THE ISMSRJlCl^ri BE® JOURNJS,i,. 



i n 



wliich are perliaps superior to any of 

 the " pure-blooiled '" bees for real 

 I)iisiiiess in gatlierin<c lioney and for 

 lorub-building qualities. 



Bee-keeping is of late years becom- 

 ing quite an important industry, the 

 l)roducts of which are perhaps ten 

 times greater in this country than it 

 "•as 25 yer.rs ago. The modern facili- 

 ties for the management of bees has 

 induced many to engage in this pur- 

 ■iuit, until it is now claimed that there 

 are in round numbers 800,000 bee- 

 keepers in tlie United States, and their 

 rolonies of bees are numbered by the 

 millions, with an aggregate annual 

 production estimated at 50,000 tons of 

 of honey ! 



Some are becoming alarmed, fearing 

 that the business is being overdone, 

 Ijecause the sup]ily of honey is greater 

 tlian the market will take at paying 

 prices ; but we have this thought to 

 console us, that whatever is lost to the 

 producer in consequence of low prices, 

 will be so much saved to the con- 

 sumer, and so the account will stand 

 even, and honey is just as sweet now 

 as ever, all the same. 



Although the manipulations of an 

 apiar)' are as widely dift'erenl from 

 farm work as the practice of medicine 

 is different from the practice of law, 

 yet, nevertlieless. a few bees in the 

 neighborhood are a real benefit to 

 every farmer or fruit-grower, because 

 the bees evidentlj- perform a very im- 

 portant part in tlie fertilization of the 

 blossoms of fruit-bearing trees and 

 seed-bearing plants, bj' mixing the 

 pollen-dust wtth the stigma of the 

 flowers, when in their searcli for honey, 

 thereby causing more abundant fruit- 

 age. Therefore, let the farmer, the 

 fruit-grower and the bee-keeper live in 

 liarmonj- and good-will, for that which 

 promotes the interest of one, will pro- 

 mote the iqterest of all. Give the bees 

 a chance. 



BEE-WOMEN. 



The Diilic»i and C'liuraeleriNlicii 

 of H Bcc.Keeper''8 Wife. 



Written Sor the American Bee Jowmal 



BV BEV. STKl'IIEN ROKSE. 



The bees are busy things yon know. 

 And when there conies a honey-flow 

 You see them huiTy to and fro, 



So quick and fast ; 

 From very early moruiug light, 

 They spend each day in busy flight. 

 And they never sleep by night 



'Till the harvest's past. 



They do their work with eager haste — 

 Allow no time to run to waste; 

 Their honey hath delicious taste. 



As each one knows. 

 There's a great deal more that might be said, 

 But if I spin a lengthy thread, 

 You have not time to hear it read — 



So hear I close. 



Seymour, Wis. 



SQliscribers who do not receive this paper 

 promptly, will please notify us at once. 



The following is a translation of an 

 article written for Dcr Biencn-Valcr aus 

 Boehmcn. by Mrs. Regina Stiller, the 

 wife of a high-.school teacher in Monclis- 

 dorf, Germany : 



It seems daring to mo, to appear be- 

 fore the bee-keeping public — however 

 it is nothing strange, for I have read 

 many articles in bee-papers written by 

 a woman's hand, and I have also heard 

 of many prominent and successful lady 

 bee-keepers, from all over the land ; 

 not claiming to be talented, or worthy 

 to be numbered among the last-named 

 class, yet I feel a longing desire to be- 

 come skilled, and thoroughly informed 

 in the art of bee-keeping — for one rea- 

 son, that the uecessary absence of my 

 husband might be substituted in my 

 person, and, for another reason, be- 

 cause I take .so great pleasure in the 

 industry and doings of the honey-bee ; 

 and as I am a most needed companion 

 and help to my husband in our home 

 apiary, I take liberty in pointing out 

 some of the duties of a bee-keeper's 

 wife ; and the reason why I speak of 

 the duties of the wife, and not of the 

 woman, is, that I much prefer to be 

 the wife of my Inisband, than the 

 woman of a lord. 



