PLAN No. 481. DOING ODD JOBS

The sixth boy did odd jobs wherever he could find them, such as carrying

satchels or parcels from stores, or to and from trains, pushing baby

carriages in the parks, running errands for neighbors, and anything else

that came handy. He was always on the lookout for work and was very

seldom idle. His earnings were $23.75, and he was very well satisfied

with that.

PLAN No. 482. COLLECTING OLD MAGAZINES FOR SALE

The seventh boy went from house to house, collecting all the old

magazines that people were willing to give away, and sold these to

dealers at a good price per pound, as anything made of paper was in good

demand. This boy was more successful and his earnings were $70 during

that three months of vacation.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING PLANS

A few of the following plans, are mere outlines containing suggestions

which may be worked out in more detail by those who wish to make use of

them. New features may be added as they suggest themselves to each

person adopting one or more of the plans as a means of making a living.

In giving so many under one heading, space will not permit a separate

method for handling each plan.

In order to determine the best selling plan, or the best method of

profitably handling any of the ways outlined, it would be well for a

person to read as many of the plans set forth as possible, and become

familiar with the various means employed by others to obtain the best

possible results.

Selling plans for produce named in this book are of various kinds, and

include personal solicitation by a house-to-house canvass, the

employment of agents to sell on a commission basis, placing the article

on sale with druggists and dealers, mail order, advertising in suitable

mediums, giving away of coupons to dealers, who in turn give them to

their customers; the trust plan, or sending a certain number of articles

or packages to children, to be sold by them at a certain low price, and

paying a premium either in merchandise or cash; filling orders by parcel

post; placing of general advertising through a reputable advertising

agency, that will not only help to prepare the proper kind of

advertising, but also be able to select the best mediums for that

particular product; selling of certain items of information direct to

the customer, telling him how to make practical use of certain ideas of

which he had no previous knowledge.

All the above selling plans are set forth in various parts of this book,

in connection with the statement of how certain plans were successfully

worked by individuals who adopted them as a livelihood, and the

testimony of these persons should prove a valuable guide to others

seeking similar results.

PLAN No. 483. CADET OFFICER FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 484. LITTLE “TINKERING” JOBS

Replenishing and replacing batteries for doorbells, mending

kitchen-ware, and replacing various articles about the house will often

give a very good income in a small place where experts from large

establishments are not within reach. Many an elderly man, who could not

do anything else, has made a comfortable living by doing these little

“odd jobs.”

PLAN No. 485. CARPENTER FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 486. DESIGNER-LANDSCAPE. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 487. THE “HOKEY-POKEY” SUMMER SELLER

One of the most delicious confections, and one that scores the largest

number of sales during the summer season, is made as follows:

One can condensed milk; 2 tablespoonfuls cornstarch; a little cold milk.

Put the remainder of the milk in a double boiler, and when hot add the

cornstarch. Cook five minutes, then add the condensed milk, and set

aside to cool; then add the vanilla, and freeze. Cut into squares or

sticks and pack closely in a wooden pail, and it will sell readily for 5

or 10 cents a stick.

A splendid seller at fairs, picnics, parties, etc., and a popular

delicacy in the city at soft-drink stands and confectionery stores.

Yields an unusually large profit.

PLAN No. 488. A SHOE POLISH IN POWDER FORM

Shoe polishes always sell, and it is only a question as to which is the

best one. The following is not excelled:

Take powdered gum arabic, 5 pounds; sugar, 1¹⁄₄ pounds; analine black, 3

ounces. Powder these and mix well. Then divide into ten packets, each of

which will produce a pint of polish, or into twenty packets that will

make a half-pint each, though more may be made from, a packet, as it is

rather thick, especially for kid or glaze leathers. It can be used with

either water or vinegar, or these combined, in which to dissolve the

powder. Apply with a brush, and continue the friction until the

superfluous fluid dries and the polish appears.

To make this a tan polish, use 1 ounce of chrysodine, instead of the

analine black.

A fine polish and a good profit in this preparation.

PLAN No. 489. LETTER CARRIERS FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 490. METAL POLISHING BLOCKS

These are made of precipitated chalk, 2 pounds; powdered tripoli, ¹⁄₂

pound; jewelers’ rouge, 1 ounce. Mix into a stiff paste, with 1 ounce of

glycerine and a pint of water, previously mixed, and pour on just enough

of the liquid to work the powders to the consistency of fresh dough.

Then place in little wooden butter molds to shape them and set aside to

dry, then force out and fill again. The blocks are used with a soft

cloth and a few drops of water, which will give metal articles a fine

polish. You can sell all you can make of these, and realize a profit on

them that will surprise you.

PLAN No. 491. CEMENT WORKER FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 492. CERAMICS FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 493. SOAP LEAVES FOR TRAVELERS’ USE

These are made by passing sheets of paper over rollers and through a hot

solution of liquid soap, then passing it over drying cylinders, and

cutting it into sheets of the desired size.

They are so convenient and cheap that travelers will buy them and there

is a good profit in making and selling them.

PLAN No. 494. HAVING THE BUTTER YELLOW IN WINTER

Just a little secret, but it is worth a good deal to buttermakers and

housewives who pride themselves upon the color of their butter, and will

pay something to know just how to obtain it:

Just before you finish churning, put the yolk of one or more eggs into

the churn, and you’ll have just the color you desire--a rich yellow.

PLAN No. 495. REMOVING FOUL AIR FROM WELLS

To determine whether or not the air at the bottom of the well is foul,

place a lighted torch or lamp in a bucket and lower it into the well. If

it continues to burn when the bucket rests on the water, it is safe to

descend. If it is extinguished, the air is foul. To remove this, lower a

pail filled with burning straw, or by dropping two or three quarts of

freshly slaked lime down the well. But test with the light again before

descending.

Plenty of people who have wells would gladly pay a small sum to have

this information mailed to them.

PLAN No. 496. A QUICK FATTENING FOR FOWLS

Fowls will quickly fatten if given a mixture of ground rice, well

scalded with milk, to which some coarse sugar has been added, making it

rather thick. Feed several times a day, but not too much at a time.

An ad. in poultry journals, offering to tell how this is done, for 25

cents, should bring excellent results.

PLAN No. 497. ARM AND BUST DEVELOPER

Regarding it as every woman’s duty to look her best at all times, a

young lady in Denver prepared a most effective arm and bust developer

from the following formula:

Lanolin, 2 ounces; cocoa butter, 2 ounces; olive oil, 2 ounces. These

she melted in a double boiler, and heat until cold, when it was ready to

put up in 2-ounce jars that sold for 40 cents each, and proved so

satisfactory that she received hundreds of orders each month, through a

few ads. judiciously placed, besides having a good sale through drug

stores.

The directions she gave were to first bathe the parts with hot water, to

open the pores, and then rub in the cream very thoroughly at bedtime for

a number of nights.

PLAN No. 498. REMEDY FOR BRITTLE NAILS

Women who are annoyed by having brittle nails are always glad to learn

of some effective way to make and keep them soft. This prompted a young

lady in St. Paul to utilize the following formula:

White petroleum, 1 ounce; powdered castile soap, 1 dram; oil of

bergamot, a few drops. This softens the nails, cures hang-nails and

renders the cuticle around the nails soft and pliable, so that it can be

easily removed with a towel or orange stick.

One small ad. in a leading magazine brought a great many orders, and by

repeating the ad. in other periodicals, the young lady earned $1,500

clear profit the first year.

PLAN No. 499. BATH POWDER

The delights of the bath are greatly multiplied by adding a well

prepared bath powder, and one of the very best of these was put up by

this lady, as follows:

Borax, 10 ounces; tartaric acid, 10 ounces; starch, 5 ounces. Mix the

ingredients together, and perfume with lavender water. Two teaspoonfuls

of the powder to a tub of water will soften and perfume the same making

it at the same time more cleansing and delightful.

She put this powder up in 8-ounce paper boxes, and sold it for 25 cents

a box. It proved a good seller all the year round and the profits were

exceptionally large. The drug stores carried it in stock, as it assisted

greatly in making other sales, owing to the demand for it.

PLAN No. 500. SACHET POWDER

There are many kinds of sachet powder, but none are superior to the

following, which this lady prepared and sold in immense quantities:

Orris root, 10 pounds; lavender water, 16 ounces. Spread out the orris

root in thin portions on a table, and sprinkle the lavender water over

it. When dry, after the two have been well mixed, it is ready for

packing.

She put it up in envelopes containing one ounce each, and these she sold

in large quantities for 10 cents each.

Occasionally she would offer a package of the sachet powder as a premium

with other preparations that were not selling as rapidly as they should,

and thereby greatly increased her sales of other articles in this way.

Besides, one package of the sachet powder usually brought repeat orders.

PLAN No. 501. SIMPLE METHOD OF SILVER PLATING

A Dallas, Texas, man made a very good living by coating small metal

articles with silver, without the use of a battery, as follows:

First, he dipped the article to be silver-plated in a solution of common

salt, then rubbed it with a mixture composed of one part of precipitated

chloride of silver, two parts potassa alum, eight parts common salt, and

eight parts cream of tartar. The article was then washed and dried with

a soft rag, when it had all the appearance of silver.

By calling at houses and explaining what this would do, as well as by a

few ads. in the local newspapers, he was soon getting all the work he

could do, and as people were willing to pay good prices for having their

ordinary ware look like silver, he made good wages at this business.

PLAN No. 502. STOVE POLISH THAT ENAMELS

To make an excellent stove polish that was really an enamel, a Colorado

man prepared the following:

Mix two parts of black lead, 4 parts of copperas, and 2 parts of

bone-black with water sufficient to form a creamy paste. The copperas

produces a jet-black enamel, causing the black lead to adhere to the

iron.

The cost of making this was very slight, and when people saw what a fine

polish it made it was easily sold.

PLAN No. 503. BANISHING FLIES BY FUMIGATION

A western man who was interested in the swatting-the-flies idea, yet

wished to do so without using the messy, sticky stuff you put on fly

papers generally, or running the risk of poisons, invented a fumigating

flypaper that is easy and clean to use, and gets rid of the flies in a

hurry. He makes it as follows:

Powdered quassia, 4-ounces; powdered chlorate of potash, 1¹⁄₂ ounces;

French oil of pennyroyal, ³⁄₄ ounce. Mix these well, then add ³⁄₄ pint

of clear water and mix all together thoroughly. Soak sheets of blotting

paper about 4x9 inches in size in this solution, stirring it up

frequently. Dry the sheets in the sun or by gentle heat. A sheet thus

prepared, if burned in a room, will clear it of flies.

The man put these up in packages of ten sheets each, and retailed it at

10 cents per package. The druggists and grocery stores bought large

quantities, and when he advertised it in a list of good papers, he

received a great many orders.

His first year’s operations netted him a very good livelihood.

PLAN No. 504. CEREAL DISEASE--U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 505. SALE PLAN FOR ALMOND CREAM

Few of the accessories of women’s toilets are more highly esteemed than

is a preparation known as almond cream, and a lady who was especially

partial to this, put it up in the following manner:

Distilled water, 90 fluid ounces; quince mucilage, 5 ounces; solution of

soda, 1¹⁄₂ ounces; boric acid, 1 ounce; cold cream, ¹⁄₂ ounce; sweet

almond oil, ¹⁄₂ ounce; glycerine, ¹⁄₂ ounce. Stir cold cream, almond oil

and solution of soda together until a uniform soapy cream is obtained.

