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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



July 29, 



besides Diplomas, and said they would doubie the amouDt the 

 next year. Mr. Thomas G. Newman, then of ChicaRo, was 

 secured to lecture on " Bees and Houey." Thus the bee-keep- 

 ers of that section were encouraged to such a remarlcable de- 

 gree that they made better progress than that class of api- 

 arists who are cument to pursue the evpn tenor of their way. 

 But to return to my exhibit of lb9J:. Allho I captured 

 all the first premiums offered, my first year's fair experience 

 did not prove very profitable, as I was .$27 out of pocl<et after 

 paying ail expenses. However, I was fully compensated, as I 

 had lots of orders for fall delivery. The results of this first 

 experience did not dampen my enthusiasm one whit, for in 

 1S95, altho securing only a half crop, I had a pretty fair dis- 

 play, and upon request was granted free the privilege of sell- 

 ing honey lemonade. 



My two sisters and the young lady who is now my wife, 

 helpt me to sell the lemonade. We again got all the first 

 premiums, and cleared $iO over all expenses on our honey 

 lemonade, while other lemonade sellers never made expenses. 

 Seeing what a great source of revenue this honey lemonade 

 feature was, I went in on a larger scale for the fair of 18'J0. 

 At our 1896 fair we had our display of bees, honey and 

 wax all built into a beautiful house. The bee-supplies were 

 shown in show-cases, with all the latest bee-books. We had 

 snow-white, glass-covered cases made in two sizes, with beaded 

 frame fronts to take the regular Langstroth and Dadant ex- 

 tracting-frame. Into these were put combs that were built 

 out on new sheets of foundation, representing brood in all 

 stages, from the laying of the egg to the emerging from the 

 cell of full-fledged worker and queeu-bees. The production 

 of honey was also shown in all the various stages from the 

 wired frame of undrawn foundation to the beautiful combs of 

 honey with capplngs white as snow. All these cases were 

 arranged respectively so that even the dullest person could see 

 at a glance just how the whole thing is done. The extracted 

 honey was shown In different kinds of packages. The cases 

 were arranged so as to form a house, leaving places for doors 

 and windows, which were framed out with different sized 

 cakes of pretty yellow beeswax molded into fancy shapes. 



Those cases containing bees should have one-inch auger- 

 holes bored at the sides, covered with screen wire, and these 

 sides should be exposed. This can be done by placing these 

 cases to form the doors and windows. About every hour or so 

 you must take a new smoker and pump fresh air to the bees 

 through the ventilating holes, and If they still "holler for 

 more " air, or " too hot," spray cold water through the screen 

 with an atomizer until you see them drop their wings, when 

 the temperature will be Just right. I had two colonies in 

 •^894 cookt before my mother gave me these kinks. 



In the windows were nice lace curtains of the latest de- 

 sign. The door had a glass transom on which was painted in 

 artistic letters simply, "J. C. Wallenmeyer, Apiarist." On 

 the door was a placard reading: "This house for sale by 

 the pound. Leave your order for a portion of it, to be delivered 

 after the fair. Comb, 20 cents; extracted, 12]4 cents a 

 pound." Many orders were received in this way. 



In one of the windows was a card saying every one could 

 have a free guess on the weight of the house, and the one 

 coming nearest would receive a large jar of honev as a pres- 

 ent. Now, some might object to these guessing contests, and 

 not like the offering of prizes, but I cannot see any harm 

 therein as it is all free. Besides, these contests take well with 

 the people, as tliey help to draw a crowd, and that Is what wo 

 are after. You know it is quite natural " ter follerthe crowd." 

 Of course, everybody was anxious to get a free guess, and 

 the guesses caused considerable merriment, as they ran all 

 the way from 20 pounds to IJO tons. I was out in front of 

 the exhibit telling the people the honey extractor was neither 

 a washing machine nor butter-churn ; that there was no King, 



but a Queen, and that the beeswax cakes around the window 

 frames were neither maple sugar nor hard soap. I lectured 

 every half hour on bees, always had a large crowd of eager, 

 interested listeners, and invariably wound up with advice to 

 the crowd to try a glass of honey lemonade ; and that if they 

 did not like it, they need not pay one cent for it. Let me say 

 that during all of my fair experience, I have never been askt 

 to refund a cent to a dissatisfied party. This was owing to 

 the superior quality of our lemonade. 



Allho not an apicultural writer, I have endeavored to tell 

 in a plain way how to make a good exhibit, and how to sell 

 honey lemonade. You will feel refresht after your fair ex- 

 perience, as you will have met the bee-keepers from a dis- 

 tance, for they gather around the bee and honey exhibit to 

 get acquainted one with another, and exchange ideas. In- 

 quiry among these bee-keeping friends will reveal the fact 

 that about only one-half take a bee-paper. So you had bet- 

 ter get some for samples and judiciously distribute them and 

 then solicit subscriptions. 



Do not underrate the value of these exhibits. It Is not 

 only that little premium that you are striving for, but the 

 valuable advertising you and your business receives in thou- 

 sands of homes should also be considered. 



The fairs will soon be here, and if you wish to create a 

 good home market for your crop, plan out your exhibit at 

 once, tell your fair secretary how much space you need, then 

 make your drawing, and have everything in readiness so that 

 you will not be disappointed. Do not wait until the last 

 moment to make the necessary arrangements, and I am quite 

 sure you will feel amply repaid for any effort you may make 

 in behalf of our chosen and beloved pursuit. 



I trust this article will be the means of inspiring many of 

 our leading apiarists, who complain of unjust commission 

 men, to make bee and hooey exhibits, and if you only follow 

 directions you cannot fail of success. 



Vanderburgh Co., Ind. 



Value of Bee-Keepiug on the Ranch. 



BY PROF. A. J. COOK. 



In the last fifty years bee-keeping has very much changed 

 in its methods. The invention of the Langstroth hive, which 

 gave a scientific basis to the art, made bee-keeping not only 

 very much more interesting but mure profitable as well. Pre- 

 vious to that time, almost every fanner would have his few 

 colonies of bees. These were in barrels or old boxes aud so 

 there was very little expense attending the business, and all 

 the profits that did come were so much clear gain. In those 

 old times there was almost sure to be some profits. The fact 

 of greater profits then, than could be expected with the same 

 methods to-day, is easy to explain, as then there were very few 

 bees, comparatively, and no large apiaries; and owing to the 

 fact that the forests were then uncleared the native honey- 

 plants existed in great profusion. Those who kept bees at 

 that timedid it for the honey for home use, or the slight profit 

 that might come from sales of the little surplus secured. There 

 was very little enthusiasm in the pursuit, aud thus the beauti- 

 ful comb honey that we now see on the market, and the hard- 

 ly less excellent extracted honey, were never produced. 



With the advent of the Langstroth hive, there was an en- 

 tire revolution in the business. This opened up the hive and 

 all the mysteries within to the bee-keeper, and thus the busi- 

 ness from that time on possest a rare attraction to those 

 curiously inclined. 



Again, the chance for profits Is very much greater now 

 than previously. Nothing is left to accident, but there is sci- 

 ence In the whole business, and so long as the flowers are abun- 

 dant and the seasons propitious, the hoe-keeper can count on a 

 handsome profit each year. Thus it is that specialists have 

 become common, and the farmer bee-keeper who will not look 

 after his bees or do the work in neat, orderly fashion can no 

 longer compete with the specialist who depends wholly upon 

 his bees for his Income and consequently studies into all the 

 best methods of management. For the last fifteen or twenty 

 years, the business has been carried on almost wholly by spec-^ 

 iailsts. There is no question but that this has been a grea. 



