EXHIBITING AND JUDGING BEE PEODUCTS. 213 



completely sealed. Sections 2" wide and so filled and com- 

 pleted will weig-h 18 02. or ig oz. gross, including the wood, 

 or \^ oz. or 18 oz. net. The wood of a section weighs i oz. ; 

 therefore, a section of honey which does not turn the scales at 

 17 oz. is not entitled to full marks for weight, and is, accord- 

 ingly, unsuitable for competition. Bulging, or any uneven- 

 ness, of the comb is a fault which must be excluded from the 

 show bench ; the surface of the comb should be quite flat 

 corresponding with the cut-away sides of bee-way sections, or 

 in the case of no-bee-way sections, about \" short of tiie edges 

 of the wood on both sides. " Travel stain," which is the 

 result of leaving sections too long in the hive, detracts from 

 the appearance and sacrifices marks in competition. Propolis 

 on the wood must be removed. Punctured cappings (394) are 

 to be avoided ; they are generally the result of a defective 

 method of clearing the bees from supers, — much smoke, or 

 excessive use of carbolic or other intimidating medium, having 

 the effect of driving the bees to gorge at the cells, and thus the 

 appearance of the contents is iniured and their value reduced : 

 this defect may be obviated by the proper use of super cle'arers 

 (274, 275, 394). "Weeping" describes the condition of a comb 

 that has been stored in a cold, damp place, the honey, with its 

 absorbed moisture, exuding through the cappings in minute 

 drops (302) ! to state the cause is to describe the necessary pre- 

 cautions to be taken ; no weeping sections have any chance 

 with a moderately competent judge (303). 



398. Preparing Exhibition Sections Having made your 



selection, prepare the sections for display on the show bench 

 (303). With a cabinetmakers scraper, a piece of glass, or a 

 blunt penknife, scrape the wood of the sections thoroughly, 



avoiding any injury to 

 P ^;^, "—"-•--" — ^^-^.-^.is,^ , i:;^ the comb, and finish 



...i-««,^- -- - —■.— -' — ' wood should invariably 



Kg. 117. be attended to because 



GLAZED EXHIBITION CASE. it is right and seemly 



in itself, and because 

 any experienced judge will look for it. The sections 

 may then be glazed, as described (304), neatness, taste, 

 and the most scrupulous cleanliness being essential 

 here : the overlap of paper, or of lace paper, should not exceed 



