742 



fmi^ Mmmmi^Mm mmm jQ>Jsmmm%e. 



buds to take in tho first rays of tlie 

 morning sun! It will welcome "Old 

 Sol" at the very break of day ; dip into 

 that tiny fountain which distils the 

 honey, drop by drop, and bear away the 

 sweet treasure to its cells of wax, in its 

 populous little home. 



BENEFITS OF IMPROVED BEES. 



To reap the full benefit of the imported 

 bees, it became necessary to be able to 

 find an easy and safe method of chang- 

 ing the natives to the improved variety 

 — to rear and ship " our ideal bees," and 

 spread them over the whole continent. 

 Then as if by magic these methods were 

 discovered and put into practice, as well 

 as to increase by " the division of colo- 

 nies," instead of by swarming — and to 

 control the fertilization of queens, so as 

 to assist in the " breeding for good 

 points," and the elimination of the un- 

 desirable traits of character. 



LITERATURE. 



Until then, but little thought had been 

 devoted in this country to bee-keeping 

 as an occupation, and still less to it as a 

 science. True, many kept a greater or 

 less number of "gums" or "skeps," 

 and a few (comparatively a very few) 

 master minds had conceived any rational 

 .scientific views regarding many of the 

 mysteries of the bee-hive ; some did to 

 an extent comprehend the physiological 

 history of the honey-bee, but they were 

 so very few that their wisdom was 

 almost covered with disrepute by the 

 ignorant and superstitious ideas of the 

 masses, who kept bees as did their great- 

 grandfathers, and whose comprehension 

 had only kept pace with their improve- 

 ments. 



The master -works of our Father 

 Langstroth and the late M. Quinby gave 

 rise to much thought and study, which 

 in turn led to experiments, and these 

 created the necessity for a periodical, 

 in the columns of which new discoveries 

 could be heralded, accepted theories be 

 discussed, old prejudices be combatted, 

 and Apiculture be elevated to its proper 

 position among the progressive sciences. 



In 1861, the Amkrican Bee Journal 

 was started by tlie late Samuel Wagner. 

 The Rev. W. F. Clarke ably edited and 

 managed the Journal for about a year — 

 and in 1873, it became the property of 

 the present editor. That much progress 

 has been made during the 80 years of 

 the American Bee Journal's existence, 

 all will acknowledge. Many doubtful 

 problems have been solved, and new 

 ideas promulgated ; all tho standard 

 works on apiculture have been revised, 

 over and over again ; and published 

 experiences have proven to tlie several 

 authors that their books inclined to 

 error, and none but the most conciiited 

 have assumed that tliey know it all. 



Many other excellent apicultural peri- 

 odicals an' now published, and there is 

 a host of good books for bee-keepers, but 

 time would fail me to mention them all. 

 or in the few moments allowed me, to do 

 justice to their excellence. One thing is 

 certain, however, that the progress and 

 intelligence displayed in the pursuit of 

 bee-keeping, shows that much is due to 

 the liberal use of " printer's ink " in the 



excellent periodicals and books devoted 

 this pursuit — 



for printer's ink has built its throne 

 Where minds their tributes bring-. 



And God's most gifted intellects 

 Shout "printer's ink is king !" 



In everj' clime, in coming years, 

 Will men proud anthems sing. 



And round the world the echoes float. 

 That printer's ink is king 1 



bee-conventions. 



Perhaps nothing has been more potent 

 in developing the best thoughts, the 

 most practical methods, and the ad- 

 vanced ideas of those devoted to our in- 

 dustry, than the congregating together 

 of apiarists in County, District, State 

 and National Assemblies to consult and 

 advise about every advancing step in 

 apicultural progress. 



BEE AND HONEY SHOWS. 



Grand exhibits of bees and honey at 

 the various Agricultural Fairs all over 

 the country, have done much to inform 

 the masses about honey and its uses, 

 and, by good-natured rivalry, have raised 

 the standard of excellence, and enhanced 

 commercial values. 



HONEY FLORA. 



By planting for honey-bloom, and pro- 

 viding continuous pastures for the bees, 

 from early in the spring until late in the 

 fall, more honey will be produced, and 

 bee-keepers will become general bene- 

 factors — 



For generous bloom in all the dales, 

 And mountain sides will grow ; 



And rocks and hills, and brooks and vales. 

 With milk and honey flow. 



