THE BEEKEEPERS' REVIEW 261 



of honey is not beekeeping and can be done by anyone who will 

 give the subject the proper attention. There are, however, cer- 

 tain reasons why the beekeeper can do it just a little better than 

 anyone else. He has time to sell honey during the winter and his 

 special advantage is that he knows how the honey is produced 

 and can use that knowledge and stories about bees as valuable talk- 

 ing points. The consumer will feel more confidence in buying from 

 a producer. 



The success of beekeepers who have tried this is sufficient to 

 justify advising it as the best method, at least until a better method 

 is found. A long list could be made of beekeepers who profit more 

 from selling honey than they do by producing it. The parcels post 

 has increased sales directly to consumers in many commodities. 

 While this is still in an experimental stage and while consumers 

 often express dissatisfaction at the results obtained, it is a legiti- 

 mate function of the National Beekeepers' Association to investi- 

 gate the possibilities of marketing honey in this way and to give 

 the members the benefit of the results. Work along this line gives 

 far greater promise of profit to the beekeepers of the country than 

 does nation-wide co-operation. 



Advertising and Publicity. — Next to the idea of big co-opera- 

 tive plans, the proposal to carry on a huge campaign of advertising 

 and pubhcity appeals to some as desirable, at least it often appeals 

 so long as one is not asked to contribute liberally to support it. 

 It ought not be necessary to point out that either co-operation 

 or common ownership of the product is necessary before advertis- 

 ing can be carried on at a profit to those who pay the bills. The 

 public is admonished to eat Florida oranges, which are handled 

 co-operatively, but one rarely sees advertisements urging the pub- 

 lic to eat bread or to use soap. We may be told that Jones' soap is 

 the best, but Jones pays the bills and not all soap makers. 



The small crop of honey now harvested could not supplj^ a 

 demand any greater than that now existing for, except in unusual 

 cases, all the honey produced is sold in a few months. Advertising 

 would presumably create a demand for the entire year and there 

 is no honey to supply the increased demand. Publicity might raise 

 prices somewhat, but it could not increase the supply. 



Publicity is a sharp-edged tool which may cut both ways. An 

 inexperienced man attempting a campaign of publicity could do 

 more harm and spend more money to no advantage in a few hours 

 than he is worth in ten years. There seems to be an idea current 

 that all that is necessary is to give newspaper editors stories about 

 bees which contain hidden advertisements and that the editors 



