Books:

Discovered! 505
Odd Enterprises

Hidden Dollars

How to Make
Money at Home

Small Business
of Your Own

You Can Own
a Business

And the cash register kept in tune with the improvement by registering greater sales! Yes, color can do a lot for a new business or a business in need of a shot in the arm.

A cafeteria found this out when they put their salads on green plates instead of white. Amount of salads sold doubled! A seed catalogue was printed in color, as a test, and the average order increased from one dollar to nine dollars! One electrical firm lost an order for $250,000 worth of irons. Another competitor got the South American order. His irons had RED handles instead of black! A store selling dresses put on a sale running the usual ads in the papers. $35,000 worth of dresses were sold. Then color was tried, running color ads in the same papers. Result: $130,000 in sales! A night club found out that the customer likes amber lights better than any other kind. Therefore he'll stay longer under this color and of course spend more. And so it goes in business today. See if color will improve your sales. #214-217

U.S.A. . . . . INDIAN PLAYING CARDS
If you had to go to Arizona for your lungs, what would you do for a living? Matty started out by spending long hours taking pictures of desert scenes and colorful Indians. Much to his surprise, a gift shop was able to sell some of these pictures for him.

Encouraged, he bought some playing cards with plain backs, and on them he painted several of his Indian scenes. Orders came from friends, gift shops, etc. Faster than he could fill them. Eventually, it is said that he owned his own shop which was earning him a steadily increasing income.

There are a lot of different photos and illustrations that could be reproduced on the back of playing cards. How about a reproduction of the heads of the Mr. & Mrs. appearing as a part of the King and Queen illustrations on playing cards. The rest of the family could take their places on the other cards in various clever ways. Just an idea. Perhaps there are better ideas for the backs of playing cards. Start thinking. #216

U.S.A. . . . . HOMEMADE ROLLING PINS
Up in the mountains in Tennessee, a fellow is specializing with a simple item…a homemade rolling pin. He has special jig saws and other carpentry machine tools.

He does a large business by mail…is making a livelihood in his own home work shop despite the fact that he suffers with ill health.

It's an age of specialization all right! #219

U.S.A. . . . . COLOR
Mrs. Roland paints candy boxes and cooky-jars and says she has sold more that 3,000 of the cooky-jars and many of the candy boxes. The latter sometimes have sold for double the usual price for fancy candy boxes.

She has been busy with this sort of thing for at least eight years. Most of the painting consists of simple designs and flower. Sometimes pastes bits of cloth designs and flowers onto the box or jar and then adds a little painted background or a painted flower stem or leaf.

"Folks rub their fingers over it and there is no need for a sales talk."

Spends four hours a day painting candy boxes and the rest of the time on sidelines such as jars, stationery, place cards and match boxes. A penny investment in a matchbox becomes a dime seller and it only takes a few seconds! Uses five colors (oil paints): pink, yellow, violet, blue and green. No special training is necessary she says. Might be possible to use decals or paint through ready-made stencils. All of this is ideal for bridge prizes. Candy shops and gift shops are her customers too. Some of her works sell for $1.50 and cost her nothing or next to nothing. #220-221

If Mrs. Roland can sell 3,000 glass or earthenware jars in a year there certainly must be immense possibilities for larger operation. It is a low investment plan when you consider that she is operating on an investment of only a few paint brushes and five tubes of oil paint. "Cut-out" stencil designs for beginners would be extra and those discarded jars or boxes not found, extra cost too.

GERMANY
I covered the story about a unique advertising service being operated in a small town of 3,000 people in my other self-help book. Briefly, the idea was to provide a huge "Trading Post" blackboard or sign where anything could be listed for sale, exchange, rent or hire. Or listings would be accepted in the case where the party wanted something. Everyone in the town saw the sign and it was completely full of listings, week in and week out. Mailings to rural route boxes plus the telephone kept this advertising business going. A charge of 50¢ per listing was made. The same listings were repeated in regular circular mailings going to all rural route boxes each week. A chain of such "blackboards" could be started by renting space in many other surrounding towns.