Dissolve the boric acid in 60 ounces of water, warmed, and to this add

the glycerine and quince mucilage, then add this composition slowly and

with regular stirring to the former. Add sufficient perfume and the rest

of the water, stirring until uniform.

The drug stores sold a large quantity, and she added to her receipts by

making it a mail order proposition.

PLAN No. 506. SOLD PREPARATION TO ERADICATE PERSPIRATION ODOR

A physician in New York, who had made a specialty of preparing various

toilet accessories for women, gave one of his patients the following

formula for destroying the odor of perspiration, and she was so well

pleased with its effects that she put it up for sale. She made a success

of it, first through agents, then through the drug stores, and later

through advertising it in a number of ladies’ magazines. To-day it is

one of the standard preparations for women’s use, and is enjoying a

large sale. It does the work, and the following are the ingredients:

Borax, 10 grams; starch, 10 grams; salicylic acid, 3 grams; powdered

alum, 5 grams; talcum powder, 50 grams; napthol, 5 grams.

However, if the odor is not excessive, ordinary cooking soda, applied

under the arms with a powder puff, is often efficacious.

PLAN No. 507. SOLD PREPARATION TO PREVENT OR REMOVE SUNBURN

An eastern woman, who was particularly susceptible to sunburn, prepared

the following, which proved both a preventive and a cure:

Orange flower water, 2 ounces; rosewater, 2 ounces; tincture of benzoin,

¹⁄₂ ounce; borax, 1¹⁄₄ drams.

By applying this before going out, it prevented the skin from becoming

sunburned, while in those cases where the mischief had already been

done, she bathed her face with it several times a day, until the sunburn

was removed.

This was so easy and inexpensive to make, and met with such a ready

sale, that she found it extremely profitable to put it up in large

quantities. Every lady who tried it gladly recommended it to her

friends, and soon the drug stores were calling for all she could put up.

A little advertising greatly increased the sales, and she is today

enjoying a good income from it.

PLAN No. 508. CHAUFFEUR--P. O.--U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 509. CHAUFFEUR--MECHANIC--U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 510. CHEESEMAKER FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 511. CHEMIST FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 512. CLERK FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 513. “TELLING THEM HOW”

A middle-aged man who had made a practice for many years of accumulating

trade secrets, valuable formulas and various plans for making money out

of little specialties not known to the public in general, was impressed

with the belief that out of the itemized knowledge thus secured, he

could render assistance to many people who were looking for something to

do, and at the same time profit by largely himself.

He therefore had 1,000 copies of each of these money-making ideas

printed in separate form, and advertised that for 10 cents he would send

any one of them that might be selected from his list or any fifteen of

them for $1.00. His expenses were confined to the cost of advertising,

printing and mailing, and his receipts ran into hundreds of dollars the

first year.

PLAN No. 514. ASSAYER FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 515. COLLECTOR FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 516. ROASTING EARS IN WINTER

Green corn in the form of roasting ears is considered a delicacy even in

its season, but to have the same thing in the winter time seems almost

too good to be true. Yet a young farmer in Illinois did it, this way:

He gathered his sweet corn with the husks on, and putting a layer of

salt in the bottom of a clean barrel that would not leak, he proceeded

to fill the barrel, first with a layer of salt, then a layer of the

corn, and so on until the barrel was completely filled. Then he put on

top a large stone for pressure, and added a little pickle of salt and

water. He set the barrel in the cellar, where it would be cool and yet

not freeze, and found that it would keep perfectly for a year or more,

if allowed to stay there.

That gave him an idea, and the next fall he put up nearly forty barrels

of those pickled roasting ears, safely put away in his cellar, to be

sold at high prices when the snow was flying.

PLAN No. 517. A QUICK FIRE KINDLER

A householder who had had much experience in building fires in the

morning, and realized the difficulties and discomforts so often

encountered in that necessary duty, experimented until he had perfected

a kindling compound that could be relied upon.

He melted one quart of tar and three pounds of rosin together, brought

it to a cooling temperature, and mixed it with as much coarse sawdust as

could be worked in, with a little charcoal added. This he spread upon a

board, and when cold he broke it up into lumps about the size of

walnuts. These ignited easily and burned with a strong blaze long enough

to light any fire.

Being anxious to confer this advantage upon other households, he made up

a large quantity and sold it to the fuel dealers in his city, at such a

rapid rate and such a big profit that he commenced to make it on an

extensive scale, and thereafter he looked upon the winter as his harvest

time.

PLAN No. 518. COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 519. COPYING PATTERNS ON CLOTH

An invalid woman, who liked working pretty designs on cloth goods, yet

found difficulty in obtaining patterns to her liking, discovered a way

of copying her own drawings on cloth, so that they could be worked as

though they were stamped.

She mixed a quantity of finely powdered sealing wax with alcohol, until

it was thoroughly dissolved. Then she dipped a clean pen in this liquid,

and traced the desired pattern on tracing paper, and let it dry. She put

this paper, marked side down, on the cloth on which she wished to copy

the pattern, and pressed with a hot iron. The scaling wax in the liquid

melted from the heat and stuck to the cloth, and formed a duplicate of

the design she had drawn.

She was so well pleased with the results of the experience that she

decided to make a profit out of the information, so she advertised in

the classified columns of the daily papers that on receipt of 25 cents

she would instruct anyone how to do this work. Remittances came in, and

the printed instructions were duly mailed, to the satisfaction of

hundreds of women who sent for them.

PLAN No. 520. MAKING FURNITURE POLISH

If you knew that furniture polish was largely all profit, the selling of

it would look like a good business to engage in. A young Tacoma man

thought so well of the plan that he adopted it, and made a good income

from it. He compounded it from the following ingredients, and it did the

work:

He mixed equal parts of linseed oil, turpentine, vinegar and spirits of

wine, shook them well, and applied to the furniture with a piece of

linen cloth, afterwards polishing with a dry flannel cloth. It made old,

dingy, scratched furniture look like new, and he sold large quantities

of it, not only to families, but to furniture stores, second-hand

dealers, and others.

Then he employed boys to go from house to house, leaving a small sample,

with directions for use, with each housewife, asking her to give it a

trial. A circular was also left with each sample, stating that in a

short time an agent would call and sell the recipe for making it for 25

cents, and that enough of the ingredients to make a gallon of it could

be purchased at any drug store for less than 50 cents.

As this looked so much more economical than to buy furniture polish at

25 to 40 cents for a small bottle, the originator of the plan found

that, after paying the agent a commission of 40 per cent, he was still

deriving a net income from it that averaged close to $10 a day.

PLAN No. 521. FROM SHIPPING CLERK TO EMPLOYER

A Texas woman tells how she helped her husband rise from a poorly-paid

shipping clerk to a business of his own where he became an employer

instead of an employe.

Discouraged with the small salary he received, and noticing that the

agents of the same company from outside towns appeared well dressed and

prosperous, she induced her husband to ask the manager to allow him a

commission on such sales as he might be able to bring in. The company

agreed to give him 5 per cent commission on all orders he might secure,

and the wife began writing letters to those she judged, from reading the

papers, were prospective customers.

Receiving no answers to these letters she looked for the names of

contractors and architects, and was soon in communication with a

construction company that was erecting a large building. She interested

the manager in brick, which the company employing her husband was

making. Her husband informed his company of this prospect, and saw the

construction company personally. The manager secured a large order as a

result of this visit, and sent a check for $226 to the shipping clerk

and his wife as commission.

The wife bought a typewriter and some letter heads, and carried on a

correspondence with other contractors with the result that many more

sales were made through her efforts, many more commissions were paid

them, and shortly afterwards the husband resigned his position and gave

all his time to the sales end of the business.

To-day they own a good office where others are employed to help them,

live in their own home, and are surrounded by many comforts they never

dreamed of before.

Just because the wife had the wisdom to see ahead, and the courage and

ability to carry out her plans to a successful conclusion.

PLAN No. 522. COMPUTER FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 523. REFINISHING METHOD FOR FURNITURE REPAIRERS

A furniture repair man in Seattle discovered the following method of

refinishing American or printed oak, a clever imitation of genuine

quartered oak:

Clean up the piece, whatever it may be; if it needs washing, give it a

good scrubbing, and then an equally good opportunity to dry. If you want

to replace the figure, and it is not generally worn off, mix some dry

Van Dyke brown with stale beer or cider, and pencil in the flakes. This

can be done with a long camel hair “striper,” or even with an artist’s

brush about one-eighth inch in diameter. With a little practice, the

grain of the wood can be followed so that each piece can have its

general design carried out. When this graining process has dried, coat

with shellac, then varnish.

The effect produced by this method was so artistic that he was offered a

good salary to take charge of all such work in a large furniture store

in the city, but there are hundreds of other places in this country

where the same method can be employed with equally good results.

PLAN No. 524. HE JUST TRIMMED TREES

There was one man in Portland, Oregon, who was a competent and skilled

tree trimmer. He knew all about shade trees, fruit trees, grape vines,

shrubs, plants--everything that is worth saving and caring for in that

line. He knew how and when they should be trimmed, and he obtained so

much work that he was obliged to hire men to help him. But they had to

be men who knew what they were about, or were willing to learn from him

what they didn’t know, so that he soon had them trained to do the work

as it should be done.

There are plenty of openings everywhere for real tree-trimmers.

PLAN No. 525. GEESE ON THE FARM

If farmers more generally realized the profits to be derived from the

raising of geese, there would be many more in the country, and thousands

of dollars more in the farmers’ pockets.

The wife of an Illinois farmer, who did realize how easy and economical

it is to raise geese, and the profits they pay, in both flesh and

feathers, made a specialty of them, and as a result of her foresight and

enterprise always had money, while the other farmers’ wives were

continually complaining of the lack of pin-money. At last a number of

them followed her example, and raised geese in great numbers. The care

and cost of geese are small, compared with the expense of raising other

fowls. They rustle their own living off of land that is good for nothing

else, though in the breeding and laying season this lady gave them

shorts and Indian meal twice a day.

From 100 geese, this woman generally realized from $250 to $300 a year,

which was nearly all profit. She made the profits increase her flocks,

until she had several hundred, which brought her an excellent income

every year.

PLAN No. 526. CONDUCTOR--ELEVATOR FOR U. S. PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 527. CASH REBATE CARDS

A young man in Oakland, California, who was a good salesman worked out a

little plan that brought him a good income.

He secured a first-class printer to make him up 1,000 very rich looking

cards in colors. Then he called upon five prominent merchants, in

different lines, showing them the cards, stated he was about to place

these in the hands of the ladies at the heads of families in the city;

that these cards entitled the holders to trade at any one of the five

different stores named, and receive a discount of 10 per cent in cash at

the time of the purchase; that he would call at these stores every month

and collect a commission on all business each merchant had received

through the cards, and that the use of these cards would greatly

increase the merchant’s trade. Most of those approached agreed to the

plan.

