88 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



without previous experience. How this experience shall be acquired, 

 although an interesting topic, is not the one under discussion. I might 

 say, however, that nearly all of our beekeeping specialists acquired this 

 knowledge by beginning in a small way in connection with some other 

 pursuit. They are better fitted for beekeeping, and, at last, the old busi- 

 ness was dropped for the new. Some of our specialists learned their 

 business by an apprenticeship to some successful beekeeper, which is the 

 quickest and best method. 



Let us suppose that the highest success is attainable only by specialty. 

 Having done this, we must not forget that there are ''many men of many 

 minds." that •'circumstances alter cases," and that all men and all cases 

 are not fitted for specialty. Some men prefer to lessen the risk of total 

 failure by having the eggs in more than one basket, even if it makes costly 

 eggs. A man with a small farm may have time to care for a few bees, or 

 a farmer may have sons or daughters who can do a large share of the 

 work. The reasons why a man sometimes desires, or is compelled, to mix 

 something else with bees are too varied for mention here. It is evident 

 that the greatest success can be hoped for only with specialty, yet no cut 

 and dried, cast-iron rules can be laid down. A man must study himself, 

 his surroundings, and the conditions of his particular case. 



It is evident that those occupations will best mix with beekeeping that 

 can be followed in the winter; or at least those requiring little or no 

 attention during the busy season with the bees. What would be best for 

 one man would be poor business for another. Among the vocations that 

 have been mentioned are wood-chopping, teaching district school in the 

 winter, or teaching singing school or writing school, raising grapes or 

 apples, or other fall fruits, keeping Jerseys and making winter butter, 

 canvassing, broom-making, etc. 



Discussion of Beekeeping as a specialty, by E. B. Tyrrell, Davison. 



Mr. Tyrrell said in part : "If a man cannot make a living out of any 

 one business without something to bolster it up he is in the wrong busi- 

 ness. There will be years of more or less complete failure, but the 

 increased income of the good years will more than make it up. 



There have been three stages in beekeeping: (1) The time of the box 

 hive; (2) when movable combs came into use; (3) the present period of 

 extensive beekeeping. The modern beekeeper must produce honey by the 

 ton to make a success. 



Beekeeping as a specialty is not a narrow occupation for it has many 

 difi'erent phases such as queen breeding, wax production, comb-honey pro- 

 duction and extracted-honey production. 



