March 15. 1<«6 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



237 



Report of the Wisconsin State Convention 



BY HARRY LATHROP. 

 [Continued on page 218.] 

 Mr. II. II. Moe read a very good paper on 



STUDIES IN BEE-NATURE 



A writer on the subject of bee-culture in the Wisconsin 

 Farmer states as fact that bees deposit from the point of the 

 Sting a drop of poison into honey-cells just before sealing — 

 this for the purpose of preserving the honey. In view of this 

 u is nothing strange that some people are prejudiced against 

 the finest of all health-foods. Even bee-keepers 1 have known 

 to be as ignorant as to suppose the pollen carried by the bees 

 was what they built the wax out of. These thoughts started 

 this paper. 



All training, and particularly educational training, has 

 for its aim some development. Especially interesting is the 

 development of the eyes and ears. The organs of seeing and 

 hearing are two of the most important by which we are in 

 communication with this world. It has been the writer's spe- 

 cial privilege to spend many profitable years in school, both 

 as a student and a teacher. Honey has always had an attrac- 

 tion for me, ever since I can remember, and I am sure I have 

 not as yet lost my "honey-tooth," nor need I add that the 

 dollars and cent's are undervalued by me, any more than the 

 average of us. But what I wanted to emphasize is the value 

 and interest of Nature study. In this line bee-keeping fur- 

 nishes a most interesting field. I well remember in my 

 younger days, how, after a little study of botany, a wholly 

 new world seemed to open up. Likewise, bee-study has 

 brought me in contact with some of the most wonderful and 

 interesting things in this wonderful world in which we are 

 living. Possibly some may here draw a heavy sigh, intimating 

 that this is of no interest as it is not concerned with how to 

 make more dollars and cents. Permit me here to digress suf- 

 ficiently to show how it may mean dollars and cents. 



For instance, a neighboring bee-keeper, perhaps as suc- 

 cessful as the average bee-keeper, had read somewhere that 

 the average life of the worker-bee, during the busy season, 

 was only 6 weeks. The question he propounded to me was : 

 "Is this really so?" The intelligent bee-keeper will readily 

 see how it must be exceedingly difficult for such a bee-keeper 

 to make intelligent preparation and management for a honey 

 harvest. 



Again, last summer a gentleman who has kept bees a 

 good many years wished to know how to prevent swarming. He 

 said he wished to try a plan given him by a bee-keeper who 

 recommended it as working very successfully. This man said 

 he was advised to "kill all the queens," whatever this meant. 

 that were issuing with a swarm. A few questions elicited 

 the fact that this gentleman was most blissfully ignorant of 

 the life history of the queen-bee or the worker-bee. 



Such bee-keepers can, and do, follow simple rules for bee- 

 keepers as laid down in all of our books and periodicals on 

 bee-keeping. Such a mechanical process may be successful 

 enough, but it does not belong to that intelligent class of bee- 

 keepers for which I am pleading. But he who has not seen 

 the beauty of structure in our "pets" has not as yet become 

 interested in one of the most interesting and beautiful phases 

 of apiculture. 



That this subject is important must further appear from 

 the statement of the case. as. in a measure, presented 1>\ our 

 inimitable ex-Gox. Hoard. The argument came to me with 

 much force, as I live in an important dairy district. Some 

 one asked him if brains were necessary to milking? It one 

 could turn one's brains out to milk? Promptly the gentle- 

 man replied that he had never seen any milking "done without 

 the use of brains. 



It is because of thi value of brains that I have selected 

 this subject. Bee-keeping is most excellent for the cultivation 

 of sharp eyes and a keen hearing. In bee-keeping it is im- 

 portant to cultivate hearing and seeing. The angry hum of 

 the bee. as contrasted with the musical call, so to Speak, 

 a Swarm entering a new hive; the peep of the queen, etc., must 



he familiar to all bee-keepers who have had some experience. 

 The beautiful and wonderful structures revealed by a micro- 

 scope are such that they must be seen to be appreciated. [Here 

 some illustrations and verbal descriptions were given.] After 

 this you will be prepared to take ,,p some of the most won- 

 derful facts and theories found anywhere in natural history. 