Having secured the five merchants, our young man called at the

residences, presented the card to the lady of the house, and assured her

she incurred no expense or obligation in accepting it. In this way he

distributed 200 of the cards.

Now, as it turned out that each holder of these cards spent at least $10

a week with each of these five merchants, his commission on the sales

thus made amounted to $200 a month.

PLAN No. 528. CONSTRUCTION SUPT. FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 529. LOOKING UP OLD JUDGMENTS

Here is a plan that was very successfully operated by a young lawyer in

a western city, and can be worked out just as well in every county-seat

town in the United States:

He employed a young lady to go carefully over the dockets of both the

superior and justice courts, and make a complete list of all unsatisfied

judgments rendered during the six years preceding, so that they were not

barred by the statute of limitations.

She made a careful note on a blank prepared for that purpose, of the

number of the book in which the judgment was recorded; the case number;

the name of the court; names of plaintiff and attorney; of defendant and

attorney; of garnishee defendant, if any; amount of judgment; amount of

costs; amount of attorney’s fees, if stated; time judgment was taken,

etc.

When she brought these reports to the lawyer’s office he would consult a

city directory or state gazeteer, to learn the present address of both

plaintiff and defendant, then obtain from a reporting company the

financial standing of the defendant.

He would then write the plaintiff, asking him to call in reference to

the judgment, but not stating his knowledge as to the defendant’s

condition. When the plaintiff came in he would state he had a report on

the defendant, which he could have upon the payment of $2, the cost of

obtaining this data, but if the defendant was in such shape that the

judgment could be collected, he would offer to collect it for 50 per

cent, and have it assigned to him for that purpose. Then he would see

the judgment debtor, and in many cases he was able to secure the entire

amount. He would then enter satisfaction of the judgment on the court

records, remit one-half to the plaintiff, and the balance was his. This

plan made him $5,000 the first year.

PLAN No. 530. A CATCH PHRASE CONTEST

A well known firm manufacturing bookcases in an eastern city wanted a

new catch-phrase for their advertisements, and offered a cash prize of

$50 for the best one submitted.

A man submitted a phrase and won the $50. The firm, in sending him a

check for the amount, announced that they would pay him a cash

commission on all sales of their bookcases he might secure for them in

his community, and being in that line himself, he was able to come in

contact with many persons who wanted bookcases. As the merits of this

particular one had been brought favorably to their attention through the

effective advertising the firm was doing, sales were not difficult to

make. The catch-phrase contest put them in contact with many hundreds of

prospective purchasers for bookcases which were later turned into

business.

PLAN No. 531. CANVASSING PLAN

To the canvasser or agent who has spent his life selling little 10 and

25-cent articles, shunning the homes of the wealthy through fear of

being refused admittance, and wishes for something better, the following

plan should appeal:

A New York man got in close touch with several of the large importing

and jobbing houses in eastern cities, and had become familiar with the

better grades of imported laces, sold only by the best stores. He had

acquired an intimate technical knowledge of these expensive goods, and

was equipped with a complete outfit of samples mounted on cards that

folded in four sections, covered with bookbinders’ cloth and mercerized

silk. He also had very rich business cards, containing his name as the

representative of a big importing house.

Stopping in a town of considerable size, he would go to the best hotel,

and soon would be in possession of the names of many society leaders.

These he would call upon, send up his card, and, when admitted, state

that he recognized the difficulty ladies have in obtaining fine laces

outside the large cities, and that his house had therefore adopted the

plan of offering its line of high-grade laces direct to the purchaser.

In a most skillful manner he would lead the lady to the point of stating

when he might present his samples for her inspection and practically

every such inspection meant a large order, amounting to hundreds or even

thousands of dollars. He would then ask the lady for an introduction to

her friends upon one of her own cards, and this meant more sales--big

sales--without number, for he used the card plan for introductions until

he had supplied all the women in that town financially able to buy

large amounts of fine lace. This required high-grade salesmanship, and

his profits ran into many thousands each year.

PLAN No. 532. FURNITURE UPHOLSTERING AND REPAIRING

An Indianapolis man made a profitable and permanent business of

repairing and upholstering furniture, and by doing first-class work, at

prices considerably below those charged by furniture houses, he secured

the regular work of a large number of householders and some of the

stores in that city. The various materials used, and the voluminous

instructions given for performing the work in all its details, are

entirely too long to be given in this book, but any one with a taste for

this work will have no difficulty in familiarizing himself with the most

approved methods, and can rest assured he can make a good living at it

by diligent application.

PLAN No. 533. COOK FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

HOW SIX HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS MADE MONEY

Six high-school girl-graduates, who had just finished a course in

domestic science, and were wondering what they could do to make a little

money, were told by their instructress that she would give each of them

a valuable household formula to work with, and that she would give a

cash prize of $25 to the girl who made the most profit out of her

formula in six months. The girls promptly accepted the offer, and went

diligently to work with the following results:

PLAN No. 534. GOOD WHITE POLISHING POMADE

Girl No. 1 selected the following as the basis of her activity:

Tripoli powder, 1 pound; whiting, 1 pound; pumice flour, ¹⁄₂ pound;

crude oleic acid, ¹⁄₄ pound; kerosene, 3 fluid ounces. Mix together with

sufficient petroleum jelly to form a paste, and add perfume, such as oil

of lemon, cassia, or nitrobenzol (mirbane) which gives the usual almond

odor.

Making up a considerable quantity, in the above proportions, she

canvassed a large part of the residence district in the city and took

trips to outside towns, demonstrating and selling it, and received

valuable aid from one of the drug companies when she put it on sale.

Her profits for the six months were $248.

PLAN No. 535. A FIRST-CLASS FOOT POWDER

The third girl chose a foot powder to work upon, the formula being as

follows:

Finely powdered talc, 60 ounces; boric acid, 30 ounces; salicylic acid,

1 ounce; powdered alum, 1 ounce. Mix well, and scent as desired. The

drug stores of the city told her they would take all of this she could

make, as it was better and cheaper than powder widely advertised, and in

the following six months her profits amounted to $287.

PLAN No. 536. A GOOD AND CHEAP HAIR DYE

Girl No. 4 thought she saw in a formula for a hair dye the foundation of

at least a small income, so she chose that:

She gave samples to several elderly ladies of her acquaintance, and they

were delighted with it. From these samples, indirectly, she sold several

hundred bottles, and then a young lady friend of hers, a very successful

canvasser, offered to sell all she could make of it, on a commission of

40 per cent. She accepted the offer and, began making it in large

quantities, while the other girl sold it, and at the end of six months

found that her profits were $397.

PLAN No. 537. INSECT POWDER

Girl No. 5 was rooming at a house where cockroaches were driving the

landlady almost frantic, and gladly chose the following formula as her

field of operations: Persian insect powder, 4 ounces; borax 30 ounces;

starch, 4 ounces; sugar, 3 ounces; cocoa, 4 ounces; tartar emetic, 4

ounces. Reduce all to a fine powder and mix thoroughly.

The landlady was her first customer, and soon dispelled the roaches.

Then the girl visited all the rooming houses, hotels, bakeries, cafes,

etc., in the city, and made good sales. The drug stores sold

considerable of it also, while women canvassers sold some, and the

profits of her plan in the six months were $275.

PLAN No. 538. STARCH ENAMEL

There was but one of the formulas left, and the sixth girl took that

one, determined to make it a success. The formula was as follows:

Stearine, one powder; paraffin, 4 ounces; powdered ultramarine blue, ¹⁄₂

dram.

Fortunately, this girl’s uncle was the owner of a large laundry in the

city, and he offered to make a thorough test of her product in his own

establishment. The result of that test was that he offered to furnish

the money for making this starch enamel on a very extensive scale, and

the sales were so large that by the end of the six months her share of

the profits were over $700, and she not only took the prize offered by

her domestic science teacher, but found herself a half-owner of a

business that later made large profits each year.

PLAN No. 539. A DIABETIC GARDEN

A man who owned a small tract of fine garden and fruitland adjoining a

western city, had suffered for years from diabetes, and all the ordinary

forms of treatment had failed to improve his condition.

At last he purchased a book written by a celebrated eastern physician

who had long been a professor of medicine in a leading university, as

well as being associated with hospitals in large cities, and was an

authority on diabetes. This book outlined a course of treatment which

this man followed.

The source from which he received the most benefit and to which he

mainly attributed his successful treatment, was that portion of the book

relating to the proper vegetable diet for diabetic patients, advising

the use of those containing the least amount of sugar and starch, and he

raised most of these vegetables himself.

Acting upon the experience thus gained, he decided to extend this

valuable aid and information to the thousands of other diabetics to be

found in every community, and he thereupon inserted an ad. in a large

number of newspapers, asking those so afflicted to write to him if they

wished a certain and inexpensive treatment. To the hundreds who answered

this ad. he wrote that he would supply the vegetables especially

required for the diabetics, at very reasonable prices, either summer or

winter, as he had them canned for that purpose. Or, if preferred, he

would mail the names of all the vegetables necessary, with complete

instructions for their culture and use, for a certain amount.

These ads. and letters brought him a good revenue.

PLAN No. 540. A NOVEL COLLECTION IDEA

An eastern man, who had made a special study of human nature and of

business morals, evolved a novel plan which enabled him to establish a

small collection agency, and expand the business so rapidly by means of

his idea that in the course of six years he was the head of four large

collection agencies in as many prominent cities, and was deriving a

large income from it. His letter heads and stationery all bore his name

as “attorney and counsellor at law.”

His plan, though effective, was very simple: Securing accounts for

collection, he would send to a bank in the debtor’s city a sight draft

on the man owing the account, with instructions to the bank to return it

to him promptly if not paid when due. He also had printed on the margin

of the draft a detachable slip, saying: “No protest. Take this off

before presenting.”

He knew that every man wants to stand well in the estimation of his

banker, as the man who keeps his credit good can obtain bank

accommodations which would otherwise be denied him, and he knew that if

the account was correct, the debtor would pay it to the bank sooner than

to anyone else. Therefore he was very successful in making prompt

collections. In the few cases where his method failed to bring the money

he was not out anything as he charged the creditor 10 cents for every

draft so sent out.

PLAN No. 541. COMPILED INDEX OF LEGAL FORMS

A young lawyer in a western city added considerably to his professional

fees, and at the same time aided many other lawyers to install method

and system in their offices by originating an alphabetical index of

court papers and other legal forms, having the name of each paper duly

set out opposite a certain number following, and keeping the forms in

files for that purpose, each bearing a corresponding number.

By this means it was but the work of a moment to find in the index the

name and number of the paper desired, and then turn to the file

containing the number. It saved a great deal of time and space.

So convenient and time-saving did this method prove to be, that he

secured a copyright on it, and had a large number of the indexes

printed, which he sold readily to other lawyers in his own and adjoining

states for $15.00 a set.

This was a great help to a young lawyer just beginning practice. His

service was nearly all profit, and he was able to give time to the

lawyer to pay, but he usually obtained all the payment on delivery. This

will afford more than a living to any salesman.

PLAN No. 542. WROTE A BOOK ON SHOWCARD MAKING

A successful writer of showcards, employed by a large eastern retail

house, felt that in helping others to become as proficient in that line

as he was himself, he could make money thereby, and he decided to write

a book explaining every detail of the work in so thorough a manner that

even those of only medium ability could understand and apply the

principles as taught by himself.

