84 



THE AMERICA* BEE-KEEFER. 



have to be fed for winter, which 

 should be commenced not later than 

 September 10th. Now you should ex- 

 amine and see if they have any stores 

 for winter. They should have at least 

 twenty -five pounds for winter stores, 

 and what they lack should be fed to 

 them during the next ten days or two 

 weeks. A good rule to make syrup is 

 to have as much syrup, by measure, as 

 you had dry sugar ; that is, if you 

 have one gallon of sugar put in water 

 enough so you will have one gallon of 

 syrup. As to the kind of sugar to feed 

 I would not recommend anything ex- 

 cept gaauulated sugar, especially for 

 winter feed. 



Sunny Side, Garrett Co.,3Id. 



Bee-Keeping for Women. 



BY MRS. S. E. SHE KM AN. 



It is thought by some that bee-keep- 

 ing cannot be successfully carried on 

 by women. This is a great mistake. 

 There are few vocations that I know 

 of that offer greater inducements to 

 those of our sex (both for health and 

 profit) who are the bread winners of 

 the family, now that everything can 

 be had right from the factory that is 

 needed in the construction of hives 

 and frames, etc., so perfectly made 

 that any one with a sample to go by 

 can soon learn to make their own 

 hives, and with a little practice they 

 can also soon learn to paint them. 

 Why should it be thought out of place 

 for a woman to drive a nail or paint a 

 hive ? I contend that it is not at all 

 out of place, but that she should rath- 

 er be commended for her industry and 

 independence. The work is not un- 

 pleasant nor degrading to a true 

 woman. She will not be thought any 

 less of for engaging in it. It will 



necessitate her being out door where 

 she will breathe the pure fresh air and 

 be in the warm genial sunshine ; two 

 of the most health giving elements in 

 the great laboratory of nature, for the 

 want of which thousands of women 

 are now slowly dying. 



That it is a healthful vocation I have 

 proven to my full satisfaction, having 

 been for a number of years a great 

 sufferer from that dread disease, dys- 

 pepsia, prior to having engaged in bee 

 culture. Now I am decidedly the 

 most portly and robust woman in our 

 town. Dyspepsia is all gone, with 

 good, rich blood coursing through my 

 veins. The change is all owing to ac- 

 tive, out-door exercise and the almost 

 constant use or honey. Now, hav'nt 

 I a right to plead with other sickly 

 women to come outside and help work 

 with the bees and win for themselves 

 good health together with what is too 

 often considered a luxury, pure honey, 

 and at the same time replenish their 

 shrunken purses'? For your little ones 

 there can be no healthier sweet. If 

 you have an abundance of honey there 

 is little other sweet needed, for it can 

 be used in making cakes, jelley, jam, 

 preserves, etc. 



Do not begin on too large a scale. 

 Get one or two colonies, a few empty 

 hives, the same pattern if you can as 

 those which your bees are in , so that 

 the frames will all be interchangable, 

 a veil, smoker, and one of Alley's 

 queen traps for each hive. A text 

 book on bee culture, of which there 

 are quite a number to select from, and 

 at least one good bee journal. Read 

 and study your book and journal 

 closely, and put all the good, practical 

 suggestions into active operation at 



