1909 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



271 >i 



BEE 



DEMONSTRATIONS 

 FAIRS. 



AT 



Crcwds Attracted by a Boy Cov- 

 ered with Bees, Wearing a 

 Bathing-suit Only. 



BY CHAS. MONDENG. 



The Minnesota btate F"air Society 

 spends about $1000 for premiums on 

 bee and honey exhibits. Last year, 

 1908, was the first time that the society 

 offered premiums on live-hee demon- 

 Btrations. First prize was $40; second 

 one, $20 



We had a Urge cage outside of the 

 bee and honey exhibit building. About 

 twelve feet from the cage we had two 

 big swarms of bees — one colony of 

 leather-colored Italian bees and one 

 colony of golden Adel bees. 



As soon as we were ready for the dem- 

 onstraiion we took a colony into the 

 cage; and before we were ready with 

 the smoker there was an army of spec- 

 tators. 1 showed the audience how 

 they could handle bees if they used a 

 little smoke. Slowly and carefully I 

 blew smoke into the hive-entrance, and 

 then, lifting the cover, smoked in the 

 top. There came an "oh!" from the 

 crowd when the little fellow brought 

 out a frame full of bees. " Won't they 

 sting?" or "They got all the stings 

 pulled out," was heard from all sides. 



While 1 was filling my hat, inside 

 and out, with bees, the boy found the 

 queen and showed it to the audience. 

 There was a rush and a scramble to 

 see the queen. Next I showed my hat. 

 It was covered with bees, inside and 



CHARLES MONDENG AND HIS SON NORMAN DEMONSTRAT- 

 ING ADEL BEES AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR. ^ij 

 Mr. Mondeng and his son were awarded first prize for bee demonstration; 

 first prize on golden Italian bees; first prize on leather-colored Italian bees, j 



out. I ran my fin- 

 g-r around the in- 

 s de rim, and wore 

 my hat filled with 

 bees. The boy cov- 

 ered his hat with 

 bees, and followed 

 me while I was lec- 

 turingon que-rs and 

 bees in general. I 

 showed thii queen- 

 breeders could not 

 get along nowadays 

 without grafting. 

 "And nuhal happens 

 to the drones'f'''^ 

 Again came an 

 " oh!" and " We are 

 lucky, after all." 

 All the different sup- 

 ples were shown, 

 and how to use them. 

 I could hear them 

 say, " It is wonder- 

 ful." 



In the meantime 

 my son picked up 

 half a dozen drones 



Norman Mondf nf is only eluen years old, yet he handles bees without (ear. His entire clothing 



was a bathing suit. 



and placed them iin 



