

(|)ee-Keepeps' Kex^ied) 



A MONTHLY JOURNAL 



Devoted to tl^e Interests of Hoqey Producers. 



$1,00 A YEAR. 



W. Z. HDTCHiNSON, Editor aDd Proprietor. 



VOL XII, f LINT. MICHIGAN, AUGUST 10. 1900. N0,8. 



XHIBITING BEES AND 

 HONEY AT THE FAIRS. 

 BY F. L. GRANT. 



In response to your request for 

 an article on the exhibiting of bees and 

 honey at the fairs I will give a brief ac- 

 count of my experience in that depart- 

 ment of the business. The first, and by 

 no means the least, as regards the work, 

 is in getting ready; perhaps one has to 

 lay awake nights to think of something 

 new so as to get ahead of the other fel- 

 lows. This is not easy work; it is rather 

 trying to the nerves and sometimes dis- 

 couraging; especially when we call to 

 mind that it is likely that the other fel- 

 low is doing the same thing. 



After we have decided what is to be 

 the leading feature of our exhibit; then 

 comes the "grind;" the working out of 

 the details and getting them into shape 

 so as to please the eye of the judges and 

 visitors. This is very important; for our 

 success in winning premiums, and the 

 disposing of our crop of honey at good 

 prices, are largely dependent upon this. 



Whatever there is in the exhibit that is 

 in the line of novelty should be so con- 

 structed that it can be put together in 

 sections, to save time, which is very lim- 



ited in the rush of setting up and taking 

 down; especially the latter. 



All wax-work should be as nearly in 

 place as it is possible to box it. The 

 roof of the honey house in the accom- 

 panying cut of my exhibit at the Maine 

 State Fair of 1898 consists of beeswax 

 shingles which were cut from sheets of 

 brood foundation. They were glued to a 

 very thin boarding on the roof, which, in 

 this case, came apart in six .sections. 

 The boards were also covered with paper 

 so as to make the wax adhere to them 

 more firmly. The wax-work of the roof 

 and otherparts were shipped with soft 

 packing between them. 



The windows were made whole, and 

 were shipped in a separate box packed 

 with great care. The walls of honey 

 were supported by a frame work made 

 from 1^4 X 1^4 joist fastened together 

 with bolts and screws. The name, "Sweet 

 Home," at the top, consists of beeswax 

 letters suspended by silk thread. The 

 distance from the table to the top of the 

 flags was about seven feet, and the length 

 of house about six feet. 



.\s the picture shows many of the de- 

 tails of construction I will not say any 

 more on that point, except that every 

 part which does not show honey or glass, 



