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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Sept. 10, 1903. 



[ Convention Proceedings j 



Proceedings of the Texas Bee-Keepers' Conven- 

 tion Held at the A. & M. Colleg-e, at College 

 Station, July 8 to 10, 1903. 



BY LOUIS H. SCHOI.L, SKC. 



(Continued from paffe 566.1 



BEE-KEEPING FOR WOMEN. 



For years past women have taken an active part in 

 nearly every branch of the commercial vrorld, pressing- out 

 into almost every known occupation which tends to the 

 well-being of our great and prosperous country, and to-day 

 we have the pleasure, as honorary members, of meeting 

 with the men in their association to discuss the feasibility 

 of bee-keeping for women. 



Now, we are well aware of the fact that each year there 

 are many of our sex thrown upon their own resources and 

 compelled to grasp the oars of life's frail bark and stem the 

 ocean tide. Some, I say, are compelled by circumstances, 

 others choose such a course rather than consent to be the 

 heroine of a pure and peaceful home, as beyond a doubt 

 was the Divine purpose. 



When a woman realizes that she is dependent upon her 

 own abilities, the first question that confronts her is, What 

 can I do — what can I do to win a livelihood and thereby be 

 independent ? The first thought usually is, I'll teach, or 

 clerk, or something just as confining, and, we may say, 

 ruinous to health and usefulness. Why did she not think 

 for a moment of the possibilities which lie before the Ameri- 

 can woman to-day in some out-door vocation, and especially 

 bee-keeping? 



One reason, if she did think of it, such an idea was im- 

 mediately dismissed as being impossible for women. Yet 

 it is by no means impossible, for there are many women 

 bee-keepers just as successful as men, and more so than 

 some men, but we'll not charge that to the man's incapacity, 

 though it could be the case, for there is room for such 

 argument in some instances. Surely, bee-keeping was not 

 slighted on such a plea. The pleasure it afi^ords, and the 

 healthful influences, together with the monetary results, 

 recommend it to the consideration of every energetic young 

 woman. 



What is more enjoyable than to walk into your cool, 

 shady apiary with smoker in hand on some fine May day, 

 and hear the happy hum of little bees, as they come tumb- 

 ling and crowding into the hives, laden with their dainties 

 from field, forest and glen ? Such sweet peace and pleas- 

 ure may be any woman's for just a little time, and patience, 

 and trouble. And then it's not only pleasant but very 

 profitable. Like poets, bee-keepers are born, not made, but 

 almost any live, energetic person can in time become a suc- 

 cessful bee-keeper. 



Again, it may be truly said it is no lazy man's job. 

 Many hesitate because they have no experience in the work. 

 If you have none of your own, falter no longer but fall in 

 line and appropriate some of your fellow worker's. You 

 may be able to pay back some day. That is what we are 

 here for to-day, to help one another. This is a men's asso- 

 ciation, but I am glad they have thought of us lady bee- 

 keepers and consented to take us in as honorary members, 

 at least. 



Bee-keeping is becoming more and more scientific, 

 though there are some " way back yonder " farmers who 

 are contented to have a few" log-gums. In a few years it 

 will not be so. Ladies, take the matter in hand yourself. 

 Mr. Farmer will be too busy and sleepy over the subject to 

 object. Transfer the bees into nice, new hives, and some 

 morning he will open his eyes to see those neat rows along 

 the front walk, and hear the bees with renewed energy 

 humming on the near-by clover. There are other things 

 he will think of, too, when there are a few nice, clean sec- 

 tions of honey to market, and then next time more, and 

 still more. He will doubtless remember that he was once 

 owtfer of those bees, yet he would never know it from their 

 appearance now. Then there was honey for Sunday only, 

 and it was dark and thick — not the nice, clean sections 

 that now grace the table almost daily. 



Let us arouse some of the men, too, on the subject. I 



suppose my father would never have thought of being a 

 bee-keeper if his wife had not had a few patent hives when 

 they were married. 



