MARKETING. 1 37 



Those heavily-laden lumber wagons, each driven by 

 a brown-fisted farmer, were for me a triumphal caval- 

 cade. They were the irrefutable witness, to the 

 whole neighborhood, that " Allen's queer notions " 

 about bees had produced very substantial results. 

 Before noon we reached Howard. The station-agent 

 had engaged to have a car ready, and we drove to it 

 at once. I had brought hammer and nails from 

 home. Straw cushions were held against the forward 

 end of the car so that they just came down to the 

 floor, and nailed in that position. It took but a 

 moment to cushion the whole end. Then a cushion 

 was put against each side so that they just touched 

 the end ones, and others laid across from side to 

 side on the bottom of the car. Then a tier of 

 crates was piled on these bottom cushions, with their 

 ends snuggly pushed against the cushioned end of 

 the car. As fast as a wagon was emptied its cushions 

 were used on the sides and bottom of the car. I 

 packed every crate in the car myself. I had thought 

 out my system of packing, and was determined it 

 should succeed if care could command success. A 

 farmer, near Howard, had been engaged to have on 

 hand a load of oat-straw. This was made into small 

 bundles and closely thrust into every vacant place, 

 every corner and crevice, so that, when the last crate 

 was placed, my year's harvest was closely cushioned 

 in straw all around. I could see no reason for its 

 not reaching New York in safety. 



