216 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURT8T. 



water from outside of the Iiive. But many 

 colonies winter well without water. Ev- 

 ery beekeeper knows, that in cold weather 

 the walls of the hive become wet. I do 

 not need to explain this. The difference 

 of the temperature between the cluster 

 and the walls of the hive is nearly always 

 sufficient to moisten these walls and the 

 bees will take this water ; but it may be to 

 some advantage to give the necessary wa- 

 ter more handy to the bees. 



In regard to the consumption of pollen 

 and water the bees will winter the better, 

 the longer we can keep them from breed- 

 ing. Before breeding commences neither 

 pollen nor water is consumed by the bees. 



iSelma, Tezas. 



The Income. 



M. A. Kelt>ey. 



Beekeepers, as a rule, look for an in- 

 come from three sources : the money, the 

 pleasure and the experience. The money 

 we sometimes get, liie pleasure often, and 

 th(! experience always. The money is 

 good when we get it, the pleasure is 

 sweet while it lasts, and the experience is 

 useful if remembered. Beekeeping, like 

 winter weather, is not all sunshine. The 

 sky is more clouded than clear. But how 

 sweet, by contrast, is the sunlight when 

 it comes ! Beekeeping has in it the chief 

 elements of success, pleasure and pro(it. 



Many money makers grab for gold alone, 

 but we, if true to our trade, get pleasure 

 as well as profit, good as well as gain. 

 And this is well, for were it otherwise, 

 were there no pleasure in it, few would 

 venture into a business which, at best, is 

 rather insecure. The pleasure alone in- 

 duces many to remain in the ranks even 

 without hope of gain. And they have their 

 reward, for when honey and money do 

 come they are sweeter and better for hav- 

 ing been unexpected. 



But let not experience be forgotten, for 

 it teaches many useful lessons. It teaches 

 us to observe closely, to handle carefully 

 and to love our little neighbors who have 

 wings and stings. It leads us to be care- 

 ful of little things, a great variety of little 

 things, which taken as a whole amount to 

 no little thing. It brings us face to face 

 with the oft-forgotten fact that worth and 

 wealth are won t)y work. It admonishes 

 us to do well our part, to learn to la])or 

 and to wait. So let all get the most tiiey 

 can, in money, in pleasure, in experience; 



in money that they may live, in pleasure 

 that they may Ije happy, and in experience 

 that they ma}' be wise. 



Milton, W. Va. 

 Oct. 29, 1SS8. 



Experience at a Pair. 



^IRS. H. Hills. 



Without doubt, many readers of the Api 

 have laughed over the story of the lady, 

 who, having arrived at the station just in 

 time to see her train moving slowly off 

 in the distance, very politely thanked the 

 stranger who, belated like herself, was 

 standing on the platform, giving vent in a 

 most emphatic and impressive manner, to 

 emotions which, though equally stirring 

 her own soul, she felt iier powers of 

 speech to be entirely inadequate to ex- 

 press. 



I wonder if the able manager of the Api, 

 when penning the article in Nov. number, 

 "Our experience at the Fair," anticipated 

 the fact that some wicked subscriber 

 would heartily rejoice at his discomfiture. 

 But misery loves company, and how could 

 I help rejoicing to see my own sorely dis- 

 turbed "feelins" so faithfully and vivitlly 

 portrayed. 



And again : how shall I, a mere novice 

 in beekeeping and honey production, ever 

 dare to utter another word of complaint, 

 on my own part, when the results of all 

 the years of earnest, whole-souled, thor- 

 ough work, which have been devoted by 

 Mr. Alley to his chosen pursuit, are thus 

 ignored and slighted? 



The person who perforins (larnest, thor- 

 ough work, whether physical or mental, 

 and in whatever department of labor; 

 whose primary aim is, not money nor yet 

 false show and elfect, but who, loving the 

 work for the work's sake, gives all his 

 powers to the task in hand ; he is the true 

 missionary in this benigiu,ed age of cheap, 

 half-hearted work. 



But is there no reward then, so far as 

 outward recognition goes, for him who de- 

 votes all his energies, even to the very 

 utmost that he may, somehow l)e enabled 

 toaccomplisli the desire of his heart — good 

 work? Alas! I fear not. It has been said 

 that well-doing is the only reward of well- 

 dying. At one period of life, this looks a 

 blind saying, and too hard a sentence to 

 be borne patiently. But there comes a 



