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M';^S' 



134 



THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 



opener. The honey was cut in squares and sold by the pound, 

 wrapped in paper like butter or cheese. This season he is 

 selling granulated honey for me again, but it is in Aikin 

 honey-bags. These prove a good seller where people have 

 learned that the granulated form is the natural and most 

 palatable condition of honey in cool weather. Every bee- 

 keeper should be an educational institution disseminating 

 knowledge in his neighborhood and beyond. He should teach 

 the nature and habits of honey, and its value as both food 

 and medicine. By all means strenuously strive to reduce 

 the cost of production and marketing, and maintain the 

 price. 



I have omitted detailed instructions which may be found 

 in text-books and bee-papers; but I would say to bee-keepers 

 who personally meet the consumers of your honey: Struggle 

 against this pernicious habit of reliquefying honey, and put- 

 ting up in expensive bottles. Show them that granulated 

 honey in its natural state, is attractive and palatable, and is 

 more apt to be pure. 



A point which I would like to bring up particularly for 

 discussion is this Question : How to meet the competition 

 of small producers who do not know the value of their 

 product nor their time. They think to gain advantage by 

 cutting a cent or two from the price. Then we must either 

 meet that, and the result is all lose a cent per pound, and 

 no more honey is sold, or else let them have the retail trade 

 and sell wholesale, when there is a general lowering of price. 

 Of course, the remedy is local organization, which is slow 

 and difficult, or a local "corner" which is expensive and well- 

 nigh impossible. 



To establish a home market is commendable, in that it 

 promotes the universal distribution and consumption of 

 honey. It is also expensive; but with the cooperation among 

 honey-producers necessary to their highest success it will 

 certainly pay. Morley Pettit. 



Pres. York — The paper is now before you for discussion. 



Mr. Abbott — We hear a good deal said about the middle 

 man. This is an age in which they are trying to eliminate the 

 fellow in the middle. All sorts of societies and organizations 

 are trying to get rid of the middle man. He is a fellow who 

 lives in the city, and pays big prices for help and rent, and 

 sells goods on small margins. It just occurred to me that he 

 was the man to encourage to get rid of having the market 

 spoiled. Here is this fellow in every city who handles honey. 

 The fellow who comes in and doesn't know the price, he 

 hasn't the time, and if he had he hasn't the adaptability. This 

 is an age of the divisibility of labor. In a watch factory one 

 man makes one wheel, and another man makes another, and 

 every man makes his wheel all right. There isn't a man that 

 can make a whole watch, and they do that because they get 

 better results that way; and so with the fellow selling. I am 

 now handling comb honey, and I don't want to be in business 

 for fun. A man came into my place along in the season and 



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