May, 1914. 



American lim Journal 



flour paste with liot water. It will cost 

 about 10 cents per pound in the dry 

 powder, and we think you will like it 

 better than anything you can get." 



C. C. M, 



In our last issue we mentioned a 

 recipe for paste in which lye was used. 

 Mr. Parisen, who sent us the recipe, 

 says it is not necessary to cook the 

 mixture when lye is used. 



Bee-Keeping ^ For Wome:n 



Conducted bv Miss Emma M. Wilson, Mareneo, III. 



Proper Dress for the Woman Beekeeper 



W. Herrod says ia the British Bee 

 Journal : 



"The ideal dress for women bee- 

 keepers consists of wide brimmed hat 

 for the veil, short skirt and knickers, 

 with an elastic band around the bot- 

 toms to fit tightly to the leg. Long 

 skirts are anabomination, as they blow 

 about in the wind and irritate the bees. 

 There is also the danger of the opera- 

 tor being tripped up by treading upon 

 the skirt when doing work which 

 necessitates stooping. A sweater and 

 leather leggings to prevent the bees 

 stinging the legs completes the outfit. 

 The veil for a woman is more comfort- 

 able if sufficient length is allowed in 

 the bottom elastic band to pass the 

 arms through, so that it comes under 

 the armpit as well as being pinned 

 down at the front." 



When one reads that the long skirt 

 is an abomination, one is inclined to 

 wonder whether this "ideal dress for 

 women " is taken from the actual ex- 

 perience of a woman, or is only the 

 imagination of a mere man. Put a man 

 in long skirts, and he would probably 

 have all the troubles enumerated, and a 

 lot more beside. But it is different with 

 a woman, she has always worn long 

 skirts, and probably the majority of 

 women could not be induced to wear 

 anything else. , 



They are no more objectionable in 

 the apiary than out. The writer has for 

 years worn the same length of skirt in 

 the apiary as elsewhere, and has never 

 suffered any annoyance or inconven- 

 ience, and could not be induced to 

 change. The long skirt is superior as 

 to comfort, safety from stings, and ap- 

 pearance, as compared with a short 

 skirt. The writer has never worn 

 leather leggings, but she has worn can- 

 vas and those made from heavy linen, 

 and has found them warm and uncom- 

 fortable. Now take the long skirt with 

 a divided skirt, or drawers, made of 

 gingham orprint the same as the dress, 

 made long enough to reach well down 

 over the tops of the shoes, with a rub- 

 ber tape around the waist, and one 

 around each ankle and you will find it 

 cool, comfortable, and safe. The divided 

 skirt is effective, and with a long skirt 

 is not at all in evidence, which is quite 

 an item with most women. 



A long denim apron with big pock- 

 ets, cut plain, completely covering the 

 dress is almost a necessity in the api 

 ary, and does not blow about to irritate 

 the bees. 



A sweater is given as part of the out- 



fit. If one is to spend much time in the 

 apiary in warm weather, a sweater does 

 not sound like a very comfortable gar- 

 ment. The cooler one can dress and 

 be reasonably safe from stings the bet- 

 ter. One must always expect to get a 

 few stings ; that is part of tlie trade. In 

 place of the sweater suppose we sub- 

 stitute a pair of light-weight leather 

 gloves (white, if possible), with a pair 

 of white sleeves sewed around the 

 tops, and a strap fastening the sleeves 

 together in the back across the shoul- 

 ders, a similar strap in front fastened 

 to one sleeve, the other end of the strap 

 being buttoned to the other. These 

 gloves are very easily slipped off and 

 on, and are as comfortable and safe as 

 any. 



Choosing Beekeeping as a Profession 



What would be your advice to a 

 young woman concerning "beekeep- 

 ing" as a business? How does it 

 compare, in your estimation, with other 

 lines of work, such as office work and 

 teaching, which girls and women take 

 up as a means of livelihood? 



I have an opportunity of learning the 

 business from a man who is a success- 

 ful beekeeper and queen-rearer, and I 

 am very anxious to know your opinion. 