I refer back to this particular story because I now find that the same idea is being worked in Germany. Advertising billboards have been set up, and for a small fee a person can get a personal notice exhibited at six or eight stalls throughout the city. These ads gave a story of misery and shortages in the divided Germany of today, but nevertheless the enterprising operators of these signs evidently make a profit out of the people's wants. #222

U.S.A. . . . . SHOWMANSHIP
Sometimes, I am told, it pays to be extremely honest, if you want your business to be a success. Sad to say, not many businesses now-a-days are going out of their way to be extremely truthful, at least not to the extent that one dealer in a western city is practicing. He sells used cars and unlike many used car dealers, he actually tells the truth about some of his "run-down" offerings!

This ex-serviceman will run unusual advertisements, of which the following examples are typical: " '34 Olds Coupe. Now I know how Verdi got his inspiration for the 'Anvil Chorus' in Il Trovatore. Just listening to this crock will do it. But a little tadoodling here and there might quiet it down. Get out here, anyway. $195. '35 Chevrolet sedan. They say these things run on kerosene and this one sounds like it has. But it'll bat you around for sometime yet. $299. '29 Falcon Knight sedan. Gad, this one went out with button shoes, but you can drive it away which is one up on a lot of them. $199. '36 Cadillac convertible sedan. Just a boxcar with a '41 Chrysler engine in it. $695. '39 Mercury sedan. Or I've been waiting for you, I'd cry for you, die for you, or If that isn't love it'll have to do until a new one comes rolling through. Stop! I'll buy it at $991."

All advertisements have the closing paragraph: "You know, there's always someone looking for something you haven't got. Maybe that old 'clunker' of yours is one they are looking for. So, let's sell them to me and I'll sell them to them…then everyone will be happy."

Guess it not only pays to advertise, but it pays to be honest because this man is proving that a business can use such showmanship methods. They say that everyone in the community reads his ads!

Something to think about when you contemplate going into any kind of a business. #223

BRITISH COLUMBIA
One of the few successful mail-order businesses in Canada is located in British Columbia. This chap is very ambitious and has more plans working for him, in a small way, than any other dealer I've ever come across.

The following descriptions of some of the plans will give you an idea of the variety of items he handles with success. He claims that the following plans have worked successfully. In fact he states that one of the plans showed such possibilities that he had his ad translated into Spanish and inserted ads in papers circulated in Bolivia, British Honduras, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil, French West Indies, Peru, El Salvador, Chile and Venezuela.

Plan 1. This features another luminous novelty, but one that hasn't been oversold as yet. Called "Luminous Barrettes", they sell readily for 25¢ a pair. A seven word ad seems to do the trick in selling them. By purchasing the barrettes himself and painting on the luminous coating, he is able to produce a novelty for a fraction of the cost of one ready painted by the manufacturer. This man also has clever ideas for other luminous novelties. For instance I had never heard of luminous good luck charms, but he handles this item too. A small fortune was made by handling the luminous crucifix (See "Discovered—505 Odd Enterprises"). I've heard that another dealer found a big market by offering luminous earrings and luminous butterflies (preserved). Both used by women as ornaments.

Plan 2. This calls for a classified ad offering four professional magic tricks for a dime. Along with the four tricks he sends a circular advertising his "Magical Mysteries Pack". This sells for a dollar and he claims that a good percentage of the dime buyers come through with a dollar for the larger pack. The sale of magic tricks and novelties is big business in this country, particularly via the mails. Look at the vast number of such ads under the classified "Magic" heading in Popular Mechanics.

