THE AMEBIC AN APICULTURIST. 



27 



as to the time the bees commence 

 breeding, in my experiments in 

 wintering. There is no doubt but 

 that this question is important in 

 connection with successful winter- 

 ing. From the fact that one of the 

 necessary requirements for success- 

 ful wintering is that bees be left 

 comparatively quiet and undis- 

 turbed, it will be seen that it is a 

 very diflScult matter to ascertain 

 without harming the bees. 



Every time the bees were dis- 

 turbed it would tend to induce brood 

 rearing. When I notice two stocks 

 standing in the same room each of 

 which was prepared for winter as 

 nearly alike as was possible, one 

 of which remains quiet, and the 

 other uneasy, I feel inclined to ex- 

 amine both and ascertain their 

 condition as to brood, etc. If there 

 are those who have stocks of na- 

 tive bees to which they introduced 

 Italian queens late in the season, 

 they may be able to give us some 

 light upon this subject by giving 

 their success in wintering and the 

 facts as to how many Italian bees 

 have been reared during the winter, 

 and which have wintered best, those 

 which have most or fewest of Ital- 

 ians. 



Mohaiok. N. Y. 



WHY NOT KEEP BEES? 



By W. G. Phelps. 



This is a question arising in the 

 minds of some, who in tight times 

 like the present are casting about 



for opportunities "to turn an honest 

 penn3^" There is no doubt but 

 that the energies of such, if turned 

 in the direction indicated, might 

 be put to profitable use and excel- 

 lent results accomplished. Though 

 bee culture is now ranked among 

 the special avocations of many, 

 throughout this broad land, yet 

 this fact need not deter any from 

 engaging in it even as a supplemen- 

 tary means of livelihood. Preemi- 

 nently does it commend itself, 

 coupled with truck raising, fruit 

 growing, poultry breeding, and 

 kindred pursuits and may add, in 

 fact has added, to the support of 

 many a family in America. As an 

 auxiliary source of revenue, cer- 

 tainly no rural home should despise 

 it. Keeping bees, when the pro- 

 portionate attention is paid them 

 that is devoted to other branches 

 of rural industry pays^ and pays 

 well. To this fact hundreds en- 

 gaged therein can testify. A 

 popular idea, and one that has led 

 to many a failure with bees, is that 

 bees can be purchased, surplus 

 boxes clapped on (or worse yet a 

 "cap") and the bees left to work 

 wonders. Thus managed with no 

 attention, save to "rob" them in 

 the fall, it is little to be wondered 

 at that "beekeeping don't pay." 

 They cannot be let thus "severely 

 alone" and made a profitable source 

 of income or pleasure. Pleasure 

 did we say? Is it possible, some 

 reader asks, that those irascible 

 "critters" can become a source of 

 pleasure to one? Ah ! my friends, 

 you do not know them. Not least 

 among the pleasures of country 