He therefore prepared a book of seventeen chapters, treating

exhaustively of every phase of showcard writing, including free-hand

work, equipment, practice and principles, strokes, geometry of letters,

round-writing pen practice, forms of lettering, outline, single-stroke

letters, layout and spacing, ink and paints, primary and secondary

colors, bronze, flitter, etc., catch-phrases, hints to card-writers, and

much other valuable information.

He placed the price of his book at $1 per copy, and by advertising in

trade papers all over the country he sold several thousand of them the

first year.

PLAN No. 543. LAWYER TRADES FOR 80-ACRE FARM

A young lawyer, just out of college, located in a northwestern city of

about 75,000 people, and, though his practice was not large during the

first few years, he made a fair living.

An old, dilapidated frame house, within a mile and a half of the

business center, was offered at a low price, there being a mortgage on

the place for $1,800. The owner being anxious to get rid of the

mortgage, offered to sell his equity for $50, and the lawyer bought it.

Then he mastered his pride, went to work and cleaned up the premises

thoroughly, and spent $150 for painting and other improvements, and

moved into it with his family. It then looked like a new place, and a

number of trees with a good lawn gave it a very attractive and home-like

appearance.

After he had lived in the house a few months, the owner of a farm within

a few miles of the city, who wanted a home in town, and greatly admired

this particular place, offered to trade the farm for the lawyer’s equity

in the city residence. The farm was worth $5,000, but had a $1,500

mortgage on it, and the lawyer made the trade, taking the farm, subject

to the mortgage. The city house had cost him $200, while his equity in

the farm was $3,500 or $3,300 ahead of his cash outlay.

Forty acres of the farm thus acquired were covered with a good growth of

timber, which not only provided the new owner with all the fuel he would

need during the rest of his life, but also enabled him to pay the

interest on the mortgage every year through the sale of extra wood from

fallen trees, etc.

There was an excellent 5-room house on the farm, surrounded by about six

acres of orchard and garden, all in exceptionally good soil. He spent

about $100 in fixing up the house and grounds and used the place as a

summer home, going to and from his office in the city each week in his

automobile.

He hired a young fellow in the country to plow, plant and cultivate the

orchard and garden, and to sow the thirty-two acres in wheat, which

brought him about $1,000, while the cost of having all this work done

did not exceed $250. Part of the garden he planted in sugar beets and

potatoes, and having bought a small grinder and cider press, he

proceeded to make his own sugar, vinegar, cider, etc., while with the

grinder he ground up sufficient of his own wheat to supply his family

with the highest quality of whole-wheat bread, breakfast food, etc. As

for his meats, he raised a few dozen chickens during the summer season,

and had spring frys in abundance, besides plenty of eggs. He also bought

a couple of shoats at a low price, which cost nothing to raise, but

which produced enough hams, bacon, pork and lard, when killed in the

fall, to supply himself and family for almost a year. His milk, butter,

tea, coffee, and other groceries did not cost over $100 a year, so that

on his wheat crop alone he realized a net profit of $650, in addition to

something like $200 worth of canned fruits and vegetables. Besides, the

health of the family was greatly improved through a residence of a few

months in the country.

PLAN No. 544. COTTON SERVICE--U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 545. KEEPING EGGS FRESH FOR A YEAR

Methods which are claimed to be infallible for keeping eggs fresh

indefinitely are almost as numerous as the eggs themselves, yet many of

these methods, while more or less expensive are far from reliable.

However, a Denver poultry man, who had tried all the various ways of

preserving eggs, finally adopted a method of his own, which has proved

very successful.

Placing a dozen or more strictly fresh eggs in a wire basket, he dipped

them in boiling water, deep enough to cover every egg, and held them

there while he counted six. He then let them dry and cool, and packed

them in oats, in a keg or barrel with oats on the bottom and between the

eggs. Then he added a layer of oats and a layer of eggs, alternately,

placing the small end of the eggs down, until the barrel was full, then

shaking it slightly so that the oats would settle all about the eggs.

Some of these eggs were not used until a year afterwards, when they were

found to be as fresh as the day they were packed.

Having proved his method a success, he at once advertised to sell the

method for 50 cents, and derived an income of $1,200 a year, in direct

returns, while the profits on his own supply of eggs, thus treated, were

increased almost 40 per cent, as he could keep them until prices were

high.

PLAN No. 546. CROP WORK FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 547. INCREASING THE SIZE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

If orchardists and gardeners were assured that they could almost double

the size and greatly improve the flavor of fruits and vegetables, by a

very simple and inexpensive plan, they would willingly pay almost any

price for the information.

A fruit grower in California discovered this method, used it with good

results in promoting the growth of his own products, and made a large

amount of money by selling the secret to thousands of others engaged in

the same line.

His method was to water his fruit trees and vegetables with a solution

of sulphate of iron, and the effect was amazing. The size and flavor of

those thus treated were vastly increased and yielded almost twice the

revenue formerly derived from the same products. He also treated flowers

in the same way, and was surprised to learn that it gave them a peculiar

brilliancy of coloring, as well as an exceptionally healthy aspect.

Having fully demonstrated the efficacy of this method, he advertised in

a number of agricultural and horticultural journals, announcing his

discovery, and offering to send the method to any one for 50 cents. The

returns were surprising, and his receipts from this source amounted to

more than $2,000 during the first twelve months.

PLAN No. 548. MAKING A SUBSTITUTE FOR EGGS

When eggs are selling at 50 to 60 cents a dozen most people are glad to

use a substitute, especially when the substitute, for many purposes, is

superior to real eggs.

A gardener in Los Angeles, who had experimented in many ways with

vegetables of all kinds, discovered that carrots can be made a very

satisfactory substitute for eggs. He boils, mashes and presses them

through a coarse cloth or hair strainer, and uses them in making a

pudding by introducing the pulp among the other ingredients of the

pudding, using no eggs whatever. A pudding thus made is not only much

lighter, but much more palatable than one in which eggs are used.

The results were so satisfactory, when used in his own home, that he at

once wrote out full instructions for preparing the carrots, had 1,000

copies printed, and advertised to mail the information for 50 cents. He

received so many remittances that his 1,000 copies were soon all used

up, and several thousand more were printed. To-day he is in receipt of

an income that makes him a good living, simply through letting other

people know about his discovery, and having them pay for it. But it is

well worth the price.

PLAN No. 549. FATTENING HOGS ON HAY

How many farmers know that hogs can be fattened on hay? One farmer in

eastern Washington knew it, and made profitable use of his knowledge,

not only in fattening his own porkers at a small expense, but in

supplying the information to other farmers. This is the secret of it:

Providing himself with a cutting-box, he cut very green hay short, mixed

it with bran, shorts or middlings, and fed it the same as other feed.

Hogs soon become fond of this, especially when soaked in swill or other

slops. In the winter he fed his hogs the same kind of hay that he fed

his horses, and they fattened on that as rapidly as on anything that

could be given them, even corn or shorts.

Convinced that he had made an important discovery, he advertised in a

number of farm and stock journals that for 50 cents he would send full

information regarding the fattening of hogs by a new method, and

received hundreds of replies containing enclosures. So many of these

came in that they afforded him a steady and comfortable income, besides

the greatly increased profits derived from fattening his hogs at a

comparatively trifling cost.

PLAN No. 550. MADE MONEY WITH VACUUM CLEANER

While everyone recognizes the value of a vacuum cleaner in the removal

of dust and dirt from house furnishings, comparatively few people own

them, as it requires considerable of an outlay to buy one, and more or

less exertion to operate it.

A young woman in a western city, who was in the habit of thinking

matters over for herself, thought she saw an opportunity in this fact to

make a little money for herself by relieving people of these

expenditures, and she therefore bought one of the best makes of vacuum

cleaners, on the installment plan, and started out to build up a little

business of her own.

Calling at a number of homes where she had reason to believe there was

not one of these conveniences, she secured several contracts, on her

first day’s canvass, to come once a week and give the house a thorough

going over with her machine, at a stipulated price per hour. Figuring

that she could perform this service satisfactorily in two average homes

each day, she continued soliciting until she had twelve permanent

patrons, and then began her work.

From the very beginning, her receipts averaged $5 a day. She has not

only paid all the installments on her vacuum cleaner, but has made a

good-sized payment on a little bungalow, which is now her home.

PLAN No. 551. MADE AD. SOLICITING PAY

A young man from Chicago, who had been connected for several years with

the advertising department of one of the city’s big dailies, was obliged

to go west on account of failing health, and decided to locate in a

northwestern city of about 100,000 population.

Here he found a number of weekly publications, all more or less lacking

in advertising patronage, and, being an expert in that line, he saw an

opportunity to build up a good business for himself, while adding

greatly to the revenues of those struggling periodicals.

He therefore interviewed the publishers, and made them the following

proposition: That he would secure advertisements for them, up to a

certain amount, at the regular rate of commission, and all in excess of

that amount of advertising should belong to him.

The publishers were glad to make this arrangement, as it meant at least

twice as much business as they ever had before, so he went to work and

soon had doubled the advertising in each of the papers. It was then an

easy matter to obtain still more, for his own exclusive benefit, and his

net earnings the first year were over $5,000.

He also secured ads. for special publications, with the understanding

that after enough had been obtained to pay the cost of the ads. the

balance should all be his.

PLAN No. 552. TEACHING SCENARIO WRITING

A New York man, who had written many scenarios for motion picture

companies, finally concluded to start a paper devoted to that industry,

and adopted a novel means of securing subscriptions for it.

He advertised in a number of magazines that for 25 cents he would send

his paper for an entire year, and at the same time would mail each

subscriber a sample scenario, showing how to construct the plot,

together with a list of film manufacturers in the market for

motion-picture plays, etc.

By this means he not only obtained several thousand subscribers, but

enabled many aspiring scenario writers to construct plays that found a

ready demand when submitted to the various companies making use of them.

To be sure, he sent the same sample scenario to all his subscribers, and

the cost of it was only the expense of having it printed in large lots.

But this plan built up a good subscription list, which made his

advertising space very valuable and brought excellent returns.

PLAN No. 553. CHILDREN’S PHOTOGRAPH SPECIALIST

A young photographer in a northwestern city, who was very fond of

children, and was unusually successful in making good photographs of the

little ones, opened a studio in an exclusive residence section of the

city, and fitted up the lawn in front as an attractive playground. There

were many trees all around the place, and these greatly heightened the

park-like effect he wished to produce. Rustic seats, swings, etc., were

arranged among the trees in front of the house, and the children of the

city were invited to make it their common playground, under certain

restrictions, of course, requiring them to be quiet and orderly.

Then he began the work of making photographs of children exclusively,

arranging them singly or in groups and in various posings, on the lawn

when the weather was good, or in the artistically-arranged studio at

times unfavorable for outdoor work.

These pictures soon created so great a demand that mothers brought

their children from all over the city, as well as from outside points,

to have them photographed. Within a year from the time he established

his studio for children’s photographs, he was enjoying an income that

averaged $500 a month.

