84 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



happiness. In doing this, we have ignored 

 the fact that all men are specially suited to 

 some particular calling ; that to make this 

 occupation of bee-l^eeping successful, he 

 who engages in it must, by nature, be adapt- 

 ed to its requirements, in some measure at 

 least ; that it requires money, brains and 

 muscle to concpier obstacles and achieve 

 success, as in other pursuits. 



We have too often portrayed a path all 

 strewn with roses without thorns ; all sun- 

 shine and no storm ; a pursuit that embfxl- 

 ies the very essence of earthly happiness 

 with none of its alloy. As if tliis were not 

 enough, we have descended from the airy 

 realms of imagination to life's every day 

 level, and with all the fascination of a ro- 

 mance, portrayed the achievements of a 

 Orimm, a Harbison and a Iletherington, in 

 "honey gathering rapidly," forgetting that 

 where one man has been thus successful, a 

 thousand have failed. 



Gentlemen, this is no overdrawn picture. 

 Thousands of persons in this country will 

 tell you that it is onl>- too true. How "many 

 men who were urged into tlie keeping of 

 bees a few years ago, and who have lost all 

 during the past two or three winters when 

 bee life "took wings and flew away," we 

 know not. We do know that the number 

 has been by far too many, and that it has 

 been to our injurj', bringing our fair calling 

 into disrepute in many sections. We have 

 been made to realize this most forcibly in 

 receiving numerous letters from parties 

 stating that they engaged in bee-culture by 

 our own and the advice of others, given iii 

 bee journals, and had lost all. 



While pleading guilty to some extent, in 

 this respect, we have resolved to avoid this 

 error in future, and make amends as best 

 we may, by detailing that which may con- 

 tribute to the success of those already en- 

 gaged in apicultural pursuits. A few sug- 

 gestions and we are done. 



Let us cease to urge people to keep bees. 

 How many men who are eminent in their 

 callings or professions were urged to choose 

 as they did ? The men succeed who en- 

 gage in any business from <i love nf that 

 bw-siness, possessing talents which qualified 

 them for it. These are the men whose 

 names adorn the annals of every science 

 known to man ; the men who have led the 

 advance in every department of the pro- 

 gress and improvement of our modern 

 times ; the men whose genius has given an 

 irresistible impetus to our advancing civil- 

 ization, llather let us turn our attention to 

 those things whicn tend to establish our 

 pursit upon a permanent basis ; and when 

 we shall have learned how to avoid failure 

 and win success ourselves, it will be ample 

 time to teach those who do not know how 

 to succeed. Until bee-culture is rendered 

 more certain and less precarious, let us 

 cease to relate fabulous tales, which excite 

 the curiosity and superstition of outsiders 

 that must so often end only in chagrin and 

 disappointment. 



In behalf of the Michigan Bee-Keepers' 

 Association which we in part represent, we 

 send greeting and best wishes for your con- 

 tinued prosj)erity, trusting that your future 

 sessions may be mutually present and pro- 

 titable. Fratcnr.dly. 



IIkuukkt a. BuKCii. 



L. C. Root approved the position, 

 claiming that thei e should be a careful 



training and education in the direct care 

 of bees before profit can be assured, and 

 that those who attempt it without the 

 study, may expect to fail. 



A letter was read from W. W. Gary, 

 of Mass., taking position that there has 

 been much injury done to the bee-cultur- 

 ist by breeding queens not in accordance 

 with natural laws, because degeneration 

 is the result. A good queen mother 

 should be of good size, large to the chest, 

 trunk somewhat tapered, movements 

 strong and even and by no means of a 

 nervous temperament. A nervous queen 

 is usually short-lived and should not be 

 used as a queen mother. 



Mr. Nellis and Mr. Tennant approved 

 the growing of strong queens and of 

 crossing the stock continually. 



A letter was read from Dr. W. B. Rush 

 of Penu., stating that he was engaged in 

 a new method for wintering his bees. 

 Capt. Hetherington remarked that it wa» 

 apparent that Dr. Rush was an investiga- 

 tor, and moved that the secretary be in- 

 structed to request him to give the results 

 of his experiments at the next convention. 

 The motion was carried. 



Upon motion Prof. A. J. Cook, H. A. 

 Burch, W. W. Gary and W. B. Rush 

 were made honorary members of the As- 

 sociation. 



The convention then listened with 

 interest to an address by S. Alexander, of 

 Gamden. 



IMPORTANCE AND BEST METHOD OF EDU- 

 CATING MEN TO THE BEE BCSFNESS, TO 

 PREVENT LOSS IN POOR SEASONS. 



The eccentric Thoreaux demonstrated by 

 experience, that man may healthily subsist 

 on a very small amount of expense. But 

 the I'equirements of our modern taste and 

 time, does not regard abstemiousness as 

 virtue, nor denial of the good things of life 

 as condusive to the truest enjoyment. 



Honey has, in all ages, beeii regarded as 

 THE sweet, tlie nectar of the gods, the syn- 

 onym of luxury and enjoyment, the high- 

 est ideal, "a land tlowihg with niilk and 

 honey," assuming with our savans, that 

 honey is not made, but gathered, and con- 

 setpiently if not gathered, lost, it becomes a 

 question, whether with knowledge adequate 

 to its collection, man is justified in reject- 

 ing (which neglecting is) to secure such a 

 valuable article of sustenance, perhaps the 

 most condensed and healthy nutriment in 

 existence. We think we miiy as well ac- 

 knowledge that man is mainly, if not exclu- 

 sively, controlled by self-liiterest. (The 

 nearest ai)proa('h to unselfishness I know of 

 is this Society, teaching and inducing 

 others to enter the field as competitors). 

 That being the case, we think to discuss 

 this question of how best to educate our 

 neighbors can best be done by our own suc- 

 cess ? If we satisfy them that every ten 

 acres is surticient f(U' one hive, that every 

 hundred acres, admitting that all kept, 

 would give sufficient ranjje for ten hives, 



