Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-10-18
THE APIARY.
Selling Honey.

In q paper read by Il. G. Root, at the
New York convention, he stated that the
great need of honey producers IN order
to sell their honey, was:
First, to attain to a higher standard IN
the production of honey. This will be
reached through the great freedom OF
discussion which is taking place IN all
our bee literature, I am a thorough adj
vOcate Of the Question and Answer de-
partment" of our papers, where we are
enabled to compare the opinions OF
so many of our best bee-keepefs, e1-
pressed in so concise and explicit
manner. We should rememb er that any
thing tending to educate in the direction
of raising the quality of our honey to
higher standard, is exactly IN line with
creating and strengthening better
market.
Our first aim should be prime quail
ity, and next complete and perfect i'm
ish, so that it shall be attractive and
agreeable to handle. All this means
proper fall management and winter
work; successful Wintering, and proper
spring management; so that colonies
shall be pOpulOus, and in condition to
store honey rapidly, which aids its neat
appearance. In short, it MEANS all the
year round, hard work.
Second, we need to guard and foster
most stFenuOusly the fact that our pro-
duct is a pure and wholesome article OF
food. In fact, the only commercial
sweet, furnished entirely from natural
sources, that has undergone no process
of manufacture. 1t is as wholly and
truly as natural a production as milk,
and has ranked with it in all ages past.
Third, we have now come to the point
/ where We need a reformation. w talk
much about developing home market, -
creating a greater demand for our
| honey, " making proper exhibits at our
! Fafr - or b11f va Fof n 1oEfca " h q
! we advocate. In my opinion, one of the
! very greatest needs in the direction Of
/ solving the problem, IS an entire revOlu-
! tiCn in our system of marketing. Our
| wares should be handled in every large
and important market, by those who are
/ thoroughly informedin every branch of
/ bee culture.
It may be urged that by these exhibit
| tiOns we viii induce many not now IN
| the business to embark in it. l think
not. I believe the better way is to come
right out square and let them see what
we are doing. I have made exhibitions
| at the Saratoga County Fairs for a num-
/ Der of years, and have yet to hear OF any
/ one starting in the business as the re-
suit, but know that it has been the
means of helping hundreds, 1 may say
/ thousands of pounds of honey, out of
| the glutted city markets.
think, perhaps, you viii agree with
me that for the cause OF agriculture, ex-
hibitiOns at fairs are desirable, but Will
it pay the persons making them for their
time and the necessary expense? We
might ask, does bee keeping pay? Does
my business pay? The answer depends
in a great measure on the individuals
themselves. 1t may not pay directly the
first year, but if advertising is worth
anything, it no doubt will, in the long
run.
If your Fair managers offer no premi-
ums, make o good display one or two
years without, and I think they will
then, rather than lose the attractive
feature. There is also a great advantage
in being the first one to start anything
like this.
Now, if these few ideas that have
/ advanced, will result in increasing the
home consumption of our honey, hereby
helping to relieve the city markets,
shall feel repaid for the labor have
given this essay.