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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



mn. ADAIfl ORIMH. 



As variety is said to be the "spice of 

 life," we must have a little of it in our 

 biographical sketches ; so this week we 

 present to our readers the picture and 

 account of the late Adam Grimm — the 

 man who made money by keeping bees. 

 Though not living, the following sketch 

 will serve to show what Mr. G. did in 

 the line of honey-production 15 or 20 

 years ago, and what may again be ac- 

 complished when good seasons once more 

 shall smile upon those engaged in bee- 

 keeping. 



Dr. Miller, in that unequalled "ABC 

 of Bee-Culture," says : 



Adam Grimm was born in Germany, 

 in 1824. His father kept a few hives 

 of bees, in which Adam took deep in- 

 terest, and did not rest satisfied until he 

 himself became the owner of a few colo- 

 nies. He emigrated to this country in 

 1849, settling at Jefferson, Wis., on a 

 farm where he remained until his death, 

 which occurred April 10, 1876. Soon 

 after settling at Jeflferson he obtained a 

 few colonies of bees, and was so success- 

 ful with them that at one time, when all 

 other crops failed, his bees came to the 

 rescue and helped him over the most 

 critical time of his life. 



In 1863 he had increased his apiary 

 to 60 colonies of black bees, in all sorts 

 of box hives, and in 1864 he commenced 

 to use frame hives, and transferred all 

 his bees into them. In the same year, 

 1864, he bought his first Italians, and, 

 as rapidly as possible, Italianized his 

 apiary, and then sold largo numbers of 

 Italian queens all over the country. 



About 1869 or 1870 he imported, 

 personally, 100 Italian queens, 60 of 

 which were alive on their arrival at New 

 York. Of this number he introduced 40' 

 in his own apiaries. He increased his 

 colonies regardless of cost, every year, 

 but had larger returns, especially in late 

 years, both from the sale of honey and 

 bees. Queen-rearing he thought un- 

 profitable. He had an intense enthusi- 

 asm in the business, and worked so hard 

 in the apiary as probably to shorten his 

 life. His success was the cause of many 

 others engaging in the business. 



He established a bank at Jefferson, of 

 which he was cashier (his bees having 



ADAM GRIMBI. 



provided the capital) ; but during the 

 honey harvest he left his bank to the 

 care of employes, and went from one 

 apiary to another, personally supervis- 

 ing all that was done. 



We shall not soon forget two or three 

 pleasant visits which we made at his 

 homo, with his interesting family. He 

 told us his wife remonstrated with him 

 for working so hard, telling him that he 

 now had a competence, and could give 

 up his bees with the laborious care of so 

 many ; but he seemed to think the re- 

 turns were larger for the amount of 

 labor, making the work still a pleasure, 

 although no longer a necoessity. He 



