THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



195 



The second winter the five colonies were 

 kept on their sninmer stands and came out 

 in good order. These were increased to 17 

 colonies, and the account for the second 

 year reads tiius: 



Spring of 1875— Dr. 



To 5 colonies of bees @ $10. $ 50.00 



Interest on the same 5.00 



8 hives. 20.00 



Sugar for spring feed 3.00 



Extractor 8.00 



Quinby smoker 1 .50 



Total $ 86.50 



Fallofl875-Cr. 



By 420 tt)S. comb honey @ 25g $105.00 



504 lbs. extracted lioney @ 18c — 90.72 



17 colonies of bees @ $10. 170.00 



80 empty combs @ 25c. each 20.00 



Total Cr $385.72 



TotalDr 86.50 



Balance in favor of Cr $299.23 



The third winter all were kept in a room 

 in the house cellar, specially prepared for 

 them, but not in the best condition when 

 they were put in. It was plastered all over, 

 but too late in the season to become perfect- 

 ly dry. As a consequence there wei-e some 

 mouldy combs, and the colonies were all 

 somewhat depleted, though none were 

 wholly lost. In the early spring, through 

 negligence, one colony starved. I sold 

 another, and by uniting others reduced the 

 number from 17 to 13. With these I began 

 last summer, my third year. Not wishing 

 to increase the number because of inability 

 to properly care for them, I kept them back 

 as much as possible, making very large 

 colonies. In the fall they numbered 18, and 

 my account for the third year is as follows: 

 Spring of 1876— Dr. 



To 13 colonies of bees @ $10 each $130.00 



Interest on the same 13.00 



7 hives @ $2 14.00 



Honey for feed 4.(10 



Loss in wintering — 3 colonies. 30.00 



Use of 1 acre of land for white clover. . 10.00 



Total $301.00 



Fallofl876-Cr. 



By 903 lbs extracted honey @, 16c $144.48 



550 Ib.s comb honey O 32c 121.00 



125 empty combs @ 25c 31.25 



1 colony sold 8.00 



18 colonies on hand @ $8 144.08 



Total Cr $448.00 



Total Dr 201.01) 



Balance in favor of Cr $247.73 



I began bee-keeping with very little 

 knowledge of bees, so little that when the 

 first swarm issued and were circling in the 

 air, I thought, as I remarked, that they 

 were ''out on a frolic." But when they 

 clustered on the limb of a tree, preparatory 

 to flight, I comprehended that 



THEY " MEANT BUSINESS. " 



I am asked how I can endure working 

 out-of-doors in the heat of summer. I reply 

 that I find it more endurable than working 

 over a cook-stove in-doors, and much 

 pleasanter and more conducive to health. 

 By beginning in the early spring when the 

 weather was cool and the work light, I be- 

 came gradually accustomed to out-door 

 labor, and by Midsummer found myself as 

 well able to endure the heat of the sun as 

 my husband, who has nearly all his life 



been accustomed to it. Previously, to at- 

 tend an open-air pic-nic, was to i-eturn with 

 a headache. I have great faith in pure air 

 and sunshine as curative agencies, and be- 

 lieve that many of our delicate and invalid 

 ladies would hnd renewed vigor of body 

 and mind in the labors and recreations of 

 the apiary. The 



DREAD OP BEING STUNG 



is an objection I frequently hear urged. I 

 have no fancy for it myself, but as yet have 

 found it no serious objection, nor the slight- 

 est damper to my enthusiasm. I am not 

 one of the fortunate ones whom bees yiever 

 sting, therefore when from scarcity of 

 honey or from any other cause they are 

 cross, I protect myself with veil and gloves, 

 and am so seldom stung considering the 

 time I spend among the bees that I never 

 think of it as an objection to the business. 



Women often complain that there is no 

 inspiration in their work; that it holds the 

 attention but does not prompt to study or 

 investigation, thus affording little oppor- 

 tunity for mental improvement. In this 

 respect bee-keeping is in marked contrast. 

 A worker in the apiary is also a student, 

 and is constantly meeting with surprises, 

 and learning something new and intensely 

 interesting. In Europe it is said to be con- 

 sidered an intellectual pursuit. As I have 

 said, I knew very little of bees when I first 

 undertook the care of them. 



I supposed there were rules to be rigidly 

 adhered to, any deviation from which 

 would result in disaster. I therefore, at 

 every step, anxiously consulted Langstroth, 

 Quinby, or Prof. Cook, as was most proper 

 for a novice to do, and to them am indebted 

 for whatever of success 1 have achieved; 

 but have since learned that in bee-keeping, 

 as in other matters, tliere are many ways of 

 accomplishing the desired end. Conse- 

 quently I have sometimes ventured to dis- 

 obey them all, and thus far without unsatis- 

 factory results. Notwithstanding an ac- 

 quaintance with the best authorities, there 

 is still opportunity for every one to learn by 

 personal observation and experience. 



I but partially agree with those who 

 regard enthusiasm indispensable to success. 

 In the more ordinary vocations many do 

 succeed in comfortably maintaining them- 

 selves and families, with very little enthus- 

 iasm for their work, often none, and some- 

 times with even positive dislike. Then, 

 bringing the same determination and good 

 sense into use, why not, in a similar degree, 

 succeed in bee-keeping without enthusi- 

 asm ? I admit its great desirability but 

 regard it as a possession too uncertain to be 

 relied upon. However, I believe it to be a 

 natural outgrowth of the 



STUDY OF NATURE 



in almost any department, and that she who 

 interests herself in bees for the sole purpose 

 of making money, may gain her object, and 

 also find herself an ardent lover of her oc- 

 cupation. 



My own experience in the apiary has 

 been a source of interest and enjoyment far 

 exceeding my anticipations, and it is a 

 matter of regret to me that for a few years 

 I must forego its pleasures as well as 

 profits. Mrs. L. B. Baiver. 



Smith's Grove, Ky., May 16, 1877.— "The 

 prospects here are good for a rich houey 

 harvest." N. P. Allen. 



