"How are we to show seeds in use?" I asked.
Jones was stumped and so was Larsen--even Jimmie had no idea. We all
looked at Charlie when he said, "I remember seeing a good display of
garden seeds once."
"Well," I said, "what was it?"
"As near as I can describe it, it was fixed like this," said Charlie.
"The floor of the window was covered with soil divided into little
plots. Each plot had a single variety of seeds arranged on top of it in
orderly rows. In the center of each plot was a 'talking' sign something
to this effect:
GIANT BEANS
A 5¢ package is sufficient for fifty square feet of
soil. They should, under normal conditions, produce
---- pints of beans, worth at retail $3.75.
"I don't remember the price, the ground space, nor the production,"
confessed Charlie, "but that's the general idea. The five cents' worth
of seeds (or whatever the amount was) was visualized. The amount of
ground they required was then given, and, after that, the average
production and its value. At the rear of the window all kinds of
gardening tools were arranged--each one price-ticketed, of course."
"That's splendid," I said, enthusiastically. "We'll appoint you a
committee of one to find out what seeds to buy and all about them."
"I don't know the first thing about gardening," objected Charlie, "and
will be more than glad if you'll let some one else do it."
I was about to insist when, in an undertone, he added, "Believe me, Mr.
Black, I've a very real reason for asking you to excuse me."
"Very well," I replied, somewhat nettled. "Jones can do it."
I wondered why Charlie was so earnest in wishing to be excused!
"Well," I said briskly, "that disposes of one thing. What else can we do
this spring to boost business?"
"The fish are biting," said Larsen. "Stigler has a sign in his window
that says so."
"I intended stocking fishing tackle this season!" I exclaimed. Then,
after a pause, "And we'll do it, too. I'll not let Stigler put anything
over on me."
"He's always sold 'em, so I understand," said Charlie, "so perhaps you
will want to consider him and his trade as you did Traglio."
I saw a twinkle in his eye as he spoke, for he knew my contempt for
Stigler. "Oh, that's different," said I, lamely.
"In that case," continued Charlie, dryly, "I suggest we sell fishing
tackle--and do it right away. If I can help I will, for I do know
something about fishing."
Just then I thought of Barlow and his grip on the farming implement
trade, and, at the same instant, I saw a way of applying his principles
to fishing, so I said, "Here's a plan for boosting fishing tackle. We'll
have Martin find out right away what pools and rivers there are in our
locality. We'll also find out what kind of fish can be caught therein.
All this information we'll have in black and white so that we all can
learn it."
As I talked the plan enlarged and took definite shape.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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