THE APIAEY. 431 



spend their earnings at home instead of at the village store or saloon ; and 

 another avenue of enjoyment and profit will be opened for our farmers and 

 their sons and daughters. 



Now, shall farmers keep bees? While the majority of them do not, and 

 probably will not, yet I unhesitatingly reply that they should. It is a true say- 

 ing that '"The man who loves his bees, loves his home." And if our farmers 

 could be induced to make themselves familiar with the wonders of the hive, I 

 am certain that an enthusiasm would be aroused Avhich would give us many 

 skilled entomologists, a new interest would attach to the home circle, vice 

 would be avoided, and a new element of profit would be introduced in agri- 

 culture. 



A. B. Chexey. 



A WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE. 



READ BEFORE THE MICHIG-VX ASSOCIATION, HELD AT LAXSIXG, MARCH, 1S77. 



Some years ago there seemed little else for tlie average woman to do, in the 

 way of self-support, aside from music, teaching, sewing, and household employ- 

 ments, and the few who ventured beyond these were considered at least 

 "strong-minded," very likely "masculine." The question of woman's rights 

 is no longer prominently before the public, but whatever one's views may be, 

 or may have been upon the subject, its agitation has undoubtedly done good, 

 leading woman to consider her own abilities, and awakening her to the realiza- 

 tion that whatever other rights were denied her, there were fields of remunera- 

 tive labor open to her hitherto unrecognized. These, considering the barriers 

 of custom, she has not been slow to occupy ; but there are still others given up 

 to the monopoly of men to which she is well adapted, and which in the progress 

 of woman's or human rights must inevitably be shared with her. 



Bee-keeping for women is of comparatively recent date, and judging from 

 the interest manifested, is attracting a degree of attention hitherto unknown. 

 "Will it pay?" is a practical question often asked of me, but one to which I 

 can reply with no more assurance than if it pertained to the keeping of a 

 boarding-house. So much depends upon knowledge of the business and man- 

 agement, that in either case it may or may not be a success. But I can sa}", that 

 having tried both, I give bee-keeping the preference as more profitable, health- 

 ful, independent, and enjoyable. 



Like other occupations, it has its drawbacks. The ajDiarist may lose his bees: 

 in various ways, or the flowers may fail in their contribution of honey; but the 

 liabilities are no greater than that the farmer may fail of success through 

 drought or flood, or the boarding-house keeper through unj^aid boarders' bills 

 or wastefulness of servants. Perseverance and general good management will 

 in time overcome such occasional obstacles. Evidently we can point to no sure 

 way of success, unless it be to that of the Frenchman who said "the way to be 

 successful is to succeed." The 



PROFITS OF THE APIARY 



seem to me as sure as those of most employments for women, and much 



