PART IV 
Disposing of the Honey-crop 
BELL EARLY; KEEP THE OLD CUSTOMEES; ADVERTISE; HOW TO UTILIZE THE 
HONEY IN CAPPINGS. 
This is a very important part of our business—one which we should 
look at from several different points. First, we should take special care 
in producing either comb or extracted honey so that it will be of the 
very best quality; and we should put it up in the most convenient and 
salable package possible. Then we should have it ready for market 
as soon as the market is ready for it. 
Here is a point that many are very negligent about. They have other 
work to attend to, and think their honey can wait until they can do 
their odd jobs, and foolishly they try to make themselves believe the 
price will rise, and they will get more later on. I have never known 
this to be so. On the contrary, the price is sure to decline until it is 
hard to sell at any price. Now, don’t allow valuable time to slip by, 
leaving your honey on your hands, and then complain that there is no 
money in bees. Just watch a successful manufacturer or merchant and 
see how he is ever on the alert for any thing that can be turned to 
advantage; and if you expect to succeed as they do you must also watch 
these points. 
In regard to sending your honey to commission men to sell for you, 
I must say that many times their returns are far from satisfactory. 
When you find a square commission man it is a very good way to dis- 
pose of your crop. But I pity you if you are caught as I have been by 
different parties. Before we commenced to sell our honey direct to deal- 
ers I thought seriously of going out of the business, as we could not 
produce extracted honey for the returns these men sometimes made. One 
lot in particular, of about four tons of as nice clover honey as I ever 
saw, he claimed to have sold at four cents per pound. Another lot of 
nearly a carload to another party brought us only three cents net, and 
I have good reasons for believing that each lot in question was sold 
for a good price. So from past experience my advice is to be careful 
where you send your honey. If you are a little short of customers, just 
advertise it in our bee journals and you will soon have chances to sell 
at a fair price; then you will know what you are to have, and when to 
expect it; and, as a general thing, you will be better satisfied with the 
result. 
Another important part is, don’t try to sell your honey for more 
than it is worth in the common markets. Here many make mistakes. 
