170 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



telligent bee-keeping are in and of them- 

 selves quite sumcient to warrant a wide 

 increase in tiie business. 



Again, the very healtli and life of our 

 people demand that a considerable portion 

 of tlieir food should be sweets. Now our 

 sugars and especially our commercial 

 syrups are so adulterated that they are 

 frequently poisonous and quite unsafe for 

 food. So by increasing our production of 

 honey we are doing an important sanitary 

 work, supplying our people with a safe, 

 wholesome and necessary article of food. 

 To be sure extracted honey may be adulter- 

 ated, but in this case it is easy to obtain the 

 pure, which is not the case with our syrups. 

 Is not he who increases the wholesome, 

 nutritious food of a people as much of a 

 philanthropist as he who increases the 

 number of blades of grass ? So you see, 

 ladies and gentlemen, that we are a com- 

 pany of philanthropists. 



Again, there is no business that serves so 

 well as apiculture for an avocation. It 

 offers additional funds to the poorly paid, 

 out-door air to the clerk and office-hand, 

 healthful exercise to the person of seden- 

 tary habits, and superb recreation to liini 

 whose life-work is of the dull, humdrum 

 routine order, and can, with a little tliought 

 and management, be so planned as not to 

 infringe upon the time demanded by tlie 

 regular occupation. Indeed, we are philan- 

 thropists if we but succeed -in .calling the 

 earnest attention of the above named classes 

 to practical apiculture. i -^ 



We shall, too, do great good in calling the 

 attention of the young to apiculture, and 

 thus lead many to its practice. The atten- 

 tion of our young people will thus be called 

 to nature, and the bright and sprightly will 

 hardly escape being won to its fascinating 

 study. I need not to pronounce a panegyric 

 upon such thought and ?study to such an 

 audience as this. The tendency to refine 

 the taste, elevate the desires and promote 

 manhood, especially when exerted on the 

 susceptible characters of youth are known 

 and appreciated by you? all. How better 

 can we counteract tlie vicious tendencies of 

 the street, or shield against the luring vice 

 and damning inlluenees of'the saloon. 



Lastly, we are bringing succor to those 

 whom society has not been over ready to 

 favor— our women. Widowed mothers, de- 

 pendent girls, the weak and the feeble— all 

 may find a blessing in the easy, pleasant, 

 and profitable labors of the apiary. Some 

 of the most successful apiarists of our State 

 and country are ladies. Of these some 

 were led to the pursuit by waning health, 

 grasping at this as the last and only suc- 

 cessful weapon against the grim monster. I 

 believe, ladies and gentlemen, that it is a 

 sacred priviledge, no less than a sacred duty 

 which devolves upon us, to bring this to the 

 attention of our sisters as another means of 

 gaining food,rainment, health and ])leasure. 

 We shall have evidence from some of our 

 lady friends— practical! apiarists— at this 

 meeting, of what they may do. Energy and 

 persistence, tco"Pled with thought and 

 study, are sure to bring success. I sincere- 

 ly hope and trust that at this and all future 

 meetings of our Society, this feature may 

 be held prominent, for in so doing we shall 

 work a work that will be indeed twice 

 blessed. 



Before closing thisfaddress, 1 would offer 

 a few suggestions, forsyour consideration: 



1st. Would it not be well to take some 

 step towards procuring legislation, whereby 

 our proceedings shall be incorporated in 

 the Keport of the State Board of Aj;ricul- 

 tiu'e ? The State dissemmates agi'icultural 

 matter and the proceedings of the Pomo- 

 logical society. Why not the valuable 

 papers and discussions of this society? If 

 this is considered wise, should we not be- 

 come a co-operative body? Surely 9 years 

 of vigorous activity would warrant this. I 

 suggest a committee of three to act in these 

 matters. 



3d. Shall we not offer to the Secretary of 

 the State Board of Agriculture the papers 

 read here, and the discussions as recorded 

 by the secretary; that he may, it he choose, 

 incorporate the most valuable in his report? 



3d. I would suggest the appointment of 

 the following committees to report at our 

 annual meeting: 



First, on honey plants — quality, time to 

 sow, time in blossom, how to plant, and 

 amount of seed to a square rod. 



Secondly, on the subject of house apiar- 

 ies, shall we encourage their construction 

 in our State ? 



Thirdly, on wintering. To gather statis- 

 tics for the last six years. Not only as to 

 loss, but as to the apiarist's opinion, and 

 the method of preparation practised. 



Fourthly, on the best method to stimulate 

 and protect our honey markets. 



Fifthly, I would propose that we adopt 

 the principle of having our meeting migra- 

 tory in future. Endeavoring to go where 

 we are wanted, and where we will meet a 

 warm reception. 



Lastly I would call your attention to the 

 necessity of some action in reference to the 

 National Association. Letters will be read 

 from the president and secretary, desiring 

 our views and co-operation. I would sug- 

 gest a committee of three to take the whole 

 subject into consideration and report on the 

 same in time for action before we adjourn. 

 A. J. Cook. 



Shall Women keep Bees. 



READ BEFOKE THE MICH. CONVENTION. 



Apiculture, like most out-door avocations, 

 is almost monopolized by the stronger sex. 

 In the days of our grandmothers this was a 

 natural and necessary consequence of 

 man's fitness and woman's want of fitness 

 for the work. Picture a woman's helpless- 

 ness in view of a swarm safely clustered in 

 the top of a tall tree ! Imagine her lighting 

 the brimstone torch and pitilessly dooming 

 to death her faithful little laborers— if you 

 can! Need we wonder then that ere the 

 introduction of movable frames, women did 

 not aspire to be bee-keepers ? 



But, that so few women are interested in 

 apiculture to-day is less easily explained. 

 A friend; who has recently visited m New 

 Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Ohio 

 —in country places, villages and cities- 

 tells me that during her three month's ab- 

 sence, she met just one woman who knew 

 something about bees. But, it may be 

 asked: does apiculture offer any special in- 

 ducements to women ? May it not be that 

 the work, no longer impossible, is still for 

 them undesirable ? 



These questions cover the whole ground. 

 With all due deference to the opinions of 

 our brother bee-keepers, they are questions 



