March 22, 1906 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



255 



conditions vary to such an extreme in the different States 

 of the South, and also in different sections in any one 

 State, it would be necessary and most advisable to test the 

 different plants in each locality. 



These, now, are some lines of work that it would be well 

 worth considering- by the bee-keepers, and I should be glad 

 to hear opinions from them from all over the South. 



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Conducted by Morlet Pkttit, Villa Nova, Ont. 



J. B. HALL 



One of Canada's Foremost Bee-Keepers 



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The following sketch of Mr. J. B. Hall is kindly fur- 

 nished by one who is most intimately acquainted with him — 

 Mr. Hall's daughter : 



J. B. Hall, Apiarist, Woodstock, Ont., is a native of Norfolk, Eng- 

 land, born in Yarmouth, in 1833. He never saw a honey-bee until he 

 arrived in America, in 1856. During a period of indoor employment 

 his health failed, and in 1872 he invested in one colony of bees. In 

 the hands of a beginner the bees died, but Mr. Hall, who, to use his 

 own words, hai lost the color from his cheeks, the flesh off his bones, 

 and the sweet out of his temper, regained the color, and increased in 

 weight from 132 pounds to IS" ; of the temper he remains 6ilent, but 

 the bees must have improved it in proportion to his flesh. 



This venture went so well with him that the next year he pur- 

 chased 3 colonies, and with an enthusiastic friend bought an extractor. 



.1. B. HALL. 



They extracted so energetically that the bees were left no winter sup- 

 ply, much to the surprise of their owners. The bees died of starvation, 

 for these deluded men thought, like their fellow mortals, that honey 

 flowed all summer long. 



H£» But to follow the old motto, Mr. Hall tried a third time in the 

 next year with S colonies. Kepeated failures had purchased wisdom, 

 and all went well until the next summer, when the apiary was invaded 

 by foul brood. A neighbor had unwittingly purchased it along with a 

 420 colony of Italian bees. Mr. Hall knew no cure, so he destroyed 

 the apiary utterly. 



However, he was not to be beaten, and in 1876 he made a fresh 

 start with 4 colonies. From this on all went splendidly, and Fate no 

 more intervened to prevent his becoming an apiarist. Three years 

 later he^quit his business and devoted all his time to the production of 



honey. Since then he has won his bread and butter solely by the busi- 

 ness of the apiary. 



In 1888 the North American Bee-Keepers' Association held their 

 annual meeting in Toronto. Mr. Hall had a feeling that our friends 

 to the south of the international line were abused of the idea that 

 Ontario produced nothing but snow, Indians and bears. For the pur- 

 pose of their enlightment, he proceeded to Toronto with 22,000 pounds 

 of his year's crop. The United States visitors were exceedingly sur- 

 prised, and accordingly delighted with the great Ontario exhibit of 

 splendid honey. Dr. C. C. Miller and A. I. Root were there and saw 

 Mr. Hall's thick top-bar. They reported to the bee-papers, and it 

 caused a great laugh. Some said Mr. Hall must live in a wooden 

 country to get so much to put in his comb-frames. Now they all see 

 the utility of the method, and Mr. Hall is satisfied. 



He uses two kinds of hives. One is the New Heddon, the other is 

 an 8-frame hive, the inside measure of the frame being 1S'„ inches 

 long and lO 1 ^ deep. He much prefers the larger frame. 



You wish to know his hobby? Well.it is flowering plants, and 

 the neighbors say if J. B. Hall touches a plant, it is sure to prosper. 



H, L. H. 



J. B. Hall— The Thorodgh Bee-Keeper. 



The following tribute is from Mr. H. E. Hill, editor of 

 the American Bee-Keeper, who at one time was a student 

 of J. B. Hall : 



Mr. Morlet Pettit— 



Dear Sir .—In 1885 I had the honor and extreme pleasure to spend 

 the season with Mr. Hall, in his " Woodstock " apiary, and had cul- 

 tivated a degree of acquaintance bordering on friendship for several 

 years previous to this more intimate association. 



It is, I think, noteworthy in this connection that Mr. Hall should 

 have lived to the age of 23 years, and then have to cross the Atlantic 

 to see a honey-bee ; but, if I remember correctly, he saw his first bees 

 in Canada. It must have been a case of ardent love at first sight, for 

 his interest seems to have been constant ever since. In 1876 he be- 

 came a specialist in bee-culture, and has confined himself exclusively 

 to the pursuit of his chosen vocation. 



Should you ask me as to Mr. Hall's dominant trait as displayed in 

 business, I should unhesitatingly reply, " fhonmglmess." There is 

 but one way in which to execute any task that Mr. Hall may have in 

 hand, and that is exactly as, in his opinion, it should be done. Slip- 

 shod, half-hearted, slovenly methods are not tolerated. He knows no 

 middle ground in the performance of his work. There is the beginning 

 and the finish ; and when he has finished it is safe to bank that the job 

 is done. 



As I recall this painstaking care of my venerable and esteemed 

 friend, I doubt not that this inherent characteristic is largely respon- 

 sible for the successful apiarian career now to his credit. From the 

 leveling of every hive-stand with a spirit-level in the spring prepara- 

 tory to putting out the bees, to scraping and crating the crop in the 

 fall, as well as the loading of cars with his product, every detail had 

 the nicest attention. 



Although jovial in manner socially, kind-hearted and affectionate 

 in his home, and a firm believer in hours for ample recreation and rest 

 both for himself and his employees, during business hours nonsense 

 and carelessness are relegated into exile, and strenuous business 

 ethics are observed throughout. 



Since the opportunity is available, I am inclined to note some of 

 Mr. Hall's shortcomings also, for, in common with other mortals as I 

 see it, he is not without his faults, the most regrettable of which is his 

 almost morbid modesty. Were it not for this unfortunate charac- 

 teristic, the realm of beedom might profit by his writings. This con- 

 dition, however, is one for which Mr. Hall can not he held entirely 

 accountable, as he "swore off" writing for the press years ago, 

 largely because of the habit of some editors in so closely editing every- 

 thing that the substance was sacrificed upon the altar of syntax and 

 diction. 



Mr. Hall is a great admirer of flowers— in fact, floriculture is his 

 one great hobby. Like other florists, he has two names for about 

 every kind of flower that grows— one that we have all heard, and one 

 nobody outside of the business ever heard of or would attempt to 

 pronounce. 



I believe Mr. Hall was first to introduce the thick top-bar, and 

 also the inventor of the zinc-wood honey-board. 



He is a gentleman whom it is a real pleasure to know, and an 

 honor to count as a personal friend. H. E. Hill. 



Ft. Pierce, Fla. 



A Queen-Bee Free as a Premium. — We are now book- 

 ing orders for Untested Italian Queens to be delivered in 

 May or June. This is the premium offer: To a subscriber 

 whose own subscription to the American Bee Journal is 

 paid at least to the end of 1906, we will mail an Untested 

 Italian Queen for sending us one new subscription with 

 $1.00 for the Bee Journal a year. Or, we will renew your 

 subscription to the American Bee Journal for a year, and 

 send a fine Untested Italian Queen— both for $1.50. Now 

 is a good time to get new subscribers. If you wish extra 

 copies of the Bee Journal for use as samples, let us know 

 how many you want and we will mail them to you. Address 

 all orders to the office of the American Bee Journal. 



See Langstroth Book Offer on another page of this 

 copy of the American Bee Journal. 



