1888 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



607 



slon of such stoics as Mr. Hutchinson and a score 

 or more others whom I mig:ht name, but space for- 

 bids; and such matte i-of-f act men as our friend 

 A. I. Root gather new enthusiasm and energy 

 from such displays of sweetness, and the conse- 

 quent contact with wise and offterwlso people. 



I have never seen our friends D. A. Jones, Rev. 

 W. F. Clarke, or the sober ex-president of the On- 

 tario Bee-Association, H. T. Pettit, at such shows, 

 and I fear that I might not recognize either at such 

 a place, for they would probably be so pleased and 

 elated over the great growth and success of bee 

 and honey shows that their best friends would have 

 to look twice to make sure of their identity. I 

 don't care to aid in getting up displays of honey, 

 etc., for the purpose of inducing people to engage 

 in this, to some, pleasant and lucrative employ- 

 ment, but do it for the same purpose the manufac- 

 turers, merchants, and other business men show 

 their goods— to advertise, work up a market, and 

 sell the products of the business. 



The premium-lists of the fairs are generally 

 made up during the first two or three months of 

 the year; and unless some one or more bee-keep- 

 ers in the locality see to it, it is more than probable 

 that no premiums will be offered for the displays 

 of the products of the apiary. It may not be too 

 late now to have the matter arranged in many lo- 

 calities, even if the premium-list has been made 

 up, if the proper officers (president or secretary) 

 are spoken to at once. Don't get the premiums too 

 high to start on, but work them up gradually each 

 year as the display becomes larger and more at- 

 tractive. As a rule, the matter is not thought of by 

 those who make up the list. 



The first year I lived here, the premium olfered 

 by the Tri-State Fair was five dollars " for the best 

 show of honey." I found the " show " set away on 

 a high shelf among other things, and where it was 

 seen by but few. It consisted of a rough box, hold- 

 ing about twenty pounds of comb honey, with glass 

 in one end of the box. I spoke to the officers of 

 the society about the matter, and the result was 

 the offering of over $100 the next year as ))remi- 

 ums, and the next year Sa08. For six years the 

 Bee and Honey Department has been a " fixture," 

 and, like other departments, has a superintendent, 

 etc.; and last fall it was said to be "the most at- 

 tractive exhibit on the grounds." The exhibit in 

 1883 was small compared to what it has since be- 

 come, and was described in the American Bee 

 Journal by the editor, who assisted in awarding the 

 premiums, as a " grand success. The small corner 

 set apart for the bee and honey show was so cram- 

 med all the time that it was with great difficulty 

 any one could get through the crowd, and utterly 

 impossible for many who desired to examine the 

 exhibits to even get within a stone's throw of 

 them." 



I want to say a few kind words about friend T. G. 

 Newman. When we first started out to make an 

 exhibition of honey, etc., at the Tri-State Fair in 

 1883 and also in 1883, he kindly consented to help us, 

 and came from Chicago to Toledo and spent three 

 days each year, without "fee or reward," in aid- 

 ing in judging, and starting us off in good shape. 

 A. I. Root and C. F. Muth and others helped us in 

 1883, and we have tried each year to improve on the 

 previous one. 



The exhibit at the St. Joseph, Mo., fair has be- 

 come one of Its most attractive features; and for 



five or six years past the Michigan bee-keepers have 

 made a large and attractive display at their State 

 Fair, and have a separate building for their exhib- 

 it, and the premium-list was gradually worked up 

 by Mr. Cutting, Prof. Cook, and others, from next 

 to nothing to over 1*300. At Toronto, Canada, have 

 been made some of the largest (if not (//c largest) 

 and most attractive exhibitions of honey and apiari- 

 an appliances ever made on this continent. 



I believe honey should be made the main attrac- 

 tion. A display of bees and queens is always "in 

 order," and calls forth more quaint and original 

 expressions from the crowd of sightseers than 

 even the extractor does. Many an old " residont- 

 er" has taken pains to put on the second pair of 

 eyes to see " the king-bee who bosses all the other 

 bees, and tells them what to do," and then, after 

 being told it is a queen, and the mother of the 

 bees, hurries off to hunt up some friend or mem- 

 ber of the family to show them " the mother of 

 all the bees." 



Supplies are viewed with curiosity; but honey, 

 that " sweetest of sweets, excepting the lasses we 

 all love to greet," is the great attraction, and cre- 

 ates a desire to taste that which to many is so ir- 

 resistible that a purchase has to be made before 

 the visitor is satisfied, and then, when leaving, fre- 

 quently turns and casts longing glances at the 

 tempting display of luscious sweetness. 



The skill displayed in making honey exhibits in 

 some of the countries of Europe is so great, and the 

 display so attractive, that it is not a rare thing to 

 have them visited by common people, as well as by 

 kings and queens; and it is largely the fault of the 

 bee-keepers themselves if like attractive and in- 

 structive displays are not made at the different 

 fairs throughout this country; and I have yet to 

 learn that the managers of any fair have regretted 

 having done what they could to call forth an ex- 

 hibit of honey, but all have been surprised at the 

 beauty and attractiveness of a well-prepared dis- 

 play. 



The Stark Co., O., Ag'l Society, at the solicitation 

 of the Stark Co. Bee-Keeper's Society, last year ap- 

 propriated $100. to be given as premiums for bees 

 and honey, etc., and $1.50 for the erection of a 

 building for the display of things pertaining to the 

 apiary. 



If all county and State agricultural societies can 

 not be induced to give fair premiums for the prod- 

 ucts of the apiary, without doubt enough can be se- 

 cured to moi"c than pay expenses; but some one or 

 more bee-keepers must look after the matter, and 

 be sure that it is attended to. It will Jiot take care 

 of itself. 



The exhibition of bees on the wing at fairs crowd- 

 ed with people has not usually proved to be much 

 of a success. The candy and fruit men are fre- 

 quently anno.yed by l)ees from the neighborhood, 

 and it is always laid to the bees on exhibition, 

 when, in fact, every bee is confined to its hive. 



The question with us all very properly arises, 

 " Does it pay to be to all this expense and trouble'?"^' 

 The same question very naturally arises, also, in 

 regard to any kind of an exhibit at fairs, and each 

 will have to answer the (juestion for himself. 



On page 331 of Gleanincs for 1887, J. H. Martin 

 puis this matter before us very nicely. He says, 

 " Docs it paij to spend time and money to adver- 

 tise the honey-business"? If we look around us, we 

 see every trade making strenuous efforts to get 



