308 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



closel}' on all sides. I fear we of- 

 ten argue somewhat like the miser 

 who reasoned that if one stove 

 would save half the fuel, two stoves 

 would save all. We are apt to as- 

 sume a great deal. 



But grauting all assumptions in 

 the case there are so many condi- 

 tions that have their effect such as 

 the quantity and age of bees, qual- 

 ity of stores, site of hive — whether 

 on high ground or on a flat, whether 

 in the sun or in the shade — and 

 perhaps many minor matters about 

 which we know nothing and beyond 

 our control, that no testing of the 

 matter can be very conclusive, and 

 we can arrive at no certain conclu- 

 sion as to the necessity or utility 

 of a winter passage for bees. The 

 notion, like some others perhaps, 

 is one of our pets. We like it, but 

 in the light of common sense how 

 much is it worth to us? 



Mechanicsburg , III. 



For the American Apiculturist. 



POSSIBILITIES OF BEE 

 CULTURE. 



Joseph M. IIambaugh. 



It would probably dazzle our 

 powers of conception could we lift 

 the veil of the future and glance at 

 the real possibilities in store for 

 the future progressive beekeepers, 

 should it be in keeping witli the 

 progressive spirit of the last fifty 

 years. Thirty-five years ago, a 

 movable-frame hive was unknown 

 in our section, and my father, one 

 of the most enthusiastic beekeep- 

 ers of his day, was a typical man 

 of that period. 



He took great pride in having his 

 gums all clean, neat and tid}' for 

 the reception of the swarms in the 

 spring ; was ever ready to be beck- 

 oned from his plow by the " toot of 



the horn " to hive a swarm of bees ; 

 had his i)latforms in obscure places 

 in the fence-corners ever ready for 

 their reception, and at nightfall 

 each swarm of the day was placed 

 in its abiding place for the season. 

 From ten to fifteen colonies left the 

 fall previous for increase, would 

 probably increase to from thirt^y to 

 foity 1)3^ August, and were left 

 strictly alone to " root hog or die" 

 till cold weather in November or 

 December, when each hive was 

 lifted, and the heaviest were treated 

 to a brimstone fumigation, after 

 which they were carried to an out- 

 house, where the contents were re- 

 moved, and disposed of. And, oh ! 

 such honey ! the venom still hangs 

 in public sentiment to-day, and 

 people are loth to classify our beau- 

 tiful extracted honey wiih the 

 strained honey of old, and the A'ery 

 best use of our vocabulary' fre- 

 quently fails to convince an auditor 

 that our honey is anything more or 

 less than " strained lioney " at last. 

 Dead bees, moth worms, old pol- 

 len, dirty combs, etc., were thrown 

 in a large iron kettle, gradually 

 brought to a heat, and then cast 

 into a large gunny sack, from 

 which it was allowed to drip, and 

 frequently its contents squeezed 

 out in a tub or vessel, whicli wns 

 denominated strained hone}-, and 

 how the palate could endure such 

 stuff is a wonder, and it cannot be 

 wondered at that the taste of man 

 was turned against " such vile 

 stuff," and strange as it may seem 

 there are some in our section of the 

 country who still cling to these old 

 ancient customs, and prol)al)ly do 

 not know there is such a thing in 

 the world as a bee-paper, llovv 

 can we a[)propriately contrast the 

 past with the present? An air of 

 m\ stery was then thrown over the 

 little honey bee and its little home, 

 and to penetrate into its recesses 

 was considered as an insurmount- 

 able task. "Father Langstroth's" 