PLAN No. 554. CONDENSING GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

A former newspaper man who was incapacitated for active service on the

city dailies, concluded that he could still make a comfortable living by

turning his talents toward condensing the numerous publications issued

by the department of agriculture, compiling their salient features into

one volume, and selling the work to farmers, stock-raisers, gardeners

and others who had either neglected to send for the government

pamphlets, or did not know they could be secured free, or did not read

them.

He therefore wrote to Washington, D. C., secured copies of all the

various publications obtainable, and made a brief, concise synopsis of

their contents, in attractive form.

He bound them in one book with paper covers, and advertised in farm and

other papers at 50 cents a volume.

PLAN No. 555. BUSINESS ADVISER

A New York lawyer who had had a large experience in business matters,

decided to remove to San Francisco, mainly for climatic reasons, and

concluded to enlarge upon the scope of his former activities in the

eastern metropolis.

He therefore opened an office and announced that he would act as

business adviser to all, and would superintend the organization of large

corporations, keeping them advised as to all business as well as legal

aspects of their undertakings, look after the intricate affairs of

established concerns that desired to improve their business methods, and

give advice in all matters requiring careful supervision or

reconstruction.

Being a man of unusual ability, he charged reasonable fees for his

services, and in the course of a few years was held in such esteem that

his advice was much in demand. This work put him in touch with

propositions in which he was able to make big profits.

PLAN No. 556. MEN’S APPAREL ADVISER

If we are to consult a doctor when we are sick, a dentist when we have a

toothache, a carpenter when we want a house built, then why not consult

a specialist in apparel when we want to be properly clothed? That’s what

a Denver dealer in men’s clothing and furnishings asked himself, and

forthwith proceeded to find the answer.

Carrying an exceptionally fine and very complete line of the “best in

men’s wear,” and possessing a taste in matters of dress that won the

confidence of his patrons and the envy of his competitors, he decided

upon a novel mode of procedure, and carried it out with success.

With tact that conveyed a compliment rather than a criticism, and gave

pleasure instead of offense, he skilfully and diplomatically suggested

to each of one hundred of his closely intimate male friends that he

would appreciate the favor of engaging as their adviser for a year in

all matters of dress; in the selection of suits, overcoats, hats, shoes,

gloves, and furnishings complete--not so much for the small profit there

would be in it, but in order that each man so appareled could be pointed

out as a model of perfect taste in dress, when fitted out from the

dealer’s stock of men’s accessories, and in accordance with his

well-known judgment in matters of that sort. He suggested that his

patrons need not spend over $200 to $250 to be well dressed for that

entire period.

To every one of these the dealer gave his careful personal attention,

devoting hours, if necessary, to the smallest detail of his patrons’

needs, and every man was a living advertisement of this clothing man’s

good taste in dress.

PLAN No. 557. ONE-MAN SALES COMPANY

A Seattle man who had had considerable experience in selling goods of

various kinds, and had formerly been head buyer for a large department

store, which gave him special knowledge of all classes of merchandise,

as well as the retail prices of goods, decided to make use of his

knowledge, so went into business for himself.

He had a full line of good stationery printed, calling himself the

“Blank Sales Company,” and used this in writing to manufacturers all

over the country, asking to be quoted the very lowest prices on their

products.

At the same time he advertised that he would supply any article of

merchandise, at prices below those asked by local retail dealers, and,

in answer to inquiries for certain articles, quoted figures that were

low, but the patron was in all cases required to pay the freight on the

articles purchased.

Shipments were made direct from the manufacturer to the customer, he was

not required to handle the goods, but collect and remit the net every

thirty days, which left him a good margin of profit. His earnings the

first year were very large. This business has no limitations.

PLAN No. 558. CANNING THE SURPLUS

A widow and her daughter, who lived in a rickety old house on a run-down

farm in the Middle West, were greatly distressed by the lack of funds

with which to improve the appearance and comfort of the old dwelling,

but had never been able to accumulate the necessary funds to have it

done.

The farm was every year yielding a greater quantity of fruit, berries,

and vegetables than they could possibly use, and this surplus was all

going to waste for the want of care. Finally the widow said to her

daughter: “Let’s can this surplus, and we will get good prices for it

later in the season.” So they began.

They had a few fruit jars and jelly glasses, all of which they filled

with good grades of fruit, vegetables and berries, and then bought as

many more as they could afford, besides what sugar they needed for

canning. A few cans of their fruits, as well as some of their jellies

and preserves, they sold to well-to-do neighbors and city people, at

good prices, and so well pleased were the purchasers of their products

that they never found it necessary to advertise or peddle their goods,

for people came for them and bought until the supply was exhausted. And

the buyers were always willing to return their jars and glasses, when

empty, so their outlay thereafter was small.

They cleared nearly $100 that first season, $220 the second year, and at

the end of the third year they had enough money to fix up the old house

and make it an attractive, homelike, country residence. But they still

can and preserve the surplus from their orchard and garden, and are

making a good living from it.

PLAN No. 559. SPECIALIZED IN FITTING CHILDREN’S SHOES

A young shoe clerk in Chicago developed so great a “knack” for correctly

fitting children’s shoes, with special study of the habits as well as

the feet of the children, that scores of mothers who brought their

little ones into the store would allow no one else to wait upon them.

No matter how busy he was--they would patiently wait their turn until he

could attend to the delicate matter of fitting each child, regardless of

its age or disposition. This is his method:

For the active, outdoor boy he selects a heavier, more substantial shoe

than for the studious, indoor child. He takes off the old shoe, notes

its size and shape, measures the foot, feels of the arch, to see whether

high or low, and chooses for the new shoe one that is one and one-half

sizes larger than the actual measurement, to allow room for spreading.

If the child is very heavy, he allows two sizes larger. He runs his

fingers along the three small toes of the foot, when the shoe is on; if

the toes are curled up, the shoe is too narrow. Then he notes the

position of the big-toe joint, to be sure the shoe is the proper length.

For the child with weak ankles, or just learning to walk, he supplies

shoes with whalebone supports in the back, and for the child with normal

feet he advises the soft leather shoe with flexible soles. He disagrees

with doctors who urge arch supports, as he says the shoe that keeps the

foot in the best position is the proper one.

The reputation of his skill for fitting children’s shoes spread

throughout the entire shoe trade of Chicago, and one day the head of a

large retail shoe house in that city came in and offered him a

one-fourth interest in his business if he would take charge of the

children’s shoe department, and teach his art to the other clerks. It

makes little difference what calling one is in if he likes his work and

puts himself into it his opportunity is sure to come.

PLAN No. 560. KNEW THE SECRET OF HOME CANNING

Most of the housewives in America believe that home-canned vegetables

nearly always spoil. That is because they do not understand the

important part played by bacteria in the canning process. Vegetables

contain a large amount of proteid, the favorite food of bacteria, and

unless these bacteria are destroyed, vegetables canned in summer are

almost certain to spoil.

On the other hand, fruits--and these include tomatoes--contain but

little proteid, but a great amount of acid, (which bacteria especially

dislike) and are therefore much easier to can, as well as to keep.

A young farmer’s wife in Illinois, who had made a close study of

bacteria, knew exactly what to do in the matter of canning vegetables.

She knew that bacteria, in order to protect themselves even against the

heat of boiling water, form thick-walled bodies or spores, and that the

first boiling simply causes the spores to grow, while a second or a

third boiling effectually destroys them. She has tried this method often

enough to be sure of it.

She therefore wrote a little booklet on “How to Can Summer Vegetables,”

placed the price at 50 cents per copy, and advertised it in a number of

women’s magazines and other periodicals. Many answers came in, enclosing

50 cents, and she sent out thousands of copies during the first three

months. Often people make special study on certain subjects and have

special experience along that line which if put in pamphlet form would

be valuable to other people who would be willing to pay 25 to 50 cents

for it.

PLAN No. 561. RAISING HOMING PIGEONS

Both patriotism and profit are what prompted an Ohio man to raise homing

pigeons for war purposes, and the business has proven a great success,

from every point of view.

From early boyhood pigeons have interested him more than anything else

in the world, and he understood these remarkable birds very well.

These pigeons are not the soft, cooing dove of fiction, but are

beautiful in color and line, alert, strong, tight-feathered, athletic,

gamebirds with bright, farseeing eyes and marvelous courage. They are

used in war for carrying messages from the front trenches to the bases

back of the lines, and 97 per cent of these messages, upon which either

victory or defeat may hang, reach their destination.

A section of this man’s pigeon loft shows separate apartments for each

pair of birds, painted alternately black and white.

The birds manifest the most intense loyalty to their mates, and he has

raised thousands of them for the cause of the Government, and, as they

can be utilized with equal advantage in peaceful pursuits, a certain

means of revenue is thus opened to thousands of other breeders of these

wonderful birds.

PLAN No. 562. RAISING SQUABS FOR PROFIT

A young married couple, who lived near a car line in the suburb of a

western city, decided to engage in the raising of squabs, as the hotels

and restaurants of the city afforded a permanent and profitable market

for them.

Having secured a few birds, together with a book giving complete

instructions as to their care, feeding, marketing, etc., they

constructed suitable quarters for them, and determined that, above all

things, they would keep their nests and grounds absolutely clean; which

is a very important part of successful squab raising. They had ample

space for their birds, gave them the best of care, and constantly

watched every phase of their growth and breeding, so that, from less

than a dozen birds, with which they started in the spring, they had more

than 150 by fall, all strong, vigorous, healthy specimens.

They felt that they could spare a certain number for the market during

the early winter, and these they prepared with the greatest care and

cleanliness, so that they brought top prices, and resulted in a standing

order from several of the leading hotels and cafes for all the squabs

they could supply.

While their receipts from this source were only a little over $100 the

first year, the second year brought them $350, the third year $600, and

after that they could count on at least $1,000 a year net profit from

their squabs, while the husband was earning a good salary as a salesman

in the city.

PLAN No. 563. REVISING MANUSCRIPTS

A former newspaper man and publicity writer in a western city, who had

written and revised many books, pamphlets, prospectuses, etc., became

impressed with the fact that many persons who wished to become authors

of short stories, serials, poetry and miscellaneous articles, were sadly

lacking in the knowledge of how to prepare their manuscripts in such a

way as to make them acceptable to publishers. He also realized that,

even if they knew how to properly arrange their manuscripts, few, if any

of them, knew the names, addresses and needs of the various magazines

and other publications that accept certain classes of stories or

articles.

Having a complete list of such periodicals and possessing both the

ability and experience which qualify him to render valuable and timely

aid to aspiring authors, he advertised, asking authors to send him their

manuscripts for review, adding that he might assist them in finding a

market for their productions.

Many answers were received, to the writers of which he sent a

well-written letter, showing the necessity for competent assistance in

such matters, and quoting a reasonable graduated scale of charges for

the work of revision, according to the number of words in a manuscript.

In a short time he developed a good paying business.

[Illustration: Plan No. 563. The Eye of the Master will do More Work

than Both his Hands]

PLAN No. 564. PUBLIC SCHOOL DIRECTORY

An experienced ad. solicitor in a California city, who wished to go into

business for himself, conceived the idea of publishing a complete school

directory, which would be without cost to the school board, and would

net him a good profit.

