THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



245 



ation about it that, to an old exhibitor, 

 is almost irresistible. 



There has been, in times past, some 

 opposition to these apiarian exhibits, 

 on the ground that they were often 

 made bj^ supply dealers who, in their 

 eagerness to do business, did not hesi- 

 tate to urge a man to become a bee- 

 keeper, in order to eifect a sale. If the 

 fruit of the seel sown at these gather- 

 ings r/'if^^ a crop of producers, I might 

 admit that, possibly, there would be 

 some injury to existing bee-keepers, 

 but, after the experience that I have 

 had, I am thoroughly convinced that 

 nothing of the kind occurs; in fact, the 

 exhibition of hives, implements, and 

 large quantities of honey tastily put 

 up, impresses the crowd with the true 

 importance, magnitude and complexity 

 of modern bee culture; imparting the 

 idea that the bee business is quite a 

 business — one that cannot be picked up 

 and learned in a day by some Tom, 

 Dick or Harry. 



Anything that increases the con- 

 sumption of honey is a benefit to the 

 pursuit; and, as usually managed, 

 these bee and honey shows call the at- 

 tention of crowds of people to the excel- 

 lence and deliciousness of honey as a 

 food; and the producer and consumer 

 are boug^ht face to face. At a fair, 

 people are abroad with a disposition 

 for sig-ht-seeing, investigation, and the 

 purchase of novelties and nick-nacks; 

 and a fine display of honey, together 

 with its sale in fancy packages, can 

 not help benefiting the exhibitor as 

 well as the pursuit. Honey to be sold 

 at fairs ought to be put up in small 

 packages. It may be difficult to put it 

 up in packages so small as to be sold 

 at five cents each, but I believe it has 

 been done, while there has been no 

 difficulty in putting honey in packages 

 that may be sold for 20 or 25 cents 

 each. People at fairs don't wish to be 

 burdened with heavy or bulky pack- 

 ages, and the honey must be put up in 

 such shape that it can be eaten on the 



grounds, or else carried in the pocket 

 or hand bag with no danger of leak- 

 iige. I remember that, one year, at 

 the Michigan State fair, Mr. H. D. 

 Cutting sold nearly $40 worth of honey 

 put up in pound and half-pound, 

 square, glass bottles and in glass 

 pails. One year, at the Detroit Expo- 

 sition, at least 1,500 pounds of "honey 

 jumbles" were sold at a cent apiece, 

 by three exhibitors in the bee and 

 honey department. These "jumbles" 

 are made with honey instead of sugar, 

 and, for this reason, retain the desired 

 amount of moisture for a long time. 

 In sellings them at a fair a box of them 

 is opened, jilaced upon the counter, and 

 tipped slightly outwards, so the visit- 

 ors can easily look into it. The cakes 

 are round with a hole in the middle, 

 and the upper side is of a golden yel- 

 low, with a sort of granular appear- 

 ance that is very inviting. This side 

 of the cake is turned uppermost. 

 Paper sacks are filled with cakes, put- 

 ting five in a sack, and a neat placard 

 announces: "Honey Jumbles; Made 

 with Honey Instead of Sugar. Five in 

 a Sack and Five Cents a Sack." An- 

 other thing that may be sold at an 

 apiarian exhibit with even greater 

 profit than the honey jumbles, is honey 

 lemonade — if tlie weather is hot, if it 

 isn't, there is no use of attempting its 

 sale. Here is the way to make it: In- 

 to 12 quarts of water squeeze the juice 

 of a dozen lemons, add two pounds of 

 basswood honey and a teacupful of 

 sugar. Basswood honey being of such 

 a strong flavor, gives more of a honey 

 flavor. Keep the lemonade cool with 

 ice in some large vessel. I used a 

 stone ware churn. Keep on the counter 

 a glass pitcher filled with lemonade, 

 putting in small pieces of ice, also r^ 

 a few slices of lemon. Then have 

 a placard read: "Honey lemonade: 

 Most Delicious Drink on the Grounds; 

 Only Five Cents a Glass." I have 

 sold as high as $20 worth of this in one 

 hot afternoon, and the profits are at 