My idea for the establishing of a mail-order bureau that will rent tricks and magic novelties, new ones every month, on an exchange basis, is a pretty good one, in my estimation. It allows the trick enthusiast and amateur magician to have a new batch of tricks and novelties each month, while if he tried to buy them all he'd go broke. The plan could work on some sort of rental exchange set-up, the customer returning the old material for different stuff each month and paying a monthly set fee. See "Discovered—505 Odd Enterprises" for additional details.

Plan 3. In this plan he sells an unusual picture of Jesus. A remarkable picture that is composed of 5,463 words from the Gospel of St. Matthew. The words form the picture. Beautiful and intricate work. Large size and ready for framing. Using Farm publications he is able to secure many 25¢ orders direct from the ad. The pictures have been sold by the Elfco Co., 440 N. Wells St., Chicago for 3¢ each, wholesale.

Plan 4. Here we find this enterprising Canadian successful again with the well known Midget Bible, selling over 8,000 of them by mail! Costing only around $2.00 per 100 or much cheaper in larger quantities, this item, although well known, isn't in the hands of many people. Every state should have millions of likely prospects.

He tells us that he receives hundreds of repeat orders for more of the bibles from those purchasing the first one. Sometimes orders will keep coming in from one particular town, indicating that one purchaser has been showing his midget bible around the town and thus acting as a "walking advertisement" so to speak, creating more orders.

These bibles can be secured from the same source as that listed above. It is said to be the smallest bible in the world and is about the size of a postage stamp. Folks are amazed at its tiny print and illustrations. Carried by many as a lucky piece and the price is most attractive when sold for a dime. A small 3 x 6 circular sells the item, although small display ads would probably do as well.

Selling a religious item brings to mind the case of one 70 year old mail-order dealer. His first three years in this field were uncertain, sometimes making a profit, sometimes not. So he finally decided to specialize in a general line of religious merchandise and specialities. It proved a move in the right direction. He now has customers in every state, a home in the city and a ranch in the country, and all the comforts of life!

Plan 5. Over 5,000 people have sent this gentleman 10¢ for his Dream Book. His ad is simple and reads something like this: "An explanation for your odd dreams. Get a copy of the 'Dream Dictionary' which explains over 500 dreams! 10¢."

By mimeographing the dictionary in folio form on his own machine and mailing it for 1½¢ he is able to make a profit. Later on one can follow up these customers with offers for larger dream books and occult books. For instance, did you know that if you dream about candy it is supposed to mean that money will be refunded to you from some source. Did you know that if you dream of ants it is not a favorable omen as it denotes loss. At least so says the Dream Dictionary. An interesting collection.

Plan 6, You've seen "Sex Indicators" sold in "fun shops" and novelty shops. You know the kind. Usually some kind of weight on the end of string. Supposed to swing slowly in a circle if held over a woman's head and to swing straight back and forth if held over a man's head or hand.

It is claimed that there isn't any secret to it at all, but that it is simply a movement unconsciously controlled by muscular vibration. In other words, "mind over matter".

Anyway, the novelty has always been popular. I remember having a similar thing when I was a kid. Our enterprising Canadian friend sells these by mail from an 8 word classified ad and has sold hundreds of them, so he says, for a dime. Probably the secret of the appeal is in the price because some novelty shops ask 50¢ or more for the item.

By purchasing ordinary iron washers, applying gold paint, tying colored string to the washers, he was able to turn out a similar novelty for about 60¢ a 100. His ads were placed in farm papers and the like. Directions for the Indicator are for the purchaser only, of course, and stress the point that the user must "think" circle when over the hand of a lady and "think" straight line when held over the hand of a male. The user is warned not to try to make it swing. All of this is kept a secret so that the "trick" can be played on the unsuspecting friend.

