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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Another good thing obtained during the 

 presidency of Baron de Grancj' has been 

 the freedom of duties on sugar (which are 

 high in this country) used for feeding up 

 bees for wintering. Before distribution 

 among beekeepers this sugar is mixed with 

 some ingredients to unfit it for housekeep- 

 ing purposes, usually with " paprika" (red 

 pepper, ground very fine). Besides, every 

 beekeeper is entitled to only a certain quan- 

 tity per colony (usually fixed at IG^^ 

 pounds), and our customhouse officers have 

 the right to visit all apiaries to ascertain 

 that not more sugar is applied for than the 

 amount to Avhieh the owners are entitled. 

 This adulteration does not seem to injure 

 the bees. They take up the syrup readily 

 and winter well on it. Until recently only 

 white granulated beet-root sugar had been 

 distributed ; but last year the General Board 

 of Directors decided to purchase unrefined 

 sugar, which has not been a success, and 

 won't be repeated. It seems to have been 

 done for economy's sake, the sugar having 

 gone up in price considerably on account of 

 the war. But, as I have been told, some 

 beekeepers have, unfortunately, suffered 

 severely on account of this economy. 



Our association has also introduced a 

 diploma for beekeepers. Any one desiring 

 to obtain it has to pass an examination be- 

 fore a commission appointed by the Gener- 

 al Board of Directors, and of which the 

 bee-expert, before mentioned, always is a 

 member, the other members being chosen 

 among well-known beekeepers and officers 

 of the association. The institution, how- 

 ever, does not seem to be very popular, as 

 very few practical beekeepers submit them- 

 selves to this examination. Neither is this 

 to be wondered at. One may be thoroughly 

 well acquainted with the methods of profit- 

 able beekeeping without being able to ex- 

 pound the anatomy of bees and flowers, or 

 without knowing the construction of differ- 

 ent makes of hives, as is asked by the 

 examiners. The practical demonstration 

 that candidates have to give of their ability 

 to handle bees is necessarily limited for 

 want of time, only two hours being put 

 aside for it. 

 When wanting help, most beekeepers will 

 rather judge a man's ability after having 

 had him at work for a day than by his hold- 

 ing the association's diploma. Still, the 

 possession of it proves the holder not to be 

 a stranger to bees. As such it has some 

 value ; and the fact of its existence will help 

 to convince the outsider that there is some- 

 thing more in beekeeping than putting 

 down a hive in spring and gathering the 

 honey in autumn. And it does not jippear 



superfluous to combat this idea, for even 

 our government seems to hold it. 



We have government experiment stations 

 galore for the promotion of the interests of 

 the farmer and stock-breeder; but in the 

 matters of beekeeping and poultry-keeping, 

 very little is done by our government, which 

 mainly contents ilself by giving a grant to 

 our beekeepers' and poulti-y-keepers' asso- 

 ciations. Having done this, it seems to think 

 that it can leave the development of these 

 two branches of agi'iculture to private and 

 individual initiative. It has not awakened 

 out of its lethargy I mentioned seven years 

 ago, and, as yet, it does not seem to have 

 the least idea of the scientific problems at- 

 tached to the full development of beekeep- 

 ing and poultry-keeping; for if it had, it 

 surely would not believe that the solution of 

 these problems Avill ever be reached by giv- 

 ing the respective associations gi'ants of 

 between $1000 and $2000 a year, which 

 amounts would not constitute even a reason- 

 able salary for one scientist to devote his 

 time and knowledge to these problems, not 

 to speak of the cost of buildings, grounds, 

 and other supplies indispensable for thor- 

 ough scientific researches. 



It must be said that the association with 

 its limited means does what it can do in 

 this matter. A few observation stations 

 have been erected, the managers of wliich 

 regularly send in the data of the tempera- 

 ture and rainfall at their apiaries, and of 

 the increase or decrease in weight of their 

 colonies, which data are published in the 

 monthly periodical of the association. Val- 

 uable as these observations may be. they 

 won't bring us much nearer to rousing our 

 government into action. 



For this reason it was very wise on the 

 part of one of our members to move at our 

 last convention that the General Board of 

 Directors take the initiative for the erec- 

 tion of an experiment station for the pro- 

 motion of beekeeping, and the board has 

 already taken steps in this direction. But 

 at the same time it would be but right, I 

 think, for our beekeepers to point out their 

 interests to their representatives in Parlia- 

 ment, and refuse their support to such can- 

 didates for election as are not prepared to 

 further these interests. At present, hardly 

 a voice is ever raised in our House of Com- 

 mons for the promotion of the interests of 

 beekeeping and poultry-keeping. 



But this state of things would surely be- 

 come otherwise if all beekeepers and all 

 poultry-keepers in the country would club 

 together and give their support to only such 

 men as are well convinced of the absolute 



