144 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



The reason is this. Bee-keepers ship to 

 large dealers in large cities, thinking to get 

 fancy prices, but, finally, after long waiting, 

 take just whatever the commission man plea- 

 sea to remit. The disappointed honey raiser 

 thinks he will " try a new man " next time. 



Canvassing from house to house, with hon- 

 ey is a means of disposing of great quantities 

 at good prices ; furnishing bee-keepers re- 

 munerative employment during the fall and 

 early winter when but little can be done in 

 the apiary. But, if there is any one thing 

 on earth that has a superabundance of disa- 

 greable, annoying features, it is that of ped- 

 dling houev. No matter how affable the 

 salesman, he will daily, yes, hourly, have 

 his patience and temper put to the 

 sorest test. Losses, crosses and disap- 

 pointments, together with tired and aching 

 bones are the sequence of selling honey direct 

 to consumers. The friction caused by the 

 collision between the tongue of the honey 

 peddler and those of some of his customers, 

 sometimes makes all the "red fire" one 

 wisrhes to see. 



The bee-keeper who can sell, in bulk, all 

 of his crop at home, even at a low figure, 

 may be just about as well off. All that he 

 has to do is to see to it that the combs, in the 

 building, are well secured all around the 

 sections, then packed in cases holding not 

 more than twelve pounds each, crating a 

 number together that danger from toppling 

 over in transit may be avoided. Then know 

 that the honey is sent to an honorable man. 



HoLLiDA-r's Cove, W. Va. July, 28, ISltO. 



Co-operation and Concentration Impossible ; 

 Bee-Keepers' Exchange "No Good;" Diff- 

 erent Methods of Marketing. — 

 Bee Escapes. 



^ARRETING is one of the most vital 

 questions pertaining to apiculture. 

 At present, as indicated by your edi- 

 torial, there is little effort to make 

 honey a popular article of diet. The large 

 yields are sold through commission houses 

 and the little lots find sale in country towns. 

 And this method, with few variations, will 

 probably continue : as there is not enough 

 honey produced, and its production is so un- 

 certain aaid scattered, that co-operative and 

 concentrated methods of sale cannot be re- 

 sorted to. 



Should a systematic effort l)e made to 

 supply all the people of this country with 

 honey, using the most bountiful crop we ever 

 had, there would not beenouglito go around, 

 to say nothing of the accumulating demand 

 for a whole year. 



If, as I have recently learned in my ram- 

 bles through N. Y. and the Eastern states, 

 the country generally is becoming so im- 

 poverished in honey fiora as to support only 

 forty colonies in a given field, and that ex- 

 tremely uncertain, then we may as well say 

 good bye to ever making honey a staple, 

 every day article of food. We have, there- 

 fore, to take the supply and demand as we find 

 them, and do as we can, individually, to 

 promote our own interests and get the best 



price for our product. At one time we were 

 very hopeful in regard to co-operative meth- 

 ods, but, for the foregoing reasons, we are 

 now satisfied the plan would be ni-operative. 



Our experience with the Bee-Keepers' 

 Exchange, which was organized and mostly 

 supi)orted by the liee-keepers of N. Y., is 

 still another link in the chain of confirma- 

 tory reasons. Though organized three or 

 four years ago, the secretary continues to 

 send out his reports, and we have come to 

 the conclusion that the thing goes on 

 just for the fun of it. Should the secretary 

 report to us that from Maine to California, 

 from McFadden on the north to the Antil- 

 les, there was only a tenth of a croj), we of 

 the Exchange would have the satisfaction of 

 knowing that the price would not niateriaUy 

 advance ; and would get no more for our 

 honey than those not posted as to the yield. 

 It is all very well for those who like that sort 

 of fun, but the money spent to sustain the 

 reports would l)e much more substantially 

 used if invested in hash, or some other use- 

 ful article. 



We have had some experience in selling 

 honey in the home market, and fiud, if the 

 bee-keeper can attend to it liiuiself, the re- 

 sults are more satisfactory than when honey 

 is shipped on commission. Commission and 

 freight are saved, and, usually, the producer 

 gets two or three cents more per pound for 

 his honey. This method of sale is particu- 

 larly desirable to the man who makes bee- 

 keeping his sole business, and has time 

 after the producing season to act as sales- 

 man. Others who have a combination of 

 bee-keeping and farming havn't the time 

 or inclination to engage as salesmen. In 

 such cases, the commission merchant re- 

 lieves them, and cases of dissatisfaction are 

 few. We find that extracted honey in pails 

 is the most salalile, and the longer one can 

 continue on the road the more will his sales 

 increase. When our crop is disposed of, we 

 seldom order honey from other parties ; as 

 the difference between their selling price and 

 ours would not leave us sufficient profit. If 

 we desired to continue on the road, we 

 should visit some commission house and or- 

 der from that source. 



We find it a very good place to popularize 

 the sale of honey at the county fairs ; and 

 such an exhibit as you speak of for a 

 store window would have a l)etter effect 

 where so many people are congregated. 

 Your store window exhibit would be good 

 for a sudden spurt, especialy when the bee- 

 keeper lived near the store to take charge of 

 the liees. The latter are a drawing card, 

 and can be used at fairs with splendid effect. 



In the marketing of honey, then, our ad- 

 vice is, if taste and inclination so prompt 

 you, work up the home market. If you 

 dislike this work, remember that many 

 salesmen have started in witli a dislike, but 

 have graduated as experts. 



For the disposal of a large crop of honey, 

 our first move is to make a grand exhibit at 

 the fairs ; none of your little penny whis'.Io 

 affairs; but one occupying twenty feet of 

 space, or more. When a man sees it, lie 

 will hunt up his uncles, his aunts and \\..\ 

 cousins, that they, too, may see it. 



