150 ADVANCED BEE CULTURE. 



Aplarlaini ExIhillbSts ^t Fairs. 



"=^^01? 15 yeai-s I did not miss making an annual exhibit of bees 

 ==^ and honey at our State fair; and, for three or four years, I 

 also made exhibits at the State fairs of Indiana, Wisconsin, 

 Illinois and Missouri. It will not pay to travel from State 

 to State with an exhibit, unless the exhibit is unusually large and at- 

 tractive — enough so as to win the lion's share of the premiums. On 

 the other hand, it will not pay to get up a large, expensive exhibit, 

 unless it is to be exhibited at several fairs. In order to thus make a 

 "circuit" of several State fairs, it is necessary to charter a freight 

 car, and travel with the exhibit. In no other way is it possible to 

 avoid fatal delays at transfer points. The work is terribly hard; 

 there is the packing up at night, and travelling nights in a freight 

 car, the "hurrah boys" of getting upon the grounds and the exhibit 

 set up in time, and the friendly rivalry with competitors, but 

 there is a fascination about it that, to an old exhibitor, is almost 

 irresistible. 



There has bee,n, in times past, some opposition to these apiarian 

 exhibits, on the ground that they were often made by supply dealers 

 who, in their eagerness to do business, did not hesitate to urge a 

 man to become a bee-keeper, in order to effect a sale. If the fruit 

 of the seed sown at these gatherings 7t'c>r a crop of producers, I 

 might admit that, possibly, there would be some injury to existing 

 bee-keepers, but, after the experience that I have had, I am 

 thoroughly convinced that nothing of the kind occurs; in fact, the ex- 

 hibition of hives, implements, and large quantities of honey tastily 

 put up, impresses the crowd with the true importance, magnitude 