He therefore interviewed the members of the board, and said to them: “If

you will furnish me with the school calendar for the coming year, the

names and addresses, with telephone numbers, of the board of directors,

the standing committees of the same, dates of regular meetings,

personnel and location of the superintendent’s office, supervisors,

attendance officer, health supervision, superintendent of buildings and

journals, manual training department, department of household arts, high

schools, evening schools, and graded schools, with names, addresses and

telephone numbers of principals, assistants and teachers, and an

alphabetical list of all the latter, I will print it in the best

directory form, absolutely at my own expense, provided I shall receive

all the proceeds of whatever advertising of an approved nature I can

secure for the same.”

The board accepted the offer, placed all the required data at his

disposal, and he then began to secure ads. for the directory.

Advertisers were so favorably impressed with the value of his directory

as a medium of publicity, that he contracted for enough to bring him in

over $1,800. The directory, when printed, cost him less than $400.

PLAN No. 565. AN ADVERTISING SCHOOL

An advertisement writer in a western city, who had made a good success

in that work, having enrolled practically all the leading merchants of

his city in his list of patrons, decided to establish an advertising

school, in order to teach others the art or profession in which he had

become so proficient.

He therefore advertised in the papers of his own and surrounding cities,

offering a thorough course of instruction in the designing and writing

of advertisements, which instructions would be sent by mail upon receipt

of $10, and many replies were received.

He accordingly prepared and had printed in attractive and comprehensive

form a series of five brief lectures, as follows:

“General Instructions”; “The Study of Type”; “Measurements and Lay-Out”;

“Building the Ad”; “Proof-Reading”; with instructions and examples

relating to each, which made it easy to understand and apply, and proved

a great aid to those who wished to make ad. writing a life business.

He received many letters expressing deep gratitude for the assistance

thus afforded aspiring publicity specialists. This work yielded him a

revenue of over $2,000 a year.

PLAN No. 566. AN ALUMNI DIRECTORY

The former president of the alumni association of a high school in a

prominent western city figured out a plan which brought a great deal of

pleasure to all its members, and incidentally netted him a profit of

$2,000 for about two months’ work.

He accomplished this by interviewing the principal of the high school,

who was able to supply him with the names and addresses of nearly 80 per

cent of the alumni members, and the balance he secured by calling upon

those in close touch with such as had located elsewhere.

When his list was completed, he secured advertisements sufficient to

fill several pages, charged a good price for his space, and had the

entire collection printed in attractive directory form.

Then he sent letters to all the members whose names were to appear in

the book, announced the publication thereof, and placed the price at $1

per copy. The dollars came in until he had received over five hundred of

them, and, having collected for the advertising and paid for the

printing, he found he had $2,000 left. Then he went to other cities and

did the same thing.

PLAN No. 567. BIRD-BATHS FOR ORCHARDISTS

A successful orchardist and gardener of Spokane, Washington, attributes

a part of the profits he has derived from his fruit and vegetable

culture to the encouragement he has given birds to come to his place.

Knowing a great deal about the habits and the needs of birds, he

realized that ample bathing facilities for them are greatly appreciated

and he at once proceeded to supply them with this luxury, for if there

is anything a bird likes it is his daily bath.

To encourage them to make his place their permanent home, he built a

wooden frame, about 12x20 inches in size and 6 inches deep, and into

this frame he poured concrete, which he mixed, leaving a shallow

depression in the center, which would hold about a quart of water.

These concrete baths he placed on top of an upright piece of 4x4

scantling sunk into the ground. He put the bath on this post and filled

the bath with water, and awaited results. Inside of ten minutes a dozen

birds had gathered at the outdoor bathing place thus provided and were

enjoying their bath as though it were the greatest luxury of their

lives. He then put up eight or ten more throughout the orchard, garden,

and yard, and in a short time the place was literally alive with birds.

[Illustration: Plan No. 567. The Bird Bath]

Before long insects of all kinds had been reduced and his fruits and

vegetables gave him better yields. He thereupon began to manufacture the

bird-baths by the hundreds, at a cost of about 5 cents each, and through

a little advertising was enabled to sell them for $1 apiece.

PLAN No. 568. BECAME A NURSE FOR DIABETICS

A New York young woman wanted to become a nurse, so she consulted a

physician who was a specialist and recognized authority on diabetes, and

asked him what he would advise as a distinctive specialty for her to

follow. His answer was: “Become a nurse for diabetics. They are clean

and easy cases to handle, involving no disagreeable duties, and as most

of them are able to attend to their regular business every day, the

nurse has an abundance of time for her own improvement. But she must

know her business thoroughly, be an expert in every detail, and possess

a personality that instantly wins confidence. If you have that

personality and are well informed as to the nature and treatment of

diabetes, you will succeed.”

She was so greatly impressed with the soundness of this advice that she

at once began to perfect herself in her chosen calling, and in order to

do this effectually, she arranged to take care of several diabetic

patients under treatment by this physician. This gave her a practical

insight into the malady itself and the treatment it required, and after

a course of study and experience with this specialist she made this work

her specialty.

The first one came in the person of a wealthy business man who was just

beginning to take treatment from the diabetes specialist, and had

progressed so rapidly that he was in proper shape to be sent to his

home, but was told that he would require the constant attendance of a

thoroughly competent nurse for several months; that she must remain at

his home during all that time, and that he must regulate his diet,

activities and conduct strictly according to her instructions, to all of

which he readily agreed, as he did not want to go to a hospital for so

long a time.

The nurse had thoroughly familiarized herself with all the books and

treatises relating to diabetes, especially the works of the specialist

from whom she had received such valuable training. She therefore had a

complete understanding of what was required of herself and her patient,

both while taking the treatment and afterwards. She was bright,

companionable, a good reader, and frequently entertained him by reading

aloud. She prescribed every article in his diet, explaining to him the

virtues and harmfulness of various articles of food, the values of

carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and the care with which sugar and

starches must be used, if permitted at all. She made daily tests of his

urine, voided at 7 o’clock every morning, after which she weighed him

carefully and recorded the gain or loss from day to day.

She instructed her patient that it was better for him to eat too little

than too much, and thus avoid the danger of becoming upset. She planned

the daily diet in advance, so that he should receive the proper amount

of each necessary element, and cautioned the patient to eat slowly. She

recorded the character and quantity of food taken daily by the patient.

She saw to it that all vegetables were properly cleaned and prepared

before cooking, and served the given portions raw. For breakfast she

gave him coffee, cream, bacon and one egg; for luncheon, clear soup,

meat or fish, and vegetables; for dinner, tea, or cracked cocoa, and a

small portion of a cooked vegetable, salad, meat or fish.

She insisted that his bowels move freely, but gave no cathartic for that

purpose, as she knew of much better ways to produce this result. She saw

that he took moderate exercise, played games and indulged in other forms

of entertainment, but all reference to his disease was positively

forbidden, so that his mind did not dwell upon his condition, while his

surroundings were made as cheerful as possible.

When giving an occasional massage, she used cocoa butter or other

preparation containing fat, but no alcohol, owing to its drying effect,

and was instructed to report promptly to the doctor any symptoms

signifying coma, but fortunately nothing of this kind occurred.

She remained a member of the patient’s household for six months, during

the latter part of which he was able to go to his office and attend to

business, but she limited his working hours to four each day, with

positive instructions to come home at once upon the least signs of

fatigue.

From that time on, she was never without a patient, and though her work

was not hard, it required all her resources, so that she was warranted

in charging well for her services.

PLAN No. 569. MOTION-PICTURE ADVERTISING

An advertising man in a western city successfully carried out a plan of

advertising in the motion picture theaters of his own and thirty of the

surrounding towns, and found it a profitable business.

He arranged with the managers of all these houses for a certain amount

of advertising matter to be thrown upon their screens once each week for

a year, at a figure which was very low. They were also to show motion

pictures of the various departments of the manufacturers who were his

regular advertisers, with attractive mottoes designed to encourage the

patronizing of home industries. These were highly educational to each

community.

He then made advertising contracts with a large number of merchants,

manufacturers and others in the various towns for space on the screens,

at rates that netted him a profit of 300 or 400 per cent, and in

addition agreed to supply his advertisers free, with all items of a

local character which might aid them in securing more business. He

subscribed for one paper published in each of these towns, and his free

information bureau he conducted with the aid of a girl to cut out and

mail these items to such advertisers as might be interested in or

benefited by them.

His business proved profitable for all concerned. The theatre managers

received good prices for the use of their screens, the advertisers

obtained good results and the manager of the business made a profit of

better than $4,500 a year.

PLAN No. 570. RAISING BLOODED DOGS

A man who was employed in a large stationery house in a northwestern

city made extra money during his spare time by raising blooded dogs and

selling them at good prices.

No matter for what purpose a dog was desired, whether for a child’s

companion, a watch dog or hunting dog, he knew exactly the sort of dog

to supply, and had the very finest specimens of all breeds constantly on

hand to meet the demand.

His prices ranged from $5 and $10 for a young puppy to $25, and even

$50, for one grown and well trained. He had read everything published

relating to dogs, had the pedigrees of all the best ones, and bred only

the best grade of animals. In the five years he was engaged in this as a

side line, he cleared several thousand dollars.

PLAN No. 571. A “TRADE-TIP” BUREAU

A Minneapolis man made money by organizing what he called a “trade-tip

bureau,” which consisted entirely of himself.

He contracted with 100 manufacturers, merchants and others to keep them

fully informed with reference to all matters arising within a radius of

200 miles of his home city, and information which might prove beneficial

to them, at so much from each firm per year.

He then subscribed for all the newspapers in the territory named, and

read them carefully. Whenever he found an item that would be of interest

to any of his clients, he would promptly inform that particular person

of the fact, and in most cases the information thus supplied led to an

opportunity for making a good profit. He usually sent a little note with

each bunch of information, commenting on its possible use in their

business. When a threshing machine was destroyed, he informed the

manufacturer of threshing machines. If a firm in an outside town failed,

he reported it to the local firm that bought bankrupt stocks. If a

mining operator visited the city, he tipped off the hardware dealer who

had powder to sell.

These are examples of the various services he rendered his patrons, and

they were so highly pleased with the results that they continued to

renew their contracts with him from year to year. His present income is

more than $4,000 per annum.

PLAN No. 572. BOOKLET ON MAIL-ORDER BUYING

A Chicago man who had been engaged in the mail-order business for many

years, and had become familiar with this work in all its phases,

published a booklet of eighty pages, containing valuable information and

suggestions to other mail-order agents in regard to buying goods to be

used for that purpose.

Following a brief introductory, relating the changes that have taken

place in the mail-order business of late years, owing to the changing

methods of both factories and stores, the work touched upon securing

introductions to the trade; contracts; letters vs. trips; points to be

considered before deciding; will cheap goods stay low? buying staple

lines; factory trips; depending upon salesmen; trade tips; when to load

up; cash and trade discounts; new contracts; the purchasing of

novelties; market tours; keen observation; test sales; large profits for

all concerned; danger signals; purchasing agency goods; thorough tests;

giving out duplicate orders; keeping costs down; your own trade-mark;

watch territorial requirements; saving in packaging, etc.

It was just such a booklet as the thousands of mail-order agents in this

country will buy and read with profit, and he sold thousands of them for

50 cents a copy.