The expenses of a beginner need not be great. Hives, 

 frames, and other fixtures do not cost much now. A lady 

 with a little help could make them herself. So, if one has 

 not the means for securing these necessaries, they can 

 easily be made on the farm. Almost every farmer's wife or 

 daughter raises some chickens for market each year, why 

 not invest the proceeds in bees so that in time you may 

 make more than mere " pin-money ?" 



True, not all localities are adapted to the production of 

 honey. In such cases queen-rearing might be followed 

 with success, since fine tested queens are in demand all the 

 time. Then the production of wax is another feature not 

 to be overlooked. I think if the ladies who have the time to 

 canvass their neighborhood with tea-sets or patent medi- 

 cine would establish an apiary they would find it more 

 pleasant and far more remunerative. 



There is here in connection with other studies an apiary 

 for the boys who wish to study this branch of the course. 

 Have you ever asked yourself why the boys should have 

 advantages over the girls ? Are not the girls equal to the 

 task ? If so, then in the Girls' Industrial School, at Den- 

 ton, let there be an apiary. Yes, let the boys learn to care 

 for the "Jersey," " Durham," " Hereford," etc., and the 

 girls to keep bees, then will we truly possess " a land flow- 

 ing with milk and honey." 



There was a day when girls knew not the fret and worry 

 of securing a livelihood. But then we saw " as through a 

 glass darkly," now face to face, and we are brought to real- 

 ize that institutions whereby young women may be equip- 

 ped for the struggle are a real necessity, and as we are 

 called the " weaker sex," why not help the weak ? So let 

 us think of getting an apiary at the Girls' School. Not 

 only think of it, but get it. 



We hope to hear of many ladies taking up bee-keeping 

 not only to add to their " pin-money," but to become an 

 auxiliary to the wealth and income of the farm, and we 

 wish to see in this assembly room, at our annual meeting, 

 many lady bee-keepers fully interested in this new calling 

 to our girls. Mrs. Ben D. Burrow. 



Grimes Co., Tex. 



PREVENTION OF SWARMING AND INCREASE. 



Since different bee-keepers are running out-apiaries, 

 the question arises how to manage them during swarming 

 time. If we let the bees swarm, and hire a boy for watch- 

 ing and catching the swarms, we have considerable ex- 

 pense, and can be sure that this boy will sleep somewhere 

 in the shade just when a swarm is coming out and going oft". 



Since I have kept bees, now for about 40 years, I have 

 tried to avoid this watching for swarms by making them 

 artificially, just a little earlier than the colonies would 

 swarm naturally. Of all the different ways to make arti- 

 ficial swarms, I found that brushed swarms on the old or 

 on a new stand are the best, because they are quite similar 

 to natural swarms ; in some respects even better. In this 

 way I managed an out-apiary from 1882 to 1893 for comb 

 and extracted honey, and lost very few swarms. At that 

 time I increased the number of my colonies ; when I did not 

 want more colonies I united two of the weaker colonies after 

 the honey-flow or in the fall. In some localities and some 

 years I still think that it is the best plan ; and right here I 

 want to say that a great deal depends upon the locality and 

 other circumstances as to which management is the best. 



In my locality, for instance, the bees commence to breed 

 early ; at the end of March some of the colonies in 8 or 10 

 frame hives are swarming already, but the main honey-fiow 

 from horseraint commences generally at the end of May. 

 During this flow we expect no swarms at all. In other 

 localities the swarming time commences just before the 

 honey-flow, and continues all through it. This makes a 

 big difference in the management to prevent swarming. 



Now, I win tell how I do it. I use very large hives in 

 the spring, and they prevent swarming to a great extent. 

 When you have used them five or six years you will find out 

 that your bees will be less inclined to swarm. In some 

 years, very favorable for brood-rearing in the spring, a 

 large number of colonies would nevertheless swarm, but 

 they will swarm at least a month later than those in small 

 hives. Once in awhile I go over my colonies, and if I find 

 one very strong I remove the shallow stories to see whether 

 the colony has comparatively much brood. If I find brood 

 that would fill more than two stories (an equivalent to about 

 10 Langstroth frames), this colony is swarmed or divided 

 artificially. 



