408 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



spectators water. The tin packages 

 and cans were gorgeously colored and 

 labeled ; the glass Jars were in various 

 beautiful shapes,andeven the wooden 

 boxes displayed a wonderful diversity 

 of taste. lu the centre was a minia- 



this show awakens great expecta- 

 tions as to the future of bee-keeping in 

 this country." 



Of the Ilouey Show in San Fran- 

 cisco, Calif., the Semi-Tropic said ; 

 " The attractive display of bees and 



Canadian Honey Exhibit in London, England. 



turechurch,ingeniouslybuilt of honey 

 comb and wax, with pinnacles and 

 spire. A smashing trade in honey 

 was done at the exhibition. Thou- 

 sands of people might be seen with 

 gay-looking tin cans dangling from 



honey formed a centre around which 

 apiarists literally swarmed. • One 

 hundred and two varieties of honey- 

 producing flowers formed a novel and 

 interesting feature of this exhibition. 

 The decorations of white sage were 



lice and Money Pavilion at the Paris Exposition. 



their fingers, or with pretty glass 

 jars in their hands, or nice boxes un- 

 der their arms. They bought and 

 carried them home very much as is 

 usually done with toys and trinkets 

 on such occasions. The success of 



tasteful and appropriate, and the 

 nectar itself, in jars arranged in 

 pyramidal shape, clear as crystal, 

 supported by frame after frame of 

 comb honey, snowy and inviting, 

 made a picture which cannot be 



photographed except by the artist 

 memory. There were samples of ex- 

 cellent honey vinegar, almost color- 

 less, and above the average in acidity; 

 several samples of fruit preserved in 

 honey with undeniable success, and 

 three kinds of honey cake, which 

 elicited the warmest praise from 

 those who were fortunate enough to 

 secure a sample. Fruit cake made 

 with honey is richer, and retains 

 moisture much longer than that made 

 of sugar." 



The first engraving on this page 

 shows the interior of the building in 

 London, at the Colonial Exhibition, 

 containing the Canadian exhibit of 

 honey in 1886. 



The second illustration shows the 

 " Bee and Honey Pavilion " at the 

 Paris Exposition, in which an im- 

 mense " show " was made. 



Read at the Maine Convention. 



Points of Excellence in Bees. 



WJI. HOYT. 



That the bees of the present time 

 are capable of improvement, no one 

 will deny. But just how to go to 

 work to improve them, is a very im- 

 portant question, worthy of the con- 

 sideration of this convention. 



Having for several years given con- 

 siderable thought to the matter of 

 improving our bees, I will briefly 

 outline a method that, if carried out 

 by a majority of the bee-keepers, 

 would undoubtedly in a few years 

 give good results ! 



In order to go to work understand- 

 ingly, the bee-keeper must have in 

 view certain points of excellence 

 which must be first obtained, and 

 then retained and improved upon. In 

 order for a bee-keeper to know what 

 good points are already possessed by 

 his bees, a record must be kept with 

 each colony, and good judgment used 

 in deciding upon their wintering 

 qualities, disposition, etc. 



The first and principal object in the 

 keeping of bees is the production of 

 honey, but there are several minor 

 points that must be taken into con- 

 sideration therewith. I will here in- 

 troduce a scale of points, imperfect I 

 am well aware, but it will serve to 

 illustrate my meaning : 



To every colony of bees that gather 

 sufficient stores for winter, 1 would 

 allow one point ; then for every 15 

 pounds of extracted honey, one more 

 point. The next desirable quality to 

 be taken into consideration is hardi- 

 ness, and ability to stand our un- 

 favorable winter and spring weather. 

 Colonies that winter perfectly, and 

 come through the spring without 

 dwindling, should be allowed three 

 points. 



Next should come character and 

 disposition. If a colony can be hand- 



