NOVEMBER 1, 1913 



757 



Fig. 3.- 



-Arranged in fr 

 entered 



that all honej^ display- 

 ed must be glazed, or 

 in cartons which are 

 bee-proof. Conse- 

 quentl^y the type of 

 carton with a peekhole 

 or other opening 

 through which bees 

 can enter has been 

 prohibited. The larger 

 displays are made on 

 glass shelves so that 

 the light can penetrate 

 on all sides. This is an 

 important feature, and 

 the exhibitors told the 

 writer of their partic- 

 ular effort to avoid 

 shading any part of 

 their exhibits. Some 

 effort is made to bring 

 electric lighting to the 

 rear of the displays of 

 honey. 



The management 

 and individual compet- 

 itors are agreed in an effort to vary from 

 year to year their displays, thus avoiding 

 monotony and adding to the genei'al interest 

 of this department of the fair. 



Seldom are fiftj^ colonies of bees seen in 

 one competitive exhibition. It is expensive 

 to show full colonies, and the writer raised 

 the question how beekeepers could be in- 

 duced, especially in the fall, to make such 

 an extensive exhibit (Fig. 5). The reply 

 was, " They are small nuclei." This is a 

 far less tax on the colony, is no great ex- 

 pense to the beekeeper, and is not especially 

 hard on the bees. To show full colonies 

 would mean that there would be but few 

 competitors. It is by using the nucleus, 

 with about half a frame of bees, that this 

 excellent and large exhibit has been made 

 possible. It also enables the queen to be 

 found early. It was noticeable, however, 

 that but few of the colonies displayed 

 drones. This was brought to the attention 

 of the exhibitors, who agree that, in the 

 future, one of the requisites in displaying 

 bees should be the including of drones as 

 well as the queens and workers. 



In competition of the black bee, consid- 

 erable discussion was created over the 

 marks. Mr. Allen Latham emj^hasized in 

 the true black type the absence of " choco- 

 late marking-s," and, if jiossible, the black- 

 ness of the legs, especially of the queen. 

 Throughout the displays of bees there was 

 close competition. Some of the more un- 

 usual races, such as Cyprians, Banats, 

 Egyptians, etc., were absent. The fii'st prize 



ont of this concession are shown some of the nuclei 

 in competition at the HartfO'rd Fair. 



in each of the classes of bees was won by 

 Mr. W. K. Rockwell. 



From the educational standpoint, the 

 peculiarly important feature of the bee 

 show is Section 3, " Competition for Nov- 

 ices," in which it is prescribed that " no 

 one previously exhibiting or receiving pre- 

 miums will be considered in this depart- 

 ment." These excellent provisions annually 

 induce new beekeepers to come out for com- 

 petition. While the premiums in this de- 

 partment for section honey, light and dark 

 extracted honey, chunk honey, and two 

 pounds or over of beeswax, are respectively 

 lower, $3.00, $2.00, and $1.00, it prevents 

 the smaller or newer beekeeper from feeling 

 that he has no possible chance of winning 

 in comjjetition with the more professional 

 class ; yet the novice, of course, is pri\dleged 

 to display in competition with the experi- 

 enced beekeepers. Mr. Walter Beeman, of 

 Bloomiield, seems to have been the impor- 

 tant novice exhibitor this year, taking large- 

 ly the first premiums in each class. Mr. J. 

 E. Wallbeoff, Wethersfield, came in for the 

 second premiums, largely. It has been no- 

 ticeable in most honey shows that these 

 excellent provisions for the novice are not 

 provided. This is a marked step in advance 

 for the promotion of interest in beekeeping. 



While the culinary section of the exhibi- 

 tion was, perhaps, less extensive than the 

 other departments, the judge is quoted as 

 having expressed his opinion of the supe- 

 riority of the honey muffins, cookies, cakes, 

 canned fruit, and pickles displayed. The 



