Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-23
THE 'APIARY.
Honey at the Fairs.

We believe in every man, woman, and
child taking an interest in and making
an exhibit at the home fair, be it dis
trict, county or town. Those who are
interested in the production of honey
can do much to interest others in their
favorite work, and to bring into more
general favor the use of honey by dis
play at the fairs. In writing upon this
subject in GledniRgs in Bee Culture, r.
Mcknight says if these shows be made
large and attractive, they serve good
purpose in promoting the interests of
bee-keepers by attracting attention and
promoting sales.
To do the work well, is no easy matter
This arises mainly from the absence of
variety in the article shown. Extracted
honey is extracted honey in whatever
form it may be shown. Monotony can
be broken only by variety in the design
of the packages in which it is put up,
which is in itself limited.
The same may be said, but in q still
more marked degree. of comb honey.
suppose the main object the writer's
have in view in these articles is to aid
bee keepers in making good displays at
local fairs. 1t is noticeable, that those
who have treated the subject describe
the methods followed by themselves or
those they have seen adopted by others,
which have met their approval.
At thoney- shows the competitive prizes
are usually confined to the quality of
the article shown, and it is upon this
that judges usually base their awards.
This is right as far as it goes, but the
prime object of honey shows is to at
tract attention and advertise the goods.
As 80 per cent. of the visitors at fairs
cannot tell, by cursory inspection, be-
tween what is good and what is poor in
quality, it follows that attention should
be given to appearance. To this end, a
departure from the usual rule cannot be
made too soon. Prizes should not be
confined to quality. Good taste and
neat arrangement should come in, be
recognized, and rewarded. This may be
done without injustice TO any one. A
man with 200 pounds of honey may make
as neat, tasty, and symmetrical dis
play on three feet space as one with
4, 200 pounds can make on twenty feet of
space.
Any hard and fast rules laid down for
the form of staging, upon which exhibits
are to be set up, are entirely useless. 1t
is manifest, that, to do justice to all, no
competitor should have advantages over
his fellows in a more advantageous ar
rangement of the framework upon
which the show is to be made. 1t fol-
lows, then, that whatever the design,
the staging should be uniform through
out. The taste and ingenuity of the re-
spective exhibitors will then be brought
into play in the superstructure he raises
to show his wares.
Most of the designs have seen for
staging are after the step ladder style.
To my thinking, this is the worst form
in which staging can be built for honey
shows. 1t gives little or no opportunityfor
the exercise of judgme ant, or the display
of ingenuity in the makeup of an ex-
hibit. Ii variety is the spice of life,
it should have place in all honey
shows. Little of 1t can be thrown in if
this style of framework is employed.
What, then, is the best form for the
permanent fixtures in building where
honey is to be displayed? Where a
number ofpeople are to compete, the
simplest is the best--at least this is my
opinion, and the simplest is common
tables. These should not be less than
six feet wide. Space upon these should
be allotted in proportion to the quantity
each has to show. Then each will be
called upon to build up his own super
structure and decorate it. 1t is easy to
understand, that by this arrangement
variety will be secured; for every man
will have his own notion ofwhat is most
suitable.
These superstructures will tax differ
ent forms in proportion to the amount
of honey and the character Of the pack
ages to be placed upon them. I hold
thet no man can have a correct notion of,
what is the best form in which his ex-
hibit should be arranged, without full
knowledge of what is available to make
it with. How can a man suggest a de-
sign for his neighbor's show, without q
knowledge of what his neighbor had to
show.
THE HOUSEHOLD.