EXTRACTING HONEY FROM THE COMB. 



The old way of mashing pieces of 

 comb taken from the breeding apartment 

 of the hive, and "straining" out the 

 honey from the bee-bread, dead brood, 

 etc., was so very undesirable that a new 

 method was demanded. Centrifugal 

 force applied to the combs furnished the 

 desired process. 



Major Hruschka's little boy, with a 

 tin pail, containing a piece of honey 

 which he swung around for fun, gave 

 to the world the honey extractor. The 

 Major noticed that on the further side 

 of that honey-comb, the honey was gone. 

 He turned the pieces of comb over, and 

 told the boy to swing the pail again ; and 

 then the comb was empty. 



That little circumstance was the father 

 of the honey extractor, which is now so 

 universally used to take the honey out 

 of the comb — giving honey, minus the 

 wax, as the choicest food for man — and 

 returning the combs, minus the honey, 

 to be refilled by the bees, without waiting 

 for new comb to he built — saving much 

 valuable time for the bees, and tons of 

 honey to the producer. 



A peculiar knife for uncapping tlie 

 combs before placing them into the ex- 

 tractor was an alisolute necessity. An 

 edge like a razor was needed to cleanly 

 cut off the capiiings, and leave the combs 

 intact, ready for immediate refilling. — 

 Tlie steel unca))piug- knife was then 

 produced, with a lieveled edge, a sharp 

 point, and as ki^cu as a razor, in just the 

 nick of time to completely fill that imiit J 



THE BELLOWS-SMOKER. 



To control the bees while manipulat- 

 ing the hives, and prevent them from 

 stinging, was greatly desired— and that 

 "control" was bestowed on mankind by 

 the invention of the bellows smoker, just 

 when it was needed the most. 



COMB FOUNDATION. 



Left to "their own sweet will," the 

 bees will build drone-comb and produce 

 multitudes of drones — "consumers of 

 honey." Some way to prevent this was 

 much desired, and was found in the 

 invention of sheets of wax with corruga- 

 tions on either side, which the bees 

 readily accept, build out into worker- 

 cells, and fill them with honey or eggs as 

 required — preventing the undesirable 

 excess of drones, and greatly increasing 

 the amount of surplus honey. 



Stronger combs were needed for the 

 safe transportation of honey in the comb, 

 and the timely invention of thin comb- 

 foundation fully supplied that want. 



SMALL PACKAGES FOR HONET. 



To cut out comb, filled with honey^ 

 from the breeding apartment, was un- 

 desirable because of its leaking — and the 

 invention of the small sections for comb 

 honey came to the rescue, by giving the 

 purest virgin comb for table use, a clean 

 and marketable package, filled with 

 heaven-distilled nectar, valuable alike 

 for food and medicine, and enticing, by 

 its neatness and simplicity, consumers 

 of the sweet product. 



Jars, cans, kegs, etc.. serve the same- 

 purpose for honey out of the comb — and 

 add to the commercial value by placing 

 it within the reach of all consumers. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



So much has been accomplished in tlie- 

 past 50 years ; but we are by no means- 

 satisfied with "present attainments" — we- 

 shall " press onward." for the grand 

 possibilities of the future have as yet 

 hardly dawned upon us. New invention.'* 

 are just beyond our ken ; grander truth.s 

 will soon be unfolded : and the loftiei- 

 altitudes will yet be reached ! 



" Where in the realm of Nature do we see. 

 A worthier study than the honey-bee ? 

 What curious instinct dictates every art. 

 Whereby the little creature acts its part ? 

 How do the marvels of the hive combine, 

 All other insect wonders to outshine ?" 



America, the brightest gem in the- 

 diadem of the World, is the Mother of 

 the grandest Apicultural inventions, and 

 has perfected and put to practical us<^ 

 some of those which were simply con- 

 ceived in other lands, but then left in an 

 undeveloped state. 



Already she produces the most de- 

 li('ious honey from her myriads of nectar- 

 Ix-aring flowers ! She has shown to the 

 world the finest bees, carefully bred for 

 business as well as for beauty ! And in 

 modern methods, jiractical management, 

 available tools and implements, and the 

 perfection of supiilies and fixtures — shiv 

 now leads the World. 



Tno.MAs G. Newman, 



Dr. C. C. Miller remarked that he 

 was reminded of the time when he first 

 begau to keep bees. He caught ;t 