The beauty and adorning graces of 

 a true wife, especially tlie help-meet of 

 a bee-keeper, consist chiefly in a con- 

 sistent life and walk, coupled with a 

 sweet temper, good-will, kindness, and 

 gentleness towards lier husband. Bee- 

 keepers' wives, be modest in all 30ur 

 demands on your husband, in regard 

 to dressing ; shun all excess of fashion, 

 and vain pride, which so often, and not 

 without reason, are lamentable evils 

 of the female sex, and are not becom- 

 ing to the wife of a bee-keeper, for 

 very few of the many apiarists in our 

 days, have great riches as their por- 

 tion in this world. 



Be modest in your demands for the 

 kitchen ; be content, resigned, and rec- 

 onciled to your various circumstances 

 of life brought about by 3'our marriage 

 union with >'our luisband ; to murmur, 

 complain, and find fault is foolish and 

 unjust, because the circumstances of 

 your husband before marriage were 

 fully known to 3-ou ; aim rather bj- 

 careful studj* in various ways, to make 

 home the sunniest spot on earth, and 

 in so doing, with a soft answer, you 

 will smother many ill words, and bad 

 temper in its very bud of development, 

 and win your husband's confidence and 

 affection for j-our future days, thus 



wiping aw.iy the wrinkles on yourcom- 

 pauions forehead, whicli life's burdens 

 may have dee|)ly impressed. 



On various occasions take him to tin- 

 apiary ; make a comparison of the 

 honey-bee— no matter what calamity, 

 storms, and rough-and-tumble may be- 

 fall this industrious insect, it will al- 

 ways with renewed energy go to work 

 again, and forget the past ; and be as- 

 sured that the dark clouds on your 

 husband's forehead, and sad look.'will 

 disappear, and a silent press of his 

 hand will be a token of his tender feel- 

 ings, great fulness, and a husband's 

 love towards you ; for it is a fact, that 

 by your ready a.ssistance in the apiary, 

 work will move on twice as fast as "if 

 one must do all the running and tink- 

 ering, and questions put to your hu.s- 

 band concerning the various branches 

 in apiculture, will by him be answered 

 with pleasni-e, for the increase of your 

 knowledge in bee-keeping. 



It requires energy and enterprise to 

 work among the bees, but such you 

 will get during practice ; and do not 

 fear that you might sacrifice any of 

 your womanly dignities, for the word 

 "womanlike" would never have come 

 into existence, had our sex on all occa- 

 sions manifested more stability of 

 mind, energy, and ambition. 



In leisure hours, which often are 

 spent in reading horrifying and sensa- 

 tional novels, or at the gossiping coffee 

 and tea parties so much in practice by 

 our sex, rather go to the library of 

 your husband, and select a book on 

 bee-keeping, inform yourself, and mas- 

 ter this art to perfection. Bring your 

 theories into practice, and surely your 

 husband will present you with a colony 

 of bees as your t>wn. which you may 

 care for j'ourself, and in due time be- 

 come master of the situation. How 

 your husband will rejoice, when yon 

 will have so far advanced in earing 

 for bees that he can entrust to your 

 care the whole apiary ; and how much 

 money then will be saved, which othei- 

 wise would have to be spent on hiretl 

 help ; and I will adil further, if the 

 words spoken will be heeded, the bee- 

 keeper's home and life will be illumi- 

 nated with smiles and sunshine to pro- 

 mote joy and peace. 



Mks. Regina Stiller. 



INDIANA. 



Awards on Honey and Bees at 

 Stale Fair§. 



Written Sor tft« American Bee Journal 

 BY R. S. RUSSELL. 



At our State Fair I received over $40 

 in premiums on my exhibits, and Mr. 

 Zimmerman, of Wabash, about the 

 same amount. Julius Moesch, of In- 