What is the value of all this Some time ago I saw a 

 copj of a famous painting. The original had been sold for a 

 fabulous sum. I looked! I wondered. 1 could see nothing. 

 I was looking at a copj of Millet's "Angelus." Two simple 

 and hard-working persons, A common every-day rural scene. 

 A very, very common everj da) sight. But 'ere 1 left, a beau 

 tif ill thought dawned. In a busy life, a few minutes of rest. 

 A few moments to think of something higher. A few mo- 

 ments for a higher life. What a wonderful thought! What 

 beauty! The Twenty-third Psalm is simple— very simple! 

 Yet a great king constructed no work grander. Nothing more 

 beautiful; no monument ever constructed more grand or 

 enduring. This would he more fully appreciated by seeing 

 some of the beauties and wonders revealed by the microscope. 

 (Interesting work for "long winter evenings." so as to get 

 acquainted jvith the bee.) You will discover that truth is 

 "stranger than fiction." and be impressed with the idea so 

 forcibly put by Shakespeare: "There are more wonders m 

 heaven and earth (and me) than were ever dreamed of." 



And what of the result? Get acquainted with your fellow 

 bee-keepers and you will, as a rule, notice a clean, intelligent 

 class of men, much superior, in my way of thinking, to what 

 one generally meets with. It is well-known how one's occu- 

 pation influences one, and leaves its characteristics upon one's 

 individuality. Contrast, if you will, the burly and besotted 

 saloon-keeper, void of all soul and intelligence, with the clean 

 and intelligent bee-keeper, and there can be no question as to 

 the profession we ought to choose. 



I think it was Dr. C. C. Miller wdio. in answer to a ques- 

 tion, advised one to "live with his bees." This is a good sug- 

 gestion. You will solve many hard problems, and unravel 

 many wonderful mysteries by so doing. In addition you will 

 come to love your profession and enjoy your work. Those 

 who have read G. M. Doolittle's "Scientific Queen-Rearing" 

 will remember that it was by "lying awake nights," as he 

 puts it. that the interesting and wonderful principles under- 

 lying queen-rearing were evolved. [Dr. Bigelow and Prof. 

 Cook's work were here spoken of, bee-books discussed, and 

 bee-exhibits mentioned.] H. H. Moe. 



CHOOSING A LOCATION 



To many, about the only thought considered in choos- 

 ing a location would be that of a sunny spot on the south 

 side of a hill. But a much broader view of the matter 

 should be considered in order to insure enjoyment in our 

 work and financial success. Therefore, it is of the greatest 

 importance that the man who engages in the business of 

 bee-keeping considers well all points bearing upon this 

 first step, that no unpleasantness may afterward arise 

 which might make his occupation unenjoyable or unprofit- 

 able. 



It would be well for him to go to an apiarist of say 

 20 to 40 years' experience in keeping bees in different locali- 

 ties and under varying conditions — one who has main- 

 tained out-apiaries, and produced both comb and extracted 

 honey, and practised outdoor and cellar wintering, and 

 counsel with him in regard to the matter. 



I am writing from the standpoint of one who wishes 

 to build up a home market for his product by retailing 

 his honey from house to house at regular intervals, and 

 at a living price; in other words, one who intends to get 

 out of the business all the enjoyment and money there is 

 in it for him. Such an one will have two or three ques- 

 tions to settle, of a different nature than the man who in- 

 tends to ship all his product. < >f course, his first question 

 will be — 



1. Is it a honey-producing locality? Take plenty of 

 time to decide this. I would choose a place where there 

 is more than one kind of pasturage to depend upon. 

 Maple, willows and orchards are desirable in spring, with 

 clover and basswood following, and heartsease and buck- 

 wheat for the fall flow. Then 1 would be quite sure of 

 something each year. It would not be a bad plan to te 

 the prospective place by placing a half-dozen col 

 there two or three years, and note results. 



2. Is the field already occupied by other bee-keepers? 

 If it is. another apiary mighl ■ /erstock the place so that 

 neither would make anything; and if there is evidence that 

 it is not overstocked, we should at least have a friendly 



