574 
The Plymouth Meeting. 
The following are the detailed observations of the Judges 
upon the exhibition in the Bee Department at Plymouth : — 
" It was feared that the remoteness of the district in which the Show was 
held might have an adverse effect on the number of entries for bee-hives 
and appliances. To some extent this was the case ; but we were agreeably 
surprised to find how great was the amount of interest taken in the appli- 
ance section of the Bee Department by Devonshire people, as evinced by the 
specially good attendance on the popular days of the Show, while the visitors 
kept such beekeepers as were present fully occupied in replying to their 
eager inquiries for information on bee matters. 
" In the classes for hives the schedule had been modified this year, appa- 
rently to meet the objeciions entertained by manufacturers against working 
to a fixed specification and price — the two classes for hives being now 
simply defined in the one class, as ' the best and most complete frame hive for 
general use,' and in the other as ' the most complete and inexpensive frame 
hive for cottagers' use.' We are of opinion that these concessions are wise 
ones, leaving-, as they do, the manufacturer free to exercise his inventive 
skill in producing what he considers to be the best hive, while perfectly un- 
fettered as to form, price, or in any other way. 
'•' In the class for Extractors, Mr. Meadows showed that he is still bent 
on introducing every possible improvement which skill and thought can 
suggest in the well-known types of machine so entirely his own — the latest 
' idea 1 in the ' Raynor ' being to do away with the tin backing of the 
revolving eagre, so that the honey is now thrown directly against the sides 
of the cylinder, and thus the cage is at once relieved of the weight of the 
honey as tke comb revolves. The same maker also introduces his new 
lock-tap valve on all his machines. 
" There wis a good entry in the honey classes, and, had the fine weather of 
the early bee season not come to so abrupt a conclusion as it unfortunately 
did, a very excellent display of this season's honey would have been staged, 
several large exhibitors who had entered being perforce compelled to leave 
their unfinished exhibits behind. A very fair quantity of this year's honey, 
however, was staged; and, seeing that it was gathered in so short a time 
(scarcely more than one week), it gives a full assurance that nothing but a few 
weeks of fine weather at the proper time is needed to ensure for the bee- 
keeper as well as for the farmer a satisfactory return fur his labour and 
outlay. 
" Mr. Roland Green, of Rainham, had charge of the manipulating tent, 
and lectured to very large audiences every day of the Show. - ' » 
The Butter-Makixg Competitions. 
The Dairy, at which these competitions were held, and daily 
demonstrations of the processes of butter-making were given 
by Miss Maidment and her assistants, is highly spoken of by 
the Judges, who expressed their warm approval of the plan of 
providing apartments at the back, reached by a passage from 
the centre of the dairy, for the weighing of the cream, the 
storing and cleaning of implements, and ot her purposes. 
Class 1 — for dairymaids who had won a prize at any 
Show — brought forward six competitors, one of whom used 
clotted cream which she stirred into butter with a wooden hand, 