This Canadian operator makes use of his mimeograph machine whenever possible, mimeographing all of his literature and a good many of the informative novelties he sells. This makes it possible for him to sell most of his merchandise for a dime or so. A duplicating machine can be a great help if you want to cut your starting overhead to a minimum. Later on one can switch over to printed material. #224-230

U.S.A. . . . . ENTERPRISES THAT SMELL
It might pay you to "smell up your business". I'm not kidding. For instance, in New York City a perfume shop has the janitor melt the ice that forms each winter on the sidewalk outside the shop. But he doesn't melt them in the customary manner. The proprietor gives the janitor fragrant bath salts, of all things, instead of the usual salt! It does the job and what a scent it gives off to the passers-by!

Another New York City enterprise, a laundry, sees to it that all laundry bundles are impregnated with a delicate scent before being sent out to the customer. The type of perfume scent used depends on the character of the bundle's contents.

An enterprising fellow in Buffalo marketed a new kind of glue which had been given the odor of spring flowers! This would make a hit with the thousands of women clerical workers, many of whom do the ordering when office supplies are needed!

On the other side of the country in the state of Washington, there is a druggist who promoted the sale of his new perfume, by having his advertising and circulars printed with a perfumed ink.

In an eastern city a firm has started to sell a new kind of scented toothpick! The list of items that could be scented or use perfume as a part of the promotional scheme, is endless. Consider this new field of showmanship carefully, when you get ready to start some sort of business! #231

U.S.A. . . . . NUT JEWELRY
"Nifty Nut Novelties" is the clever name used by a shop located in a small Missouri town. It was started a few years ago when the family operating the present shop, noticed that most of the farmers were letting a good part of their walnut crop remain on the ground. The whole family decided to make use of these nuts, or at least the shells, and so purchased a lathe and a buffer. With this equipment they were able to turn out many novelties made out of the shells. Given a coat of varnish the finished product made an immediate hit with the tourists. The demand increased, more novelty shops wanted the nut shell souvenirs, such as belts, jewelry and other novel items. Even drug stores ordered the novelties in wholesale lots.

The increase in orders made it necessary and possible to expand so they moved to another town, purchased a shop and went into the manufacturing of the nut items on a big scale. The whole family helps out, but during rush seasons, other help is hired. #232

IRELAND
One of the most interesting enterprises listed in my first book was the Rental Service in which a woman rented just about any household article you could think of (see "Discovered"). In Ireland a man and his wife are working a similar plan, specializing particularly in vacuum cleaners and special cleaning equipment that a great many women do not own. They also have a profitable sideline renting portable bars. Usually every individual throws a party once a year and the need for one of these portable bars is apparent, at least for that particular night. Multiply that one rental by hundreds of other requests and you have a year around bar rental service. #233

ENGLAND
Not too many children have fur pieces or fur coats. It takes all a parent has to just clothe the child in ordinary clothing.

One enterprising Englishwoman thought about this and wondered if there wasn't a way to allow the parents to give their children a bit of luxury clothing. She discovered that many furriers were agreeable to selling her the many small left over pieces of fur that they always happened to have hanging around…also the odd-sized skins. Their price was usually most reasonable. With what money she had saved she was able to purchase a variety of pieces…all different kinds of fur.

The next step was to advertise in the papers that she would trim any little girl's coat with real fur for a very moderate charge. This would include trimming around the cuffs and collar.

The first customer showed up and was so satisfied with the job that she sent others to the "shop". And so the enterprise made its start. She soon learned that it was also possible to buy up old used fur coats, even those coats that had holes in them. There was always enough material in such garments to make at least five tiny collars and cuffs for the children's coats…and at a good profit too!

Sometimes an old fur coat, full of holes, could be picked up for as little as five shillings. Each trimming job brought her 15 shillings or more so you can see that there was a wide margin for profit.

A professional furrier had shown her a few of the trade's tricks in cutting and sewing fur so it didn't take long to become quite proficient at the task. The really tiny left over pieces of fur she fashioned into large buttons or trimming for the coat pockets. The enterprise gradually grew into a full time business.