Any other good mail order agents might record their experience in a

similar manner with equally satisfactory results.

PLAN No. 573. MEMORY CULTIVATION

The following is the method employed with profit by a well known eastern

man who teaches the cultivation and improvement of the memory. He

inserts ads. in all the papers as follows:

“Stop forgetting. It may cost you money. Memory can be perfected by my

simple Home Method. Education not necessary. Easy to master. Sent

prepaid for 50 cents. SEND NOW TO ------------”

“_A good memory worth gold._ Helps you succeed--is better than

education. MY HOME METHOD easily and quickly applied; easy as reading a

book. Send 50 cents for it, prepaid, NOW. Address --------------”

“_How is your memory?_ If it is bad, better it; if it is good, perfect

it. MY HOME METHOD gets results. Easiest thing in the world. Send 50

cents NOW; get it prepaid. Address --------------”

The copy for the course, or folder, is substantially as follows:

HOW TO CULTIVATE YOUR MEMORY

_Forgetfulness is not a disease_--_it is a habit_--and a bad and costly

habit.

Perfect memory is necessary in all kinds of business. Why have to make

notes of everything you wish to recall? Why “have a name or fact on the

tip of your tongue,” unless you can speak it?

Your mind is just like your muscles, so far as training goes. If you

wanted to become physically strong, you would not overdo your exercise

the first day. You would start with simple things, and then do the more

difficult feats. It is the same way with your mind, follow these

directions carefully.

_How to Concentrate Your Mind_

Memory depends entirely upon concentration. If you have _riveted your

mind_ on what you hear or see or read, the _impression is deep_. It is

like talking into a phonograph. If you whisper, the record on the wax is

shallow, and difficult to reproduce. If you speak in a clear voice, then

the record of what you say is cut _deep_, and can always be reproduced

clearly.

To learn how to _concentrate_, you must start with simple things. But

the first lessons must be _useful_.

The best way to concentrate is to begin with things that _denote

action_.

For example, go into a room _once a day_, with nobody around to disturb

you. Take a sheet of plain paper, and with a heavy, black pencil write

something on it like this:

“_I can make my mind travel into any fact or study._”

Place this before you on the table, and have nothing else on the table

that will interfere. Set this paper on the edge, so that it is plainly

visible when you sit in a chair about two feet away from the table.

Now, first of all, _relax_. Get your muscles _eased_. Sit back in the

chair, breathe slowly, take a few long breaths, and close your eyes.

Sit in a comfortable position. Avoid all muscular strain.

Then _open your eyes and look at that paper_.

Look at it and ask yourself what it means. What is your mind supposed to

do if it travels into any subject?

If you are going to run a race, you wear as little as possible. You must

_feel like racing_. And so, your mind must not be weighed down with

other thoughts.

Close your eyes and _think_ about your mind’s ability to _travel back

into the past_.

What did you do a year ago today? What did you do a year ago yesterday?

What did you do five years ago?

_Keep the idea before you of making your mind travel back into anything

you wish to remember._

_Keep the Mind in a Definite Thought Channel._

Now, after a few minutes of this practice, take another sheet of paper

and write on it:

“_I can dig up any fact in my mind._”

Again relax and close your eyes, and then study these words. If your

mind is going to dig facts out of your memory, it must not have other

things to do at the same time.

Try to _dig up_ the name of somebody you have forgotten, or something

you have read.

Now, as you proceed from day to day, get relaxed and take some book or

paper and read _some useful thing_. Try to _shut out_ every other

thought, so that your mind can _wade into the facts_.

Then sit back in your chair, with your eyes closed, and _analyze_ what

you have read. Ask yourself questions about it. The more interesting the

subject, the more readily you will go into it.

After a few weeks you will begin to _look into things more carefully_,

and make your _mind impressions deep_.

_Get into the habit of concentrating on what people tell you_, on what

you _read_, or _see_, or _hear_.

Then you will soon learn how to _shut out everything that does not

pertain to the subject_, and you will make your impressions stronger.

Also, _you will begin to bring out truths that you have almost

forgotten_.

Remember that the _subjective part of your mind never forgets_.

The more you get into the _habit_ of permitting your mind to _flit_, the

less you will be able to remember. The best students are those who make

their studies _interesting_. The best business men are the persons who

take _interest_ in their business.

_Tie yourself down to everything you do._

And then, every once in a while, hold a _mind review_.

Think of the different places you have lived, what you did, the people

you knew, what became of them.

_Exercise your memory regularly._

Unless it is exercised, it falls into disuse--like an unused muscle--and

becomes weaker.

Within a few weeks, you will be able to concentrate your mind on

anything you do or read or say. That is _practice_ of the _right_ kind.

It is scientific practice that considers your _memory_ as a _necessary

part of your entire being_.

And remember, that you should so _concentrate_ on these lessons that you

can _repeat the thought_, the _ideas_ contained in them.

With this kind of practice, memory will become a strong _asset_ with

you--and it is a valuable asset, too.

PLAN No. 574. CUSTODIAN FOR U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 575. PICTORIAL BUSINESS MAGAZINE

A western advertising man induced a talented local cartoonist to join

him in the publication of a pictorial magazine of purely local events of

interest, and together they soon made it the most talked-of publication

in the city which had a population of about 100,000.

The magazine was well printed, on good paper, and contained items of

interest to and concerning prominent people in all lines of

business--merchants, lawyers, doctors, dentists, judges, politicians,

and other well known people.

The artist was quite gifted in reproducing the features of people, and

the faces thus drawn were often attached to bodies of supposedly the

same people in more or less grotesque positions there being an element

of humor in most of the drawings. The humor, however, was of the clean,

inoffensive kind, and was greatly enjoyed by the victim as well as by

his acquaintances.

In a short time they had over 2,000 regular subscribers to the magazine,

which was published weekly, and with the growth of the circulation the

advertising space became more and more valuable, so that inside of three

years their annual income was considerably in excess of $4,000.

PLAN No. 576. GEORGE MADE SOME TENTS

A young man and his girl were strolling on the beach, when a violent

storm arose. He opened his umbrella, and spread his raincoat over it.

Then he fastened a 5-foot stick into the umbrella frame, inserted the

other end into the ground, and the raincoat provided the walls of a

hastily-constructed tent which kept them dry as they sat on a log while

the storm raged.

This evidently gave the young man an idea, for he had a tentmaker

construct 200 little tents for use on the beach, which he sold the

people at the resort for $5 each.

The tents were made of light duck, fifteen yards in each, with fourteen

strong sticks made to fit into each other at the ends. Eight of them,

fitted together, made an 8-foot pole to hold up the tent, while the

other six, three on each side, held up the sides, and made a rain- and

sun-proof tent six feet square, which served not only as a protection

from the sun and storm, but made an excellent place in which to put on a

bathing suit, as well.

This plan gave the inventor an income of more than $1,000 a year.

PLAN No. 577. BATHHOUSE CURTAINS FOR AUTOS

A lawyer living in a northern city, near which were a number of lakes,

health resorts and bathing beaches, frequently took his family in an

automobile to some of these places, and together they spent the day in

bathing, playing golf, etc.

As the charges for the use of the bathhouses were rather exorbitant, and

the bathhouses inconvenient, the attorney rigged up a set of water-proof

curtains, enclosing the back portion of the machine, and attached to the

frame above by means of hooks, thus giving all the privacy and

protection of a regular bathhouse, which all the members of the family

could use in turn, at no expense whatever.

Many other persons at the various bathing places noted the utility of

the plan and asked the lawyer to make sets for their machines. So

numerous were these requests that he at last decided to make the

curtains in large quantities, and sell them at a profit of $2.50 per

set.

He sold 200 sets that season, and 500 the following season. This was

done with no advertising at all.

PLAN No. 578. PHOTOGRAPHED MINES

This photographer made himself familiar with photographing mines. For

those who were operating mines and desired to sell stock and wanted

pictures of the mines to interest investors, he had made a study of what

kind of pictures would most interest prospective investors, and to those

compiling prospectuses he made many valuable suggestions. He would make

a fixed charge for the trip to the mine, and would spend several days at

the property and do his work right or would not go at all.

After he finished his work the pictures were a real asset to the mine

owners.

PLAN No. 579. DENTIST--INDIAN SERVICE--U. S. SEE PLAN No. 217

PLAN No. 580. THE FARMER WHO USED THE PARCEL POST

In many portions of the country not one farmer in a thousand realizes

the importance of the parcel post in the marketing of his products at a

profit, but allows untold quantities of the very choicest grades to go

to waste. Some of these farmers don’t know, while thousands of others

don’t care.

There was one Wisconsin farmer, however, who did know and did care, and

he made himself wealthy by utilizing the products that others wasted,

and for which city people gladly paid good prices.

He began by making a sausage that was so good and clean and of such fine

flavor that people all over the United States began to ask for it. He

used the parcel post in delivering this to his customers.

He put up smoked meats that were really smoked, with scented woods that

imparted the most delicious flavor. He put up preserves, pickles, canned

goods in glass jars, apple and peach butter, dried fruits and many other

things, all of which he sent to the city by parcel post, where they

commanded prices from 25 to 40 per cent higher than the products of

canneries, packing houses, etc. Really fresh eggs, and pure, sweet

farm-made butter, also formed a large item in his parcel post sales,

while his fruits, all of the better grades, were always in demand.

Everything he sold was recognized as honest goods, and these the public

will always be glad to pay well for.

And just one little classified ad. in the Sunday edition of the city

paper started the demand for his products, but it was an ad. that bore

the imprint of honesty and real value, and by more than fulfilling his

promises to supply the very choicest of nature’s products for what they

were worth.

PLAN No. 581. PURE FRUIT PRESERVES AND JELLIES

The following ad. inserted just once in a Sunday paper published in a

Michigan city, brought a near-by farmer’s wife so many orders that she

was kept busy for months in filling them by parcel post, and brought her

a profit of nearly $1,000.

Encouraged by her success, she enlarged her scope of operations the next

season, and every season since then, until she is now in good

circumstances. Here are the ads. which brought the business:

“_Pure_ Fruit Preserves--

“Guaranteed made from fresh picked fruit ripened on the branch and pure

cane sugar in clean utensils made by clean people, in a clean kitchen,

and free from adulterations and preservatives of any kind.

“All the delicious flavor of fresh fruit preserved by home recipes.”

“_Pure_ Fruit Jellies--

“Put up on the farm, by a farmer’s wife, from the best old-fashioned

recipes, from fresh picked fruit and pure cane sugar, and free of all

adulterations, artificial coloring matter or artificial preservatives.

Absolutely delicious and wholesome jellies cheaper than you can buy them

in town and better than you can put them up yourself because you can’t

get fresh fruit in town like I can just off the branch. Made in clean

utensils, in a clean kitchen, by clean, healthy people. Don’t poison

yourself with factory-made jellies, compounded of chemicals and dyes and

sold as fruit jellies. My jellies taste of the fresh fruit, because they

are made of fresh, ripe and wholesome fruit. Write to me for my special

offer and try these delicious jellies for yourself. Sent in small and

large quantities to suit you.”

While most of her neighbors were allowing their fruit to rot on the

ground, because they couldn’t find a market for them, this woman always

had a good market for her products.