 Mr.s. Helen Sparks. 



In these days when woman is so 

 rapidly coming into her own, it is no 

 longer so much a question whether a 

 woman is suited to a certain business, 

 but rather whether a certain business 

 is one upon which any one can depend 

 for a livelihood; for it is coming to 

 pass that women are succeeding in 

 almost any business in which men 

 succeed. 



Still, there is undeniably a difference. 

 In general it is true that a woman has 

 not as much physical strength as a 

 man, and there are some things in bee- 

 keeping that require considerable 

 physical strength. On the other hand, 

 it is true that in general woman has 

 more delicacy of touch than man, and 

 there are some things in beekeeping 

 where deftness and neatness count. 



The times when extra strength is 

 needed, as in lifting heavy hives, do not 

 come very often ; daintiness in hand- 

 ling, as in clipi)ing queens, preparing 

 honey for market, etc., is much more 

 constantly in demand. Moreover, at 

 the few times when brute strength is 

 especially needed, it is usually possible 

 to get some man or boy to furnish that 

 strength for a reasonable considera- 

 tion, and right management may save 



the need of much extra strength. 



So it would seem on the whole that 

 the advantages are in favor of women 

 as beekeepers. Yet it does not follow, 

 by any means, that every woman can 

 take up beekeeping and make a fortune 

 at it— or even a living. Nor every man, 

 for that matter. More than for almost 

 any other business a special adaptation 

 is needed to make a success at bee- 

 keeping, and few have that adaptation. 

 For that large class who put money as 

 the only consideration, beekeeping may 

 as well be left out of the reckoning. 



As to qualifications, perhaps the 

 chief one is a liking for the business, a 

 liking that will turn into play what 

 would otherwise be considered drudg- 

 ery. One who does not count enjoy- 

 ment in the business as part of the 

 recompense, is hardly fitted to be a 

 beekeeper. 



Comparing beekeeping with office 

 work, the one who thinks only of the 

 money, and who thinks more about the 

 stings than about the fun of working 

 with bees, may do well to choose the 

 oflice. The same may be said about 

 teaching. But when the freedom of 

 the blessed outer life with its pure air 

 is compared with the confinement of 

 office or school-room with its stuffy 

 air, one with a real liking for the busi- 

 ness is likely to say, " Give me the bees, 

 every time." It is a little like this the 

 born beekeeper says : " Even if I don't 

 make so much money with bees, the 

 freedom from headaches and back- 

 aches, the health and vigor that come 

 from outdoor life, and the enjoyment 

 I have in the business more than make 

 up any difference in financial return ;" 

 and with the enthusiasm engendered 

 by such a feeling the result is entirely 

 possible that more money will be made 

 with the bees than in office or school- 

 room. A veteran beekeeper is accus- 

 tomed to say: "If I had devoted the 

 same amount of brains to some other 

 business that I have to bees, I might 

 have had more money; but then I 

 should have been dead long before this, 

 so where would have been the gain ?' 



This may not be the kind of answer 

 you wanted ; but it is perhaps the best 

 that can be given. More workers are 

 needed in office and school-room than 

 in the apiary, and it is well that the 

 majority choose accordingly; bee- 

 keeping is for the few who are willing 

 to take part of their pay in the fun of 

 it, and incidentally may make more 

 money thereby. 



Catching Swarms in Decoy Hives 



Would you kindly tell us how to 

 catch bees in boxes on trees as stated 

 in your February number, signed " Cali- 

 fornia ^" Mrs. Ro.sa B. Ricke. 



St. Helena, Calif., Feb. 24. 



There is no trick about it whatever. 

 A common way is to set a hive or box 

 in the crotch of any tree, either fast- 

 ened there or supported in some way 

 so it will not be blown down. Then as 

 soon as possible after a swarm has 

 lodged there, better the same day, the 

 hive must be moved to its permanent 

 location ; for if it should be left two or 

 three days before being moved, there 

 will be trouble aboul the bees going 

 back to the old place in the tree. Of 



