$ Tbe ^piapy $ 



HOW TO SELL HONEY. 



T is one thing to raise a crop of honey, but quite another 

 thing to sell it. The progressive beekeeper of to-day 

 must be posted in regard to the markets and manner of 

 putting his honey on the market, as well as the more 

 modern methods of producing it, if he would make bee- 

 keeping as profitable as it should be. There are two 

 things that tend to and do depress the honey market, which can and should be 

 avoided. First, the great bulk of honey which is put on the market in a poor 

 shape. We must have our honey put up in small sections and in the most 

 attractive style. In order to have it thus it is important to attend to it properly, 

 just as soon as the harvest is over, and get at least a part of it on the early 

 market, as it always commands a better price then than later. 



Take the honey from the hive as soon as the main white honey season is 

 over, and place it in a warm room with the temperature at 95 or 100°, and it 

 will ripen just as well as if left in the hive. If left in the hive until late in the 

 season, the bees begin to prepare for winter by filling every crevice and opening 

 with propolis. The sections become travel stained and the honey gets dark, and 

 no amount of work will make it as attractive as it otherwise would have been. 

 The sections should be thoroughly cleaned, and labeled or stamped with the 

 producer's name on them, and crated in neat crates with glass fronts, so it will 

 present a nice appearance. Such a crate of honey will sell at good prices. The 

 lack of knowledge in regard to the price in the different markets is more pre- 

 valent among the farmers and small producers. Many farmers will go to market, 

 says a writer in Practical Farmer, and take what the merchant chooses to give 

 them, when, with a reasonable knowledge of the markets and demand, they could 

 in many cases get much more for their goods. This not only does them an 

 injury, but injures all other people who are engaged in the same occupation. A 

 goes to market with a few pounds of honey. He asks the grocer the price The 

 grocer replies : "I just received a very nice lot yesterday for 12^ cents per 

 pound, and I guess that is about what it is worth in the market here." He is 

 not pleased with the price, so he tries another grocer and gets a similar answer. 

 So you see A is compelled to sell his honey under its real market value, simply 

 on account of those ignorant and inexcusable ones who are not posted about the 

 market. I find this the case quite often, even this year when the crop is away 

 below the average. Always sell it in your home market if possible. It is risky 

 to ship. Honey is an excellent article to retail and I have adopted this way 

 largely in disposing of my crop. The retailers won't pay as much as they will to 

 commission houses, besides freight, drayage, and the risk in shipping. They 



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