THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



171 



which can justly be answered only from a 

 woman's standpoint. No intelligent bee- 

 keeper is insensible to the attractions, other 

 than pecuniary, which apiculture offers. 

 Will he not grant that an intelligent woman 

 may be equally sensitive with himself to 

 the fascinations of a pursuit which is lifted 

 far above most manual labor avocations by 

 the mental stimulus it imparts. Moreover, 

 her pleasure will be greatly enhanced by its 

 appeal to that side of her nature which 

 leads her to delight in any living creature 

 which claims her care. I do not say that 

 she will care for her pets more wisely, or 

 that, as a study, she will find them more in- 

 teresting than does her brother, but, do I 

 claim too much when I say that her work, as 

 compared with his, will be more a labor of 

 love ? 



Still, with most women, as with most 

 men. who engage in apiculture, the primary 

 motive is profit. At the outset they have 

 too little knowledge of the subject to be 

 able to anticipate the pleasure which is in 

 store for them. But no woman is insensible 

 to the magnetic attraction of a little addi- 

 tional spending money. And I do not 

 hesitate to say that to many women apicul- 

 ture offers this inducement. 



It may be a smaller portion than would 

 satisfy our brothers— is very likely to be so, 

 in fact. For we may as well frankly con- 

 fess—to ourselves, at least— that our lack of 

 physical strength is a disadvantage. Though 

 the care of a few colonies may be only 

 recreation, the woman who experiments in 

 bee-culture somewhat extensively, will find 

 that it means, at certain seasons, genuine 

 hard work. In some cases she may be able 

 to supplement her own powers by the 

 friendly and gratuitous help of stronger 

 arms; but it is needless to say that this is 

 not exactly bee-keeping by tvomen. A 

 woman depending only upon her own re- 

 sources, must not expect to do all that a 

 man possessing thrice her physical strength 

 might do in her place. Shall we conclude, 

 therefore, that the work is for her undesir- 

 able ? One of our most distinguished 

 apiarists draws this conclusion, at least he 

 objects to apiculture as an employment for 

 women, on the ground that it is too labori- 

 ous. 



But does not the same objection apply, 

 equally, to much of the work which custom 

 and necessity require of the ordinary 

 American housewife ? I vv'ould gladly pur- 

 chase exemption from in-door work on 

 washing day, by two day's labor among the 

 bees; audi find two hours at the ironing 

 table more fatiguing than two hours of the 

 severest toil the apiary can exact. I noticed 

 last summer that Mary (our girl) seemed to , 

 esteem it a great privilege to be allowed to 

 assist a little in the bee-yard, and that she 

 always went back to her dish washing with 

 a very audible sigh. I do not remember 

 that I ever pitied myself or envied Mary — 

 not even when my own work meant ex- 

 posure to the mid-day sun, with the mer- 

 cury near 90, while hers was only preparing 

 the noon-day meal by the side of the hot 

 kitchen stove. 



But we have digressed. To return to the 

 point in consideration, I repeat that apicul- 

 ture offers to many women not only 

 pleasure but profit. But I counsel no 

 woman to engage in the pursuit, with a 

 view to profit, who has not the vantage 

 ground ot a home. Possessing this, any 



woman may, with little risk, test her adap- 

 tation to the work, and increase as know- 

 ledge, courage and success may warrant. 

 Granting her intelligence, she will make 

 few expensive blunders, in the shape of 

 patented hives, non-swarming attachments, 

 etc., after the first year. Whether she pur- 

 pose keeping a few or many colonies, she 

 will find use for all the information she can 

 in any way obtain. She will study our 

 standard works on apiculture, ana read dis- 

 criminatingly our bee journals. But she 

 will observe, think and decide for herself. 

 She will, or should, make haste slowly. By 

 the time she has served an apprenticeship 

 of three seasons, she will be able to judge 

 for lierself, in view of her location, and the 

 circunistanees of her life, as to the prospect 

 of receiving adequate compensation for her 

 labor. 



There are many cases— I think women 

 know best how many there tare— where a 

 very small amount of profit may be a very 

 great inducement. It may bridge over the 

 difference between positive want and com- 

 parative comfort— piecing out the scanty 

 income so that it may cover the necessary 

 cost of living. Or, where the family purse 

 is just sufficient for the common comforts 

 of life, it may supply the wherewithal to 

 gratify individual tastes and wishes. And 

 whatever this may mean— books, music, 

 tasteful household surroundings, gifts to 

 friends or contributions to charities— be 

 sure that it means, also, a more self-respect- 

 ing spirit and a brighter and happier home. 



The pursuit is as free to woman as to 

 man. There is no prejudice to encounter; 

 no loss of social standing as may be the 

 case in some other employments. The lady 

 bee-keeper may expect some manifestations 

 of mild surprise on the part ot her friends, 

 but there will be no disapproval; and in 

 time, if she be moderately successful, she 

 may be amused to find that her neighbors 

 are disposed to greatly exaggerate her 

 modest gains, and are beginning to regard 

 her as an exceptionally capable person. 



There are women who should never at- 

 tempt the care of more than a half dozen 

 colonies; and so many as these, only after 

 they have learned how to manage them. 

 They have cares and duties which'may not 

 be put aside, and which they have no dis- 

 position to neglect. So far, and only so far, 

 as the work is rest and refreshment may 

 they safely be encouraged to venture. But 

 such a one will, perhaps, enjoy more than 

 her sister who is able to do more. She will 

 have more time for study, for observation, 

 for experiments; and as her familiarity 

 with each colony will be closer, so will the 

 interest— I might almost say the feeling t)f 

 personal attachment— be stronger. And no 

 more than against the flowers, which she 

 cultivates for their own sake, should the 

 value of her time be charged against her 

 bees. Her profits, therefore, willbe larger, 

 proportionately, than if she attempted 

 more. 



I have admitted that bee-keeping is 

 harder work for women than for men. But 

 I believe that woman may do much toward 

 adapting the work to their own require- 

 ments. They must think for themselves in 

 this matter. Our brothers can hardly be 

 expected to remove for us, or even to 

 recognize as obstacles, what does not im- 

 pede their own progress. For instance, 

 your neighbor may use the largest of the 



