214 THE PRACTICAL BEE GUIDE. 



I", and all tinsel and gaudy colours should be rigorously ex- 

 cluded. Sections may be shown in special boxes made and sold 

 for the purpose (304, and Fig. 102, page 171), or in exhibition 

 cases (Fig. 117), or failing any of the foregoing, they may be 

 wrapped in wax paper and tied with narrow ribbon. All extra- 

 vagant and fantastic designs of decoration should be avoided. 

 The exhibit should be carefully packed ready for despatch, and 

 should be kept in a warm place, meanwhile, to avoid " weep- 

 ing." Where it is possible to do so, exhibitors should stage 

 their own exhibits, leaving them in the best order and condi- 

 tion for the judge. 



399. Extracted Clover, or " Light," Honey for Exhibition — To 

 secure suitable specimens of Clover, or " Light," Honey, for 

 extraction, it is desirable to have on hands a supply of frames 

 of good, clean combs, absolutely free from honey and pollen ; 

 they should have had their honey extracted, and have been 

 given back to the bees, over a super clearer, to be cleaned 

 (274), and should then have been carefully wrapped up and 

 stored until required. Immediately upon the clover coming 

 into bloom, the frames should be given, in a super box and 

 over an excluder, to a strong stock, and should be removed, 

 whether finished or not, so soon as the flow from clover ceases. 



400. Extracting and Preparing Clover, or " Light," Honey for 

 Exhibition. — Extracting may be carried out according to the 

 instructions already given (276-278). The extractor (134), 

 strainer (136), and ripener (136) must be as clean as it is pos- 

 sible to make them, and nothing must be permitted to add 

 either flavour or colour to the honey after its removal from the 

 hive. Density, which is an essential qualification, cannot be 

 secured to the full extent in honey extracted from unsealed 

 cells, because such honey has not been thoroughly ripened, 

 and for show purposes it will not do to ripen it artificially. 

 If, therefore, the combs to be dealt with contain the least 

 quantity of unsealed honey, that honey must first be extracted 

 and stored away, and then the remainder of the combs may be 

 uncapped and their contents may be extracted for exhibition ; 

 or, as an alternative, such combs may be uncapped, and re- 

 volved in the extractor at a speed only sufficient to throw out 

 the unripe honey, which must be drawn off, the combs being 

 then revolved at the speed necessary to extract the ripe honey 

 required. One week after extraction (276) and straining (277), 

 the ripe honey may be run off from the bottom of the ripener, 

 and should be kept in bulk, in an air tight tin and in a warm 

 place. Three or four days from the date of the show at which 

 the exhibit is to be made, the tin of honey should be set in a 

 vessel of hot water until the honey reaches 80° Fahr., when it 



