The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-09-09
THE BUSY BEE.
How They Gather Honey Food FIT for
tho Gods "-(1r0at Exhibit.

The BUSY BEE.
How They <ssther Honey. Food Eft for
the Gods "-Hroat Exhibit.
Prof. Rodney WEIGH, of New York city,
of the various exhibits in the Agricul-
tural building at the Columbian expo
sition for a New York paper. In . re-
cent tour of that enormous building
the professor Investigated the exhibits
of honey and beeswax, which are to bo
tural building. He discovered that in
the Grecian agricultural exhibit SIAM
altos Papagannalkis, of Athens, shows
nearly fifty varieties of honey, some of
which were collected by bees from
flowers that grew upon Mount Olympus.
There is nothing in the appearance of
this honey that would seem to warrant
the praise bestowed upon it by Homer
and other Grecian poets It must be re-
membered, however, says Prof. WEIGH,
that Homer was blind and therefore
could not notice that its color was ex-
good sight would pronounce it food
fit for the gods," though it must be
acknowledged that the flavor of some
of this Grecian honey was delicious.
Each of the states, except New York,
making exhibits-Colorado, California.
Ohio, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, Min
| nesota, Michigan and Indiana-confine
their displays to a single case. Nebras-
l<a makes an interesting showing OF
| the chief honey-producing plants of the
| state. Four cases are filled with honey
| and beeswax from New York. The bee
case in which five colonies of bees may
be seen at work. Through apertures
| in the walls of the building the in
dustrious insects go ''far out upon the
prairies," collect the harvest of the
flowers and return with their sweet
ST. To- Sc
a large quantity of apparatus employed
| in handling bees and extracting honey
from the comb. Many styles of bee
| hives are also shown, including some of
the straw ''slkeps'' which were in use
two centuries ago. An attempt is made
by those in charge of the New York
display to show visitors the honey pro-
duced by different flowers.
Next to New York Ontario, Canada,
makes the largest display of honey, and
is in many respects the most satisfacto-
ry to dealers. It is chiefly in large
packages, weighing from fifty to sew
enty-five pounds. Most of these pack
ages contain the honey extracted from
a single kind of flower. The large
blocks of candied honey attract con-
siderable attention, as the Canadians
| are endeavoring to find a market for
theirs in this condition. The comb
| honey in this display is by far the finest
on exhibition. as all tho cells are per-
fectly sealed.
At one end of the gallery devoted to
displays of honey and beeswax is a
large collection of hives, honey ex-
tractors, bee smokers, face protectors,
honey knives, comb foundations and
many other appliances used in handling
bees and honey. There is also n large
collection of literature pertaining to
bees and honey.
Beekeepers desire to sell extracted
honey and consumers desire it in the
comb Comb honey is difficult to trans
port. and on that account is expensive.
AS an article of commerce honey no
longer deserves much attention. Ithas
a sentimental rather than an intrinsic
value. All the poets from David to
Whittier h ave sung its praises But re-
Gently other sweets have been pro-
duced that take its place, and it now
diments unknown to the people of for
tation make it practical to have fresh
| fruits of every kind are SO cheap that
Candles made from an -adulterated
bceswax are required for Catholic
churches, and an exhibit of them is
| made by several countries. Some of
the altar candles are eight feet in
length and are most beautifully orna-
mented with representations of Christ,
| the holy virgin and the apostles Can
dies superior to these in design and
finish cannot be seen in any of the great
cathedralS of Europe.