THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



173 



raising of cattle pays better tlian mules. 

 The question is then a inei'e question of 

 pi'ofit. And if ^100 invested in bees will 

 give a larger profit tlian the same amount 

 invested in most branches of agriculture, 

 then the first objection will be answered. 



A fanner located in any average agricul- 

 tural district in Michican can purchase ten 

 hives of bees (and if not in movable frame 

 hives can transfer them to such), an extract- 

 or, honey knives, bee hat, and other neces- 

 sary airpliances at a total cost of not over 

 $100. The time necessary to care for them 

 each season would not exceed in the aggre- 

 gate 20 days, at say f 1.50 per day, being $30. 

 Now what will he receive in return ? Judg- 

 ing from my own experience and that of 

 others who have practically applied the im- 

 provements in bee-culture made in the last 

 20 years, he will obtain not less than an 

 average of 75 lbs. of surplus per hive, mak- 

 ing 750 lbs., worth at least 12>^c. per lb., or 

 $93.75; deducting the value of the labor, and 

 he has $63.75 as a profit on the original in- 

 vestment of $100— an income of 63% per 

 cent. Aside from this in most years there 

 would be an increase in stocks whicli would 

 oifset any losses which might be suffered in 

 wintering. 



But is not the above estimate too high ? 

 Let us see. During the past year— and it 

 was not above an average honey season in 

 my section, linn or basswood yielding but 

 little honey— from 21t hives, 20 of these 

 being in box hives, I obtained 2,000 lbs. of 

 honey and 25 new colonies. In one season 

 previous, being desirous of ascertaining 

 just what a number of colonies would pro- 

 duce if attended to carefully, and increase 

 of colonies prevented; 17 hives averaged 

 125 lbs. of extracted honey each. I am 

 satisfied the estimate is not too high, but 

 the profits might be often larger in extra 

 seasons. Of course my estimates are made 

 on the supposition that the system of 

 management is in conformity with the im- 

 proved methods, and not on the old plan. I 

 think I need not waste any time in present- 

 ing evidence that the profits above mention- 

 ed are larger than those secured in most 

 branches of agriculture, and shall assume 

 that the first objection is answered. 



The second objection— the fear of being 

 stung— is certainly a very feeling objec- 

 tion; and a warm reception by a score or 

 more hybrids, without protection, would 

 put a large majority of persons to fiight, but 

 fortunately such cases are rare, and with 

 the use of the bee hat all danger is avoided. 

 Occasionally there is a person who is so 

 seriously affected by the virus of a bee that 

 it would be imprudent for him to have any- 

 thing to do with them; but we find only 

 one such person in a thousand. Many per- 

 sons care little for the sting of a bee. scarce- 

 ly more than for the bite of a mosquito. 



The fear of being stung is a small objec- 

 tion, and the pain and inconvenience is one 

 of the unpleasant features of the business, 

 and what business has not its disagreeable 

 points ? Crops fail, all kinds of stock are 

 subject to disease and accident; pear trees 

 are struck with the blight, the cui'culio des- 

 troys the plums, even the dog runs mad. 



The third objection— a lack of knowlege 

 of how to manage them — is the most serious 

 one. The first two are merely used to avoid 

 giving the true reason which would involve 

 an acknowledgement of ignorance, which 

 unfortunately, we oftimes hesitate to make. 



It is a fact not to be disguised that the suc- 

 cessful keeping of bees requires careful 

 study and prompt and timely care, as much 

 perhaps as any branch of agriculture; but 

 happily the bee-keepers of the U. S. have 

 been a public-spirited and unselfish class, 

 and through the medium of our bee jour- 

 nals, pamphlets, and books, have placed 

 within easy reach of all people, a full and 

 complete knowledge of the vast improve- 

 ments made in the management of the 

 apiiiry during the last ten years. And what 

 more pleasant way can the farmer employ 

 the long winter evenings than in making 

 himself, his wife, sons and daughters, 

 familiar with " Langstroth on the Honey 

 Bee," "The Mysteries, by Quinby," and the 

 equally valuable and still later information 

 contained in the journals of to-day. In this 

 manner the natural history of the bee and 

 the theoretical management of the hive can 

 be pleasantly obtained. And not only this, 

 but the boys will be influenced to spend 

 their earnings at liome instead of at the vil- 

 lage store or saloon; and another avenue of 

 enjoyment and profit will be opened for our 

 farmers and their sons and daughters. 



Now, shall farmers keep bees ? While 

 the majority of them do not, and probably 

 will not, yet I unhesitatingly reply that 

 they should. It is a true saying that " The 

 man who loves his bees, loves his home." 

 And if our farmers could be induced to 

 make themselves familiar with the wonders 

 of the hive, I am certain that an enthusiasm 

 would be aroused which would give us 

 many skilled entomologists, a new interest 

 would attach to the home circle, vice would 

 be avoided, and a new element of profit 

 would be introduced in agriculture. 



A. B. Cheney. 



Reciprocal Benefits of Bees and 

 Plants. 



READ BEFOBE THE MICH. CONVENTION. 



The mutial benefits of insects and plants 

 are wonderful, varied, and manifold. With 

 some plants, like Indian corn, pines, and 

 spruces, the wind is the prominent agent in 

 distributing the pollen. To atone for tiiis 

 imperfect method and the great waste like- 

 ly to follow, nature secretes a profusion of 

 the fertilizing dust. In the case of the 

 trumpet-creeper and many tropical plants, 

 the humming bird often transfers pollen 

 from flower to flower. In some instances 

 snails do a similar work; in others, water, 

 as in the case of our ell-grass. In many 

 cases flies, butterflies, moths, beetles and 

 bugs are very eflicient in the same good 

 work. Hornets, wasps, bumble-bees, and 

 especially honey-bees, are also frequent 

 visitors to the flowers of plants for the pur- 

 pose of collecting the pollen and nectar for 

 themselves and for their young. Of all 

 insects, the hive bees and their allies show 

 the most intelligence in their behavior to- 

 wards plants. 



The flowers of our willows and poplars 

 are of two kinds— male and female. The 

 flowers are on distinct trees which are often 

 separated by considerable distances. In 

 some cases the pollen may be transferred 

 by the wind, but in most cases it is un- 

 doubtedly carried by the bees which are 

 very active while the flowers are fresh in 

 early spring. The flowers of all our mel- 



