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THE BEEKEEPERS' REVIEW 137 



Advertising a Necessary Item of Expense in Legitimate Business 



Advertising is not charitj'', or a donation to some worthy 

 cause. It is a purely business investment, as truly as your sec- 

 tions or your cans are a legitimate item of expense. All business 

 firms devote a given per cent of their gross income to publicity, 

 some, like patent medicines as high as 80 per cent. We need but 

 a small percentage of the income of honey to make the business 

 "boom." If we pursue a "penny wise" course, and allow things to 

 drift, we will see our beloved business ruined in the near future. 

 I wish I could say the right thing to induce every one of my read- 

 ers to realize the grave condition that confronts us, and have ev- 

 ery one to assist to the extent of his ability. It is not a matter 

 of sentiment alone, it is the most serious kind of business. We 

 must get relief, or quit business. Will you join us in attempting 

 to remedy matters? 



The First Steps 



The first thing to do is to get together in some plans for im- 

 mediate action. We have 100,000 beekeepers in the United 

 States, and they are the most "persistent" inventors in the world, 

 when it comes to inventing traps around a bee hive. To direct 

 this tremendous ingenuity into more practical channels, and put it 

 to direct use, we want to raise a fund of $50.00 to offer as a pre- 

 mium to those who will perfect the three best plans for relieving 

 the present condition, to be divided into three parts of $25,00, 

 $15.00 and $10.00; the results to be decided by a board of judges 

 consisting of E. D. Townsend, Prof. Jager, and Wesley Foster. 

 You may send subscriptions to this fund to me and they will be 

 announced in the Review. 



The Grocery Trade 



A large part of the honey, especially the comb honey is sold 

 through the groceries. Even at that, only a small per cent of the 

 retail groceries handle it. We want to get closer in touch with 

 them and interest them more and more with honey as a desirable 

 commodity. This will be done by form letters, advertising in the 

 trade journals, and by special correspondence. These fellows are 

 in the grocery business to make money. If we can show them, 

 that honey is a desirable and profitable article for them to sell, 

 they will push it for us. They can easily double their present 

 output with the proper encouragement. Let's make this fund 

 large enough to reach every grocer in the United States every 

 month with a good strong letter. It will take quite a little fund. 

 I will start it off with $5.00, which is 5c for each colony I have. 