A woman over here in the United States, up in Minnesota to be exact, also decided to cater to the children and their clothing problems. She had noticed that her own small daughter was outgrowing all of her clothes. Outgrown clothing was really piling up. She thought that other mothers must be having the same problem. How about bringing all of this outgrown clothing to one spot and starting a service that would be useful to the nation's mothers. So she ran a small ad in the paper, rented a small office and stocked it with 20 garments from her own pile of clothing. Customers came FAST. Hundreds of mothers. They brought their own piles of useless clothing, exchanged it for other garments, and paid a small exchange fee. Three months later her stock had grown to 10,000 garments and she had 2,500 steady customers.

A Mrs. Barlett in a small Idaho town created a service along the same lines. She has a Swap Shop in her home, using a room that had been a big bedroom. Mothers bring their children's outgrown school clothes and swap them for the right size. The clothes are cleaned and in wearable condition before Mrs. Barlett will accept them. She gets 15¢ on every garment that leaves her home shop no matter whether it is a cash sale or an exchange.

Sometimes she freshens some of the garments a bit by adding a new belt, a cute cloth design or picture to the lapel, perhaps a colorful collar or the like. She always carries a stock of ribbons, lapel ornaments and other accessories for this purpose. All the town's women think this service is grand! #234-235

U.S.A. . . . . NEW LOCAL PROJECT
There are more shut-ins in the United States than the average person realizes, if he does give any thought to the matter. And the number of shut-ins who long to have certain things done for them is probably large.

Mary knew some of these unfortunate people and because she wanted to help them and others, and also because the high cost of living made it necessary for her to help her husband's income out, she started a service for shut-ins.

For instance, if the blind mother of a professor wants Mary to read the afternoon newspaper to her or tell her about her son's activities, Mary is available. If this mother is lonely and her son can't be with her at all meal-times, Mary will even be an interesting meal-time companion.

If the little child with the broken leg over on the next street needs a tutor for a couple of hours a day, Mary is ready and able to take on the job.

She found that there were a great many mothers in her city who were temporarily shut-in and who needed someone to take the children to school and back again, who needed someone to read to the children, to amuse the children during their mother's confinement. She found that her service appealed to this class. She ran small advertisements that told of her services and stated that she was willing to shop, read, write or do errands for shut-ins. The ads brought in even more business. Her phone simply buzzed and the mailbox was full.

She took on new jobs, such as doing the family mending for a woman with arthritis, getting new books from the library and returning old ones, etc.

Mary's hourly rates differ according to the type of service she is performing. She keeps a card file with a card for each shut-in. In this way she keeps track of all services rendered and regularly scheduled hours are set aside each week for each one.

It's a job that should give one a great deal of satisfaction. Mary has found that she gets a personal glow of satisfaction by walking into these homes and knowing that she is really welcomed—in fact—wanted and needed! #236

U.S.A. . . . . ODD STORE
There is a most unique Bride's Shop out here on the coast where the owner, a woman, rents wedding gowns instead of selling them!

She'll rent the veil, bridesmaid's dresses, coronets, hats, etc. Anything you might need in the way of apparel…for the wedding.

These creations aren't trashy either, and have as much work in them, as much taffeta, lace, net and fine satin, as any gown you might have made to order. Although the wedding dresses are only worn for a short time, each one is thoroughly cleaned and mended (if necessary) before being rented out again. Dresses are designed so that alterations can be made easily and quickly.

Some of the dresses are unusual, some dramatic, the fashions, in many cases, being that of the period design.

This lady rents them for ten dollars. Sometimes the price is as high as $50 if the wedding gown is something extra special. Veils rent at $7.00 to as high as $20. This also depends on the kind of veil…and the length. Often the customer will like the wedding gown so well that she will buy it outright. Then the price can be as high as $100 to $300.

There is a need for bridal rentals. Shops of this kind should be located in many other towns and cities all over the United States.

