 the general plan of home marketing fail to take account of 

 peculiar favoring circumstances in their own case. A man 

 with a wide circle of acquaintances, in a thickly settled rural 

 district, where he has lived 15 or 20 years, sells all his ex- 

 tracted honey without any trouble. He thinks, of course, 

 anybody can do likewise. What nonsense! 



Another, having all the peculiar qualifications of a sales- 

 man, has the luck to live not far from several unsophisticated 

 rural towns, the inhabitants of which hang on his honied 

 words, and tumble over each other in their efforts to con- 

 tribute boodle to him. He writes an article telling of his fab- 

 ulous successes. Very naturally; I would, too, in his place. 

 Only, his experience is not representative. I fear mine Is, to 

 some extent — on the principle that fools are commoner than 

 geniuses. 



Some other results of my experience run counter to ac- 

 cepted ideas ; especially the idea, that once get a person to 

 taste good honey, and you have a customer. The saying that 

 if a person once buys good honey, he will keep on buying, was 

 also knockt into flinders. Now, I have a theory to account 

 for the latter fact. The stomach craves just so much of each 

 class of foods. More than that, it does not care for, except 

 occasionally, as a tidbit or luxury for the palate. Now, usually, 

 when people buy honey, and eat it, they eat just as much 

 sugar and fruits, and so forth, as they ever did ; consequently 

 they don't feel the need of any stomach room for the honey. 

 See? 



Again, It would astonish the advocates of home individual 

 marketing to ascertain how many people there are who don't 

 like honey. Yes, I mean what I say. They don't like it. Does 

 that sound heretical ? It is so, the. I can appreciate this 

 attitude, because I am one of that class myself. After eating 

 honey for years, under, all circumstances, I am forced to the 

 conclusion that I don't like honey, and never will. Neverthe- 