PLAN No. 582. HOW TO OBTAIN FULL INFORMATION OF PROPERTY FROM ADDRESS

The following plan netted better than $1,500 in 2¹⁄₂ hours. This would

seem to be impossible but, like anything else when explained, is simple.

This man had moved from the country to live in the city, and having a

large family it was important for him to obtain a house. He tried to

find a place to rent but found that property was being purchased

rapidly. Somewhat discouraged, he called upon his brother. One house in

the most exclusive end of the city, appealed to him but this house the

real estate man would not lease for less than $30 a month for a period

of twelve months. The address of the property was 820, 25th st. They

called the city engineer’s office by phone and requested the lot number,

block and addition of the property. In possession of the legal

description, they called the county assessor’s office where the

following information was obtained:

Assessed Real Value

Value of lot $ 250 $ 500

Value of improvement 1400 2800

----- -----

$1650 $3300

House built in 1909. To build the house now would cost $3300. House

consisted of 5 rooms 1st floor, 3 rooms 2nd floor. Fir finish. Plumbing.

Stone foundation. ¹⁄₃ basement. Furnace. Brick fireplace. Oak floor, 5

rooms.

They next called on the county treasurer, who from the legal description

gave the following information:

Taxes, 1917 $ 70.34

Taxes, 1918 77.55

-------

$147.89

Address given in 1916 of owner of property, Mary Jones, 2728, 16th Ave.,

San Francisco, Cal.

Next they called the abstract office and found the incumbrances against

the property outside of the taxes and the following information was

given:

Owner--Mary Jones; husband, John Jones.

No judgments against owner.

One first mortgage of $1,000 against property.

Second mortgage paid in 1918.

First mortgage made Jan. 1915, runs for 3 years to 1918, bears

int. at 8%, payable semi-annually and held by N. W. H. Bank.

Property purchased by Mr. Smith, 1917, on contract.

The next step taken was to call up the N. W. H. Bank and here the most

recent address of the owner was given as “Jones Apt., San Francisco,

Cal. Interest on money paid. Company stated that even though principal

is due, company is willing to continue the loan.” The company also

stated that Mr. Smith, holder of the contract, had given up his contract

which had been paid down to $2,900.

Now we have the following situation: Two years taxes back; house empty

and run down; mortgage due but can be extended if property is taken care

of, and owner living in San Francisco, California, and a party ready to

move in.

The next step to be taken was to talk with the owner by long-distance

phone at San Francisco, California. All the preceding information was

obtained in thirty minutes. In less than two hours a messenger had

brought the owner and purchaser together. The purchaser was willing to

continue the contract of $2,900 and pay 1917 taxes of $70.34. and pay

$30 per month, 7 per cent interest on deferred payments, and must act at

once. Owner told purchaser to move in at once, that contract would be

signed immediately and forwarded for purchaser’s signature.

All this was done in two and one-half hours. The purchaser was able to

buy a house on a rent basis and made on the transaction more than

$1,500, as the place, with an expenditure of $150 in paint and repair

work, will easily bring $5,000.

Few people realize what information is open to them.

If you are in possession of the legal description of city property or

farm land anywhere in the United States all you have to do is to call or

write the county assessor’s office and they will gladly tell you all

about it, thus saving you many dollars. The city engineer’s office can

usually give you from a given address the legal description of the

property.

[Illustration: Plan No. 583. Think of Saving as well as of Getting]

PLAN No. 583. CITY GARDENS

Very few people realize what can be done with their back yards. Many

people who live in the city could solve the much-vexed question of the

high cost of living if they would put their own lot of land to work.

A high school teacher living in Spokane used the vacant lot next to him

and put it in potatoes. The soil was gravel formation. Most people in

Spokane believed it necessary to water their potatoes daily, but he put

some nitrogen in the soil and kept the potatoes carefully cultivated and

irrigated them two or three times during the season. He obtained an

excellent yield.

The back lot of his house was 30x30, and that was where he put in most

of his time.

The space used for his tomatoes was 12x12. He made the soil in this

place a sandy loam and mixed in ground limestone and some stable manure.

He used a seed from Damascus, Syria, and treated the soil with nitrogen.

He kept careful account of what he raised and it ran over fifty tons of

tomatoes to the acre.

He built a grape arbor 8 feet high, 6x6 which took up but little room in

his back yard. He used the Worden grape as it is a little earlier than

the Concord. This furnished all the grapes that his family of four

could consume, and gave him sufficient grape juice for the balance of

the year. He had a good cider press with which he used to produce grape

juice.

In his side yard he had eight or ten fruit trees. These produced all the

pears and crab apples he could use the year round. When the apple crop

came on he took his automobile and bought many boxes for 75 cents per

box, and in this way he had all the apples and cider he wished for the

year. He also made a drier, which is but an hour’s work, and dried

considerable fruit for winter use.

He raised in a space 10x12 a “Progress” everbearing strawberry which

gave his family all they could use from June to November and all they

wanted to can for winter.

He was especially proud of his bean patch, 10x15--variety used was the

Kentucky Wonder.

Beet patch, 2x8, variety planted--Egyptian.

Onions, 4x8, variety planted--Yellow Globe.

Carrots, 2x8, „ „ --Chantenary.

Lettuce, 2x8.

Radishes, he covered with a muslin cloth to keep them free from

maggots--caused by the fly laying its eggs about the radish.

There were many berry bushes which formed a pretty fence for his back

yard which produced all the berries the family could use. In addition to

the above he had one hill of rhubarb, two hills of melons (cantaloupe)

and two hills of cucumbers, which furnished all they could use.

In addition to the above space he made at the back end of the house a

hotbed 5x10 which produced vegetables for him until winter and early in

the spring. He made the soil in this as follows: Sod for the bottom,

which is rich in nitrogen and on top of this put in about six inches of

sand and leaf mould. This made a most excellent soil.

The above plan carried out by a man who is far more busy than the

average during his spare time, not only made a living for one year for

his family but increased his knowledge of out-door life and enjoyed the

best of healthful exercise.

PLAN No. 584. LECTURES PREPARED AND SOLD EARNED WAY THROUGH COLLEGE

He was an excellent stenographer and owned a mimeograph outfit. He heard

all the lectures in his course, and all other lectures he fancied in the

college, and had many copies of these made up and sold to the students

at a very low price.

You will find many students in departments who are interested in

lectures that take place in other departments, and when unable to attend

such lectures, are very glad to buy them from one who has attended.

This student also prepared questions that had been asked for a number of

years in examinations, so that the students could get an idea of the

kind of questions they would be asked to answer. He also took any kind

of special work submitted to him and was able each year to easily defray

all the expenses of his college course. A large school offers the best

field for this class of work.

PLAN No. 585. RUNS BOARDING HOUSE--PAYS WAY THROUGH COLLEGE

Many young men who have had some experience in running a boarding house,

put themselves through college, and often have a saving above their

expenses at the end of their work.

I remember particularly two young men who did this. One ran his house on

a cheap plan. He furnished board at a very low price, with no style,

while the other gave more service, a little more dessert and charged a

higher price.

These men employed students only who wished to earn their board in

exchange for their services.

PLAN No. 586. SHAVED HIS WAY THROUGH COLLEGE

There is no reason why a man who understands the barber trade should not

have a university training. There is always a great demand for his

services at the university. Six hours out of the twenty-four will enable

him to pay his expenses.

If he cannot get employment in a shop, he can run a student-shop of his

own and employ only student barbers--each putting in a certain amount of

time in the shop each day. The student body will patronize him in

preference to anyone else.

PLAN No. 587. OREGON MAN EARNS WAY THROUGH COLLEGE

He was known by all as “Bill” and he was from the West. Bill, from the

very first was a politician and would not take a back seat. He was an

excellent talker and possessed lots of courage and self confidence. He

had a few dollars to run on the first year, but after that it was up to

him. He made himself well known to all in the university. Anything that

required talk or scheming--he was there.

There was a big fair going on at St. Louis and Bill arranged to show the

Oregon exhibit. He obtained this through letter-writing and friends.

When Bill planned on going home he made arrangements with the railroad

company to represent them and sell tickets to the other students. He

showed them how cheap it was to see the West, and made it so attractive

he was able to sell a large number of tickets in that way. Each year

Bill was the popular man and got the orders for railroad tickets from

the students.

If there was any place where his state should be represented in the East

Bill was the one who obtained the appointment. He was wide awake at all

times and never missed a chance to make money. In this way he more than

paid all his university expenses.

PLAN No. 588. ASSISTANT TO TEACHER OF ELOCUTION

This young man was particularly interested in becoming a political

speaker, so the first year of his university work he applied himself to

the elocution course. He was studying law and saw its importance to the

practicing lawyer. His interest was so marked that the professor became

interested in him. The young man’s means were limited, so the professor

made him a member of his own household, which settled the board and room

question. He secured a small salary for his services, and soon the

classes in elocution became more popular and he was made an assistant

and a good salary was advanced by the university. In this way he not

only earned his way through the university but won an excellent

reputation in elocution, and the fact that he was one of the faculty in

a large university meant much to him in later years.

One must bear in mind that a young man in this way wins the respect of

the faculty, and their friendship means a great deal when he starts out

for himself. A letter or good word from one of the faculty of a large

university will establish anywhere the ability of a man.

PLAN No. 589. STUDIOUS MAN’S WAY OF EARNING HIS WAY THROUGH COLLEGE

He was a young man of few words, but always hit the mark when called

upon in class. His strength lay in his scholarship. He was not a success

as a salesman and had no ability as a speaker. So the ordinary methods

for earning his way through college were closed.

However, he followed his natural bent as a student, securing work as a

briefer for one of the college professors who was working on a book on

corporations. His first year’s work was so satisfactory that his whole

college course was spent on briefing for this professor. This gave him

the best kind of board and room, besides giving him a wonderful

knowledge of corporation law. He received also sufficient cash to defray

all his college expenses and had his summer vacations to himself.

Many young men enjoy a wonderful companionship with the college

professors in this manner, as well as earn their way through college. In

a large college or university there is opportunity for young men to

apply almost any talent they may possess and thereby pay for their

living and education.

PLAN No. 590. HOW A WESTERN MAN EARNED HIS WAY THROUGH A UNIVERSITY

I well remember a young man from Salt Lake City, Utah, who arrived at

the university filled with high hope for the future, but who possessed

little money to accomplish it with. He was able by waiting on table to

get through the first year, but was without money at the beginning of

the first summer. He had a taste of one year’s life at the university

and nothing could prevent his return the next year. He had never sold

anything but he had precedent before him of what other men had done the

year before, and found that hundreds of these men made enough to put

them through their year’s course from one summer’s work. Possessing a

somewhat philosophical vein he selected a Topical Bible to sell. I met

him many times that summer. His troubles were many--trudging through the

dust and mud of Illinois--but at the end of the summer he was back in

his old place at class with a net profit of $250 saved as the result of

his summer’s work.

The second year he did not wait on table, but with a friend of his

opened up a little office; sold stationery and did some typewriting work

and turned many dollars of profit to himself and friend. His stationery

store provided a very good income and he continued the business to the

end of his course. What he did, you can do.