Some of the rentals are conducted on a mail-order basis, rental fees coming in from every state. Business is so good that the would-be bride has to send in her rental fee three months in advance of the wedding date. #237

IRELAND
There is a woman in Ireland who sells sea salt for baths, or for bathing the feet. She sells it in a very crude form with a lot of sand and bits of shells in it, and one has to pour a little hot water on it to melt the salts. The liquid is then carefully poured into the bath so that the sand can't get in the tub.

I don't know how she gets the salt or what process is used in taking the salt out of the ocean water. Sounds interesting. One way of bringing the ocean to the inland folks. #238

ENGLAND
Recently a youth in England is said to have made 80 Pounds or about $320 in a few days selling a certain butterfly to doctors in France. He found the special kind of butterfly in Devonshire, and the doctors in France used the wings of this butterfly to line people's intestinal tubes after a certain type of operation had been performed.

It is claimed that these wings are the only things soft enough, yet with enough strength, to serve the purpose until nature provides a new lining. Butterfly collectors could probably tell any interested reader what this particular type of butterfly might be, or information might be secured from a laboratory or hospital, that is, if American surgeons use the same methods as those in France.

Speaking of butterflies, many years ago a 15 year old girl started collecting butterflies, and today she has her own shop called "Your Butterfly Exchange". She has 20,000 of them in stock at this time. Interior decorators use the butterflies for decorative purposes, placing them on flower stems, artificial flowers, real live flowers, on picture frames, on the sides of vases, etc, Stores can sometimes use them for certain window displays and photographers use certain unusual butterfly specimens for photographic purposes. Then too, ladies are finding that preserved beautiful types can be used in corsages or on hats.

This woman's supply comes from all over the world where she has scouts looking for the kinds they know she wants. Some of her butterflies range in size from a half inch to over a foot, believe it or not! Prices range from 25¢ to as much as $150.

Frank, another butterfly collector, uses them as a part of the many attractive compacts, serving trays, lockets, paper weights, etc. that he has produced so far. His profits have been sizeable. He removes the wings of the butterfly, attaches them to a cardboard body, places them on milkweed floss together with some processed pressed flowers and puts the whole works under glass, completely framed.

His most profitable item is the 11 x 17 inch serving tray with a glass top. Using a cardboard backing, he covers it with the floss, then presses it down, places the dried flowers, and butterflies on the floss and finally the glass over everything. The frame for the tray is made from a light wood. If the butterflies are placed just above the dried flowers in each "scene", the effect will be that they are alighting on the flowers!

Butterfly art craft is still quite undeveloped. A big market awaiting someone in the thousands of novelty shops and the big department stores too! As for the catching of the butterflies, drying, etc., I gave some information about this phase in my other book. You might also find valuable data in the library. #239-240

U.S.A. . . . . MOTORIST STOPPER
This story reminds me of the Farm Restaurant described in "Discovered". Charlie started this restaurant on a farm too…a ten acre one. By making arrangements with the surrounding farms he was able to secure a steady flow of fresh eggs, country butter, chickens, country sausage, hams, vegetables and fruits. Plenty of real cream, herbs, honey, nuts, homemade candy, cheeses, etc. are added attractions and easily obtained in his community.

Charlie didn't have to advertise his country style dinners very long before a flood of business started heading toward his farm. They came back again and again the story goes. Such food was really appreciated, as you can well imagine after a steady diet of city restaurant food.

A lot of the food that he serves comes from his own place and a lot from the other farms. Everything is "same-day" fresh!

There is room for one of these Farm Restaurants in every rural town. It would be bound to attract the tourists from the nearby cities. The restaurant doesn't necessarily have to be close to the farm just as long as the proprietor can prove that he actually has a farm or has direct connections with the surrounding farms for ALL foods served, and I mean ALL.

