95 



Bee Keeping, 



BY S. A. BEDFORD. 



I wish to state at the start that this subject is not new to me but 

 giving an address on it is new to me. I am passionately fond of keeping- 

 bees. I suppose most of the visitors to the farm have noticed that I 

 have always shown them the bees. I am not alone in this love for this 

 insect. I find that the ladies of our household are also fond of it and 

 we all find that it is very nice to have a supply of honey in the house 

 as it takes the place of fruit to a large extent and you. all know that it 

 is one of the best foods that we have. 



The pursuit of Bee keeping- has much to recommend it, 

 for instance : 



It affords healthful out-door exercise. 



It enables us to utilize what would otherwise go to waste, 

 and yields a delicious food for the table. 



It opens up a wondrous world to a close observer, for 

 the life history of the bee is a delightful study. 



It adds to the wealth of the nation ; the product of honey 

 in the United States for 1887 was thirty million dollars. I 

 have not seen an estimate of the product in Canada, but 

 have no doubt it is proportionately as great. 



Bees are an important agency in fertilizing- flowers, and 

 by this means increasing the wealth of the country. 



Can bees be kept successfully in Manitoba, and what are 

 the requirements for carrying on the pursuit with profit and 

 pleasure ? 



From an experience of seven years with bees in this 

 country I feel confident that they can be made profitable and 

 that much pleasure can be obtained in the pursuit of bee- 

 keeping. 



Our winters, though severe, are dry, and bees are very 

 free of disease. Honey plants are numerous ; we found our 



