1890 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



461 



tario, the pioneer of thick top-bars, tell us 

 what he thinks about it. He is an adept in 

 getting large amounts of comb honey, as all 

 know who talked with him at the exhibit at 

 Toronto. 



0aR QaEgiFi0i\[-B@;^, 



With Replies from our best Authorities on Bees. 



All queries sent in for this department should be briefly 

 stated, and free from any possible ambiguity. The question 

 or quastlons should be written upon a separate slip of paper, 

 and marked, "For Our Question-Box." 



Question 163.— a. What do you pay for competent 

 help in the apinry? h. Do you employ boys or menl 

 c. W hich is the cheaper help— the average boy from 12 

 to 10. or a fuU-ijroicn man, the boy receiving wages 

 proportionate to that of the man'l 



I don't hire any help. 

 Ohio. N. W. 



a. We do our own work. 

 Illinois. 



A. B. Mason. 



Mks. L. Harrison. 



a. S30 per month and board, b, c. A good compe- 

 tent man is always cheaper. 

 Louisiana. E. C. P. L. Viallon. 



a. From S15 to $30 per month, according to relia- 

 bility and experience of the hand. b. Men. c. Man. 

 Cuba. O. O. PoppLETON. 



Farm wages, b. Men. c. The man, provided he 

 knows as much as the boy; i. e., enough to do as he 

 is told. 



New York. C. P. H. Elwood. 



$1 .50 per day. b. Employ a man. c. A handy boy 

 will do full as well as a man, and will work cheaper. 

 The trouble is to get the handy boy. 



New York. E. Rambler. 



1 have never paid regular wages to any except 

 boys of the ages mentioned. 1 paid them 40c per 

 day. I should prefer to pay more for older and 

 more reliable help. 



Illinois. N. C. J. A. Green. 



We employ either boys or full-grown men, and 

 pay without regard to the age, according to the 

 good will and ability. A man may be too dear at 50 

 cents a day, while another can be cheap at three 

 dollars. 



Illinois. N. W. Dadant & Son. 



I do not hire. The man who thinks [he knows 

 much about bees, and really knows nothing as he 

 ought, is rather unpromising timber to make help 

 of, compared with a good boy who is willing and 

 anxious to learn. 



Ohio. N. W. E. E. Hasty. 



a. Don't employ any. c. A boy 16 years old will 

 do as much work as he ever will during 10 hours 

 each day, and should be paid as good a price as a 

 man, providing he does his work as well. There is 

 a difference in boys as well as men. A poor one of 

 either does more damage than good in any apiary. 



New York. C. 6. M. Doolittle. 



a. About $^35.00 per month for men; 15 to 20 for 

 boys. b. Both. c. A good boy is as good for some 

 kinds of work as a good man. It depends on the 

 kind of work you have to do; gome parts of the sea- 



son, boy's work is the cheaper. As a rule I should 

 prefer experienced help— men instead of boys. 

 Ohio. N. W. H. R. Boardman. 



a. rsually $25 for an inexperienced man to work 

 with me, and $35 to $50 for experienced help; amount 

 depending on skill of man, amount of honey coming, 

 and whether he has to take charge of an apiary 

 himself. Also somewhat by the supply and de- 

 mand of help in the market, b. It seems impracti- 

 cal to work boys in to advantage, except where sev- 

 eral hands are needed in an apiary. 



California. S. W. R. Wilkin. 



a. f 30 per month with board is the highest that I 

 have paid for the season. I have hired more for 

 the past 15 years at .$1.00 a day and board, than at 

 any other price. This was to a man that has been 

 with us 18 years, and has proved to be the cheapest 

 help ihat I have hired, b. Both. c. I have had 

 some boys that were excellent helpers; but find 

 quite a relief in having some one with age and ex- 

 perience suflicient to shoulder a part of the care 

 and responsibility. 



Wisconsin. S. W. S. 1. Freeborn. 



a. My help has always been in the family, b. 

 Mostly women, c. I think I'd rather have an aver- 

 age man than an average boy, but would rather have 

 an unusually bright and thoroughly trustworthy 

 boy of 16 than an average man, and would prefer a 

 very competent man to either. My principal help 

 is a slender girl that I wouldn't swap for either of 

 the above, although she is such a driver that I 

 sometimes threaten to " strike " for less hours or 

 leave for an easier place. 



Illinois. N. C. C. Miller. 



a. From $25 to $30 per month, according to the 

 length of time they work. b. Good men, when I 

 can get them. c. The full-grown man every time, 

 if competent, and I want no other, though I am 

 sometimes obliged to hire young men; and I must 

 say that I have had young men 16 to 30 years old 

 that did well. I always prefer to keep my old help 

 year after year when I can; but it often happens 

 that one or more wish to start business for them- 

 selves, so I then have to look for new hands. This 

 happens nearly every year. See page 455. 



Vermont. N. W. A. E. Manum. 



We hire boys from 16 to 20 years; paying about 

 $10 a month and board, for the first year, for a 16- 

 year-old boy. Some boys are good help at 13 to 14 

 years, at about $8.00 per month. We rather have 

 boys than men; they are quicker, and will do more 

 work than the average inexperienced man. We 

 keep our boys as long as we can. They are worth 

 more and more every year. But as our work in the 

 apiary lasts only about a month each year, our boys 

 usually leave us after two to four years, for some 

 other more steady work. 



Wisconsin. S. W. E. France. 



You are aware that I have students who come 

 here to learn the business each year. From the 

 best of these students whom I can get to work for 

 me, I select my foreman, and this one man Is all I 

 have to hire. This foreman is usually from '20 to 30 

 years of age, and all but one unmarried, so far. 

 My son who bas acted In that capacity the past year 

 is only lU years old. but Is unexcelled as foreman of 

 my apiary; 12 tol6 is too young to manage an api- 