Everything about such a place should be rural-like. The interior and exterior. Give it a rustic atmosphere by lining the walls with wooden slabs, bark, pine, etc. Should be decorated according to the season. Ears of corn and pumpkins for the fall season, mistletoe and holly branches for the holiday season. Dried straw flowers, leaves, pine tree branches, pine knots and the like for the winter season. Add a crackling roaring fire in the fireplace and you complete the winter picture.

In the spring time beautiful spring flowers and wild flowers can be displayed all about the dining room. Summer time will provide the owner with an abundance of material to use for decorative purposes.

If you like country life and are not afraid of work, here is the life…and your means of a livelihood. Ask any city restaurant gourmet if it would succeed or not! #241

U.S.A. . . . . RESTAURANT
While we are on the subject of food, let me tell you the true story of another couple who started a restaurant, not in the country, but in a large size Florida community.

They decided to specialize and so offered nothing but home made apple pie, a generous QUARTER-SECTION, a slice of cheese and a cup of coffee to go with it. The price? 25¢. I don't know if this could be done today with the increase in food prices, but the idea is good even though the price might have to be hiked up a bit. Perhaps not, if a large volume of business resulted.

Their sign read "Florida means 'Feast of Flowers'…our homemade apple pie means a 'Feast for the Gods'."

The first day the shop opened up, the total stock of pies, etc. were sold out in a few hours. They had to close early.

They operated the shop for over two years with success. Put a goodly amount of extra profit in the bank too. Due to circumstances they had to return to their midwestern home, so they sold the business for a good price to another couple.

If this sort of cafe could prove a success in Florida, it stands to reason that it would go over in the same manner in any other state, in any other community. The idea could even be improved. #242

INDIA
It isn't easy to make the right contacts in India or nearby Ceylon, so I haven't much material from this part of the world. However, here are two stories that I managed to get from a Mr. Abeyesundere of Mount Lavinia, Ceylon. The tales are about two enterprises, and while I wouldn't say they were particularly unusual to us here in the States, they are nevertheless quite interesting from the point of view of actually knowing what is going on in this faraway place.

Story number one is as follows: Near the harbor of Trincomalee in Ceylon nature has favored its owner with an unusual occupation, unusual for Ceylon. It seems that the water from the well which used to supply his needs was condemned by the local authority as being unfit for human consumption and the owner was obliged to sink another well, the water of which he noticed was unusually warm.

Through curiosity he sank seven wells within a few yards of each other in an area 22 feet by 18 feet and only about three feet deep. He was surprised to find that the water was crystal-clear and the water of each well varied in temperature. These waters are said to contain minerals of a curative effect, e.g. rheumatism, skin diseases, etc. are cured. He has turned his luck into a commercial enterprise and while charging a nominal sum per person for bathing, he nets on the average of about $500 per month.

Here in Southern California we have three well known springs, noted for their waters, baths, etc. Each one seems to be popular and profitable, even though they are all in the same district. Two of them have been doing business for many years, yet they are located in a sparsely settled section close to 100 miles from Los Angeles. Still people go out of their way to patronize such places and sometimes stay there for days or weeks.

If you are interested in operating such an outdoor enterprise, make an investigation of your own particular county or state. You will find sections that have such wells or mineral waters, just waiting for exploitation. If you create an attractive spot, give excellent service…in other words make your visitors completely happy, they'll be back with others time and time again. The curative value of the water is a secondary consideration. It is usually the complete REST, free from all care and everything that you can provide to make their vacation a lazy but happy one, that really counts!

Now for the second story from Ceylon. About 100 miles from Colombo there is…or was…an area quite devoid of vegetation and yet well populated, 90% of the population industrial workers in the nearby towns. A retired chemist living in this section was rather depressed by the desolate appearance of things in general and decided to try to make this soil productive. Being a backward area, nothing had ever been done along these lines.

By a simple chemical process, he managed to turn out a very rich fertilizer which he distributed free to every household, extracting a promise that they would start a produce garden in their backyards. Within four months the results were very productive and encouraging. These folks found that they had a pleasing display of green foliage, flowers, vegetables, etc. Their standard of living went up with the extra food, and in some cases some of the excess was probably sold to the town markets.

