Apiculture as a Business. 



KEAD BEFORE THE N. Y. CONVENTION. 



Apiculture dates back to the earliest his- 

 tory of our race. Marked notice has been 

 taken of the Bee and Honey in all ages, and 

 it has now become prominent as a business. 

 We have learned that the Island of Cyprus 

 has been noted for the purity and value of 

 its honey and wax ; and I hope ere long our 

 own favored clime may possess some 

 Cyprian bees. Bee culture was probably 

 introduced into our country by early 

 settlers, but it received its first impetus as 

 a business about 20 years ago. 



By reference to the report of the National 

 ■Convention in New York, the fact will be 

 discovered that there is a growing demand 

 for honey which will be supplied. We do 

 not now begin to furnish honey enough to 

 supply the increasing market ; and yet, 

 some are croaking about glutting the mar- 

 ket or overstocking the United (States with 

 bees. This idea is so absurd as not to need 

 notice. 



True, in this as in all kinds of other busi- 

 ness, there are losses, but I mention that 

 for the amount invested, and the care and 

 attention required, no other business pre- 

 sents better prospects for a safe investment 

 and steady gain, with fewer losses. 



But what advance has apiculture made 

 •within the last .50 years ? Beginning with 

 box hives or gums, and obtaining iioney by 

 murdering the bees with brimstone, we 

 soon began to use top boxes for surplus. 

 Then Huber came with his hives and 

 articles, in which he explains the natural 

 instincts and habits of the bee. Following 

 him, S. B. Parsons, of New York, was, I 

 think, the first to introduce the Italian bees 

 into our country. Soon we find Quinby, 

 Langstroth and King following with the 

 movable, frame hives, and then apiculture 

 began to appear in a more favorable light 

 and receive more attention. 



Next comes the extractor, a valuable in- 

 Tention, without wliich our bee masters 

 ■would be lost, and with which honey can 

 be placed on the market at a price which 

 will compete with the finer syrups, and, 

 according to medical authority, honey is 

 much the best to use. Combs can also be 

 saved for future use. 



Next comes comb foundation, a most 

 useful and indispensable invention. With 

 it we can save at least 3^ of the work of the 

 bees, and make use of om- old wax, get 

 straight combs and avoid drone comb, 

 where not wanted ; and the comb produced 

 by it is more uniform. 



Many valuable improvements have been 

 made in bee hives. 1 am studying the hive 

 question thoroughly, and exjiect soon to 

 see placed upon the market a hive which 

 shall be more easily and more speedily 

 handled than anything that I have ever yet 

 seen, giving all necessary room for surplus, 

 and being a good hive in which to winter 

 on summer stands. I am of the opinion 



that wintering on summer stands will be 

 generally adopted. 1 am watching the 

 experiment of wintering swarms with two 

 queens in one hive, with a thin division 

 board and entrance from opposite sides of 

 the hives ; and I hope to find success. 



If you are a mechanic, you can make your 

 own hives, or get them ready to nail, and 

 the profits are sufficient ; but remember, in 

 order to succeed you must work in this as 

 well as in any business. 



Here, on a pleasant summer day, I love to 

 see the countless thousand of busy workers 

 hurrying to an fro, their golden bodies 

 resplendent in the sun, seemingly striving 

 to please their keeper, — and how sweet is 

 then- busy hum ? Silas M. Locke. 



Marketing Honey. 



KEAD BEFOEE THE OHIO CONVENTION. 



Mr. President and gentlemen of the Con- 

 vention : At the last meeting, at Delta, it 

 was thought advisable to have certain 

 matters pertaining to our favorite pursuit, 

 (bee culture), discussed at this present 

 meeting in Napoleon, and to that effect 

 there were persons appointed who should 

 address us on the subjects then named, and 

 amongst them the subject of " Marketing 

 honey" was appointed to the lot of your 

 Vice President. 



Within the past year much has been 

 written on this subject. If we have a uni- 

 formity of ideas, a regular and systematic 

 size of sections, to put up our honey in, of 

 one, one and a half or two pounds weight, 

 and use some system of information by 

 which the members can all be posted in 

 regard to prices of honey, both comb and 

 extracted, we shall be prepared to act and 

 sell understandingly. 



If we conclude to ship honey, provided 

 our home market is not competent to the 

 whole consumption, why not have a mem- 

 ber of this Convention appointed to confer 

 with wholesale houses and act as an agent 

 for our society, thus disposing of our honey 

 at best regular rates and gaining a fair 

 price for each and every one ? To this end 

 the honey should be graded, and every 

 man's sections labeled with his name and 

 apiary, (if he has given it a name), and his 

 residence. 



With many there is a fear that the Market 

 will be overstocked, and that the supply 

 will be in advance of the demand. Such 

 has been the cry at every stage of the 

 growth of the country. Look at the 

 orchard. When I was a young n)an, some 

 fifty years ago, the farmers said, " Plant no 

 more fruit trees ; there are too many now ; 

 fruit is worth nothing." From that time to 

 the present, millions of apple and other 

 fruit trees have been planted, and I would 

 ask. Is the supply to-day in excess of the 

 demand ? We all must answer no ; em- 

 phatically no ! 



I went through the city of Toledo and 

 called at the grocery stores to enquire both 

 in relation to the price of apples and honey, 

 as well as to the supply. 1 found apples 

 scarce— only one kind on the market, and 

 few of them ; a third-rate apple in flavor, 



