130 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[Dec. 



yielded, and, of late, the statement seems to 

 have met with abundant corroboration. The 

 same honey that seems fatal to the bees, has 

 never, to our knowledge, proved deleterious to 

 the human family, nor have we meant to inti- 

 mate as^much in any of our articles. 



Mr. M. himself has given us one case wherein 

 it seems that an entire change of food was the 

 only possible remedy. If it be conceded that 

 we can neither by looks nor taste determine 

 whether the honey is unwholesome on- not, 'tis 

 clear that the only safe way is the oiiQ we have 

 " made such a row about." In regard to trouble, 

 we would suggest that Jasper Hazen be re- 

 quested to " figure up " th-' saving effected by 

 wintering fifty colonies for ten years on sugar 

 instead of honey. Novice. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



On Novice." 



The November number of the American 

 Bee Journal is at hand, a little later than 

 usual. A careful perusal of its columns makes 

 us feel, Mr. Editor, that we too would like to 

 criticise just a little, and since 'tis getting 

 fashionable to indulge in personals, suppose 

 we^y our hand thereat also, while we are in 

 the^writing mood. If the readers of this 

 Journal will examine its issue of February last, 

 they will find an article of ours which Novice, 

 in the March number, said would look better 

 with the above heading. Now, as we wish to 

 talk to the gentleman in question a few mo- 

 ments, we take the opportunity of employing 

 the caption he suggested. 



In the first place, it would seem, in conse 

 quence of holding his peace so long, that he is 

 unable to restrain himself longer, and so gives 

 vent to his righteous indignation in the last 

 journal. In such a manner as to leave no doubt 

 to the apiarian world, that, of all who are en- 

 gaged in apistical j)ursuits, he alone is capable 

 of giving expression to the truth, and that only. 



As you invite full and free discussion in 

 these columns, we propose to give your readers 

 a view of the " other side." We'll try and be as 

 brief as possible, though we could fill an issue 

 of the American Bee Journal, and then the 

 half would remain untold. 



On page 113, he says, we "have fallen in with 

 an ' Old Man's Views,' '" but gave no " credit." 

 Now, if Novice read all we wrote in the Bee 

 Keepers^ Magazine, on that subject, he knows 

 perfectly well that we entertained the same 

 idea before the June number of this journal 

 was printed. Yet he seeks to again place us 

 in a wrong light, and scruples not at falsifying 

 the truth to accomplish his purpose. He also 

 accuses us of " fabricating long theories." That 

 word '* theory " seems to be the most weighty 

 one in Novice's vocabulary. Indeed, if we are 

 to judge by his utterances on these pages, it is 

 the cause of many a sleepless night ^nd horri- 



fying nightmare, and, like an incubus that 

 weighs its victim to the earth, renders misera- 

 ble and desolate his waking hours. 



Theory : Are there any ten writers combined, 

 that have contributed to these pages that ever 

 palmed oflF one half as much of this " theory," 

 of which he so often speaks, upon an " unsus- 

 pecting" community, under the guise of " facts," 

 as he has done ? 



But how about leading others astray ? This 

 is a charge which Novice has so often and per- 

 sistently made, that we propose to examine 

 it a moment. 



Kind reader, will you please turn to page 79, 

 Vol. 6, ot the American Bee Journal. You 

 will there find one of Novice's visionary effu- 

 sions, a part of the closing paragraph reading 

 as follows : " In our humble opinion the results 

 we have achieved this year, are no nearer what 

 may be done in scientific bee culture, than the 

 old brimstone way is to our present methods." 

 Let us see what those " results " were, as report- 

 ed by Novice himself. He claimed to have 

 secured an average surplus of over 130 pounds 

 of honey per colony, besides increasing them 

 nearly forty per cent. Now, the average " re- 

 sults " of the old " brimstone way " never reach- 

 ed more than one-tenth of that claimed by Nov- 

 ice, as the result of scientific bee culture. Our 

 readers will readily see that Novice could soon 

 supply the markets of the world with delicious 

 nectar, i/'he could only fulfill his own predic- 

 tions. Has he done it ? The simple fact, that 

 instead of making such brilliant progress, he 

 has been retrograding ever since, is a sufficient 

 comment upon so reckless an assertion as we 

 have quoted. Verily, he is " only a novice " ; 

 and is likely to so remain for some time to 

 come. (Novice will, no doubt, charge his ill 

 success to poor seasons, four cent queens, etc.) 



Again, he is opposed, bitterly opposed, to 

 patent rights. He hesitates not to endeavor to 

 bring opprobrium upon the man of inventions, 

 and yet he scruples not to deal in patent in- 

 ventions, and patents them too. Of course, in. 

 endeavoring to depreciate the value of other 

 people's merchandise in the eyes of the public, 

 he does not forget to laud his own wares, which 

 are " indispensable " to the success of the apia- 

 rian. A shrewd game, isn't it ? 



Another " mighty " word in the vocabulary 

 of Novice is "jealousy." If other people can 

 not always agree with his visionary schemes, 

 why they are jealous of his " laurels," or some- 

 thing else. Novice, in his last article, makes 

 another charge of jealousy. Of course it's 

 " none of our business," as he once told another 

 party, but we don't like to see a man harp on a 

 particular string always, so we'll put in a word, 

 also. Reader, please go and get your Novem- 

 ber number of the Bee Keepers^ Magazine. There 

 now, turn to page 313, and in the 12th line from 

 the bottom of the first column you will see a 

 l^lank line. Of course you know that that 