Our chemist hero receives a small monthly fee from each household and in return, no doubt, provides additional soil conditioners, fertilizers, instructions, etc. A share of the produce raised could be accepted in lieu of a fee, of course. And this sold on the market. He is said to make an effortless profit of nearly $600 monthly! In other words, by giving away free materials and instructions at the start, this man eventually was on the RECEIVING end.

An example of how this "giving" plan will work in many instances, even though it may not be related to the above described plan, is given in the following Church scheme.

The pastor of a First Presbyterian Church in a small town in Ohio decided to try the idea out and started by giving each of his 172 parishioners $10. In return they were to make this ten dollar bill grow and grow. Twenty weeks after each received the gift, they returned the ten spots plus interest to the tune of $9,152!

Each parishioner used his "capital" for a different project. Two boys, for instance, started an "Odd Jobs, Inc." service in which they cut lawns and did many other jobs, using their phone as an aid to get the business. A housewife invested her money in crochet cotton and crocheted doilies, tablecloths and other items and made a large profit. Another woman knitted booties for babies and the idea paid well. Two brothers bought some chicks with their $20 and from the profits derived were able to eventually add $100 to the fund.

It seems to me that the "Giving" plan might work on a commercial basis. Trust folks, give them a start, and you may derive commissions for months and even years afterwards! And the "start" doesn't have to be too expensive either. Just enough to make the recipient feel that there is an obligation to make the start and make good! #243-244

U.S.A. . . . . SELLING
The unusual magic mirrors have been dealt with in "Discovered" and elsewhere in this book. Just to show you how a reader can take one of these ideas, use his own originality and creative ability, his own imagination, and come up with an even better idea, let me tell you about one such case.

This man writes me that he intends to take this magic mirror solution (it is several solutions) and put them up in different bottles, properly labeled…Solution #1, Solution #2, etc. These bottles to be a part of a chemical set he is planning on creating for the Xmas trade.

Tells me that he had excellent results with his first time use of the formula and he immediately got the idea that the kids would like to experiment with these magic mirrors. Chemistry sets sell well during the holiday season so what could be better than a set of chemicals that would produce these mirrors?

Well, I'll venture to say that this chap will make a "killing" this coming Christmas. By using some of his own ideas, by allowing the book to stimulate his thought producing mechanism, he was able to get some good out of the book. He didn't expect a miracle to happen simply because he read a book! He did his part and I hope many of my readers see the moral in this tale. #245

U.S.A. . . . . FARMING
A woman in a Florida town started a hobby of creating miniature gardens. Somehow or other, her work reached the eyes of a florist, he liked it and so she found herself in business.

Not only florists bought the little gardens but the many gift shops and toy shops in her state became interested. Invalids bought the tiny things by mail and enjoyed watching them and taking care of them.

This creator only spends about two cents in turning out a garden and she sells them for around 25¢ each.

A tiny snail shell set on a plastic link serves as one of her miniature flower pots. She fills the snail shell with a bit of earth and a tiny plant. Picture the tinyness of the finished garden. So small that an eyedropper has to be used when watering the plant and if it is to be transplanted the tweezers and a toothpick are used.

What do some of the people who buy them use them for? Well, some business men and shopkeepers use them for display purposes in their windows. Housewives use them for bridge prizes and party favors, or place them on kitchen ornament shelves.

Shells are perfect miniature pots because nature has perforated the bottom. However, tiny thimbles are also used by this woman after punching tiny holes in the bottom of the thimble.

She sometimes dyes these holders various colors and this makes them even more unusual. Baby cacti, succulents, artillery fern, air plants, etc. are used in either snail or thimble pots.

These plants grow slowly but they can be trimmed with a pair of scissors if they become too big.