242 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



.ili 



Arkansas and Apiculture. 



There is, perhaps, no territory of equal 

 proportions tothatlinownas "the South," 

 that is blessed with so many natural ad- 

 vantages, and that has so many possibili- 

 ties of material prosperity. We have, in 

 common with many apiculturists of this 

 country, often thought that grand and 

 profitable results of bee-keeping would be 

 reached in that section of country, as soon 

 as its true value became known, and the 

 prejudices of former education had been 

 overcome. 



Having received an invitation from the 

 Hon. J. M. Loughborough, Land Com- 

 missioner of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain 

 and Southern Railroad, at Little Rock, and 

 Col T. B. Mills, of Little Rock, publisher 

 of the Spirit of Arkansas, to accompany 

 an editorial excursion through the State 

 of Arkansas, for the purpose of seeing 

 with our own eyes, things as they were, 

 and of conversing with its people at their 

 homes— the publisher of the American 

 Bee Journal accepted, and started on 

 Monday, Sept, 27, for St. Louis, to join the 



party. . i 4. • 



On Tuesday, at 9 v. M., a special train 

 started for the Sunny South, with 150 ex- 

 cursionists, representing that many ot the 

 leading papers of the North-west. The 

 train ctmsisted of a powerful engine 

 trimmed with flags, four Pulman Palace 

 Sleeping Cars, one day car, etc., all be- 

 longing to the Iron Mountain R. R. 



After passing Moark, we came to Jud- 

 sonia where a Baptist University is lo- 

 cated. It is under the charge of the Kev. 

 B. Thomas, M. A., and gives thorough in- 

 struction in all useful branches of learning. 

 Arriving at Little Rock, the capital of 

 the State, at 2:30 p.m. the next day we 

 enioyed the hospitalities ot Col. ilios. 

 Laflerty, a whole-souled and successtul 

 dry goods merchant of that city. 



Here we met unexpectedly our old 

 friend Judson Austin, Esq., whose pleas- 

 ant face and mature counsels cheered and 

 smoothed our patliway fifteen years ago. 



We also made the pleasant acquaint- 

 ance of scores of other gentlemen and 

 ladies— only a few of wliom we can now 

 mention in particular, for want of space. 

 Chief among tlicsc was Gen. II. A. Pierce, 

 who accomininied the excursion over the 

 State, and made one of the pleasantest 

 companions we ever had the pleasure ot 

 meeting. By the way, the General is in- 

 terested in apiculture, and intends to enter 

 more largely into the business next spring. 

 He says that he knows of no place m the 

 world that is so favorable to bee-keepiug 

 as Arkansas. It abounds with bloom 

 . from early in March till December; bees 

 need never be removed from their summer 



stands, and prosper abundantly with but 

 very little attention. He says that it 

 Northern bee-keepers would come down 

 there with their scientific and practical 

 knowledge, they would do vastly more 

 than " astonish the natives." The General 

 introduced us to several other bee-men, 

 and we enjoyed a pleasant chat with them. 

 In the evening the citizens of Little 

 Rock got up a magnificent complimen- 

 tarv banquet at Concordia Hall, which 

 wa's decorated with flags on all sides, as 

 well as mottos of welcome. The tables 

 were loaded with delicacies and choice 

 viands and ornamented with splendid 

 bouquets, provided by the ladies. This 

 was one of the largest and grandest iJan- 

 quets ever given in that city. 



The guests were all Northern men ; but a 

 more cordial reception could not be given 

 to them, anvwhere in the world. We were 

 especially pleased at the marked demon- 

 strations of the fact that the "late un- 

 pleasantness" was over, and that the bone 

 of contention was buried, and that all ac- 

 cepted the situation; and that now a 

 Northerner was as welcome and just as 

 safe there as in any town or city on the 

 continent. , , 



Speeches and toasts followed ; we have 

 no room to report them, but will say that 

 the address of welcome was delivered by 

 Gen R C Newton, in an earnest speecn. 

 He referred to the button-hole bouquets 

 with which the tables were so beautifully 

 decorated, and which the guests were not 

 slow to appropriate. He then remarked 

 that he was pleased to have eye-witnesses 

 in the State, that the people might be seen 

 as thev are; that their manners, habits, 

 etc might be observed. He wanted the 

 visitorslo come often, and come at last to 

 stay It pleased him to know that we had 

 an opportunity to show the St^te arid the 

 products and the people. The North- 

 west and the Southwest were now just 

 becoming known to each other, and he 

 was dad to see it. and hoped it won d be 

 conti^nued. The State had been built up 

 by nature as an invitatimi for pluck, cap- 

 iuil and enterprise, and he would say: 

 Come and see us— come,and bring "1 ankee 

 Doodle," and "Live and Die in Dixie. 



After the Banquet, the party left for 

 Malvern, where we breakfasted, and then 

 went on to the celebrated Hot Springs, 

 where another ovation occurred. Ihe 

 citizen's committee met the Pi'i;'}; ^^^ the 

 terminus of the Narrow Gauge R.R., over 

 eight miles of which we passed, and es- 

 corted us to Hot Springs, where every 

 attention and comfort was aflorded us, 

 and in the evening there was a grand re- 

 ception ball at the Arlington House. 



Here invalids come by hundreds to par- 

 take of the invigorating (inalities of these 

 " waters of life." Hot Sprin-s has about 

 4,000 inhabitants, and is a lively am tasU- 

 ionable resort. We visited Arkadelphia, 



