1847. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



233 



The Genesee Farmer. 



Mr. Editor : — I wish to say a word or two 

 in regard to tiie " Genesee Farmer." I really 

 wonder why more of the farming population do 

 not take the paper. Many will spend three or 

 four times the price of it on some public occa- 

 sion, and return home " nothing better," but of- 

 ten "rather the worse," and yet think they can- 

 not afford to take your paper. Others think their 

 own experience better than the notions of theo- 

 rists. Others again think, that in regard to far- 

 ming "there is nothing like the good old way." 

 And others still are not willing to be enlighten- 

 ed ; &c. &c. I imagine however that many 

 more would take the paper, if it could be thrown 

 in their way. One thing is certain ; unless the 

 present generation shall begin to read, the next 

 will have both to read and labor, or suffer. 



I am not a farmer, but I would not be without 

 the paper for many times its value. There is no 

 better "kitchen garden" in this vicinity than 

 mine, and yet my ground has not been regular- 

 lay naanured for years ; although by the aid of 

 your paper I am able to enrich it in some way, 

 with raarterials that most of my neighbors throw 

 away. Every paper furnishes me with hints by 

 which I can profit. Thanks to the " Farmer " 

 for these hints. 



One who is willing to Learn from 



THE Experience of Others. 



Menroe County, 1847. 



Premium Bee-Hives. 



Mr. Editor : — Bee-hives " is the subject of ray story ;" 

 but should I digress occasionally, I trust you will allow that 

 the fault is at (east pardonable. If I am somew hat severe, it 

 will be nothing more than, in my judgment, the circum- 

 stances of the ease demand. In the lirst place, then, a word 

 in relation to Agricultural Fairs. Laying aside the consti 

 tutionality, I would like to ask. is it honorable, is it just, 

 is it even/a(V, that a State Society should av\-^rd premiums 

 to citizens of foreign States, while llie present principle of 

 distributing awards to our oum citizens is exciting the in- 

 dignation and disgust. of many worthy men? Were we to 

 judge of men's motives from their acts, what opinion are we 

 to form of, or what confidence to place in, committees who 

 are ever ready to bestow a prize upon tlie wealthy and in- 

 fluential Mr. , for best breeding Mare, when the/arf is, 



the animal is ten years old and has never iiad a colt? — 

 while, at the same lime, the poor man. whose influence is 

 limited to his own immediate neighborliood, not knowing 

 the importance of securing the services of some pettifogging 

 friend, brings forward his noble animal with the proof at 

 her side, and has to return to his home the wiser for hav- 

 ing learned that it is "Money makes the mare go." 



This, Mr. Editor, is no flighl of the imagination — no fan- 

 cied grievance — as ! am credibly informed a like case actu- 

 ally occurred in our own county. But we set out to speak 

 of Bee-hives ; very well, at the Fair at Auburn, in 1846, 

 the first preference was given to an article, (I think no sens- 

 ible man will hardly call it a Hive,) from VennoiU — while 

 the secwid was given to Mr. Kelsey's "only one of real 

 value and utility," and the residue were deemed unworthy 

 the attention of the public. (Wonderful ! wise ! commit- 

 tee 1 ! No doubt they are the very identical persons with 

 whom all knowledge is to die !) Where, let me ask, was 

 the Hive for which a diplovia was awarded in 1-845 ? Did 

 the committee not see it ? or have the inventions of the past 

 year so far eclipsed it as to render it unworthy our attention? 

 I would like to ask that apiarian committee, what are the 

 qualities most essential in a Bee-hive of "real value and 



utility." We of Monroe county are inclined to believe that 

 the Hive which last year was deemed worthy a diploma, 

 and which " combines all the advantages of former im- 

 provements, with some valuable qualifications for ventila- 

 tion, reinuving old couib, dividing swarms, and preventing 

 the depredations of the bee-noth, — the whole under the 

 entire control of the operator,"— is one which is at least 

 worthy of public notice. But that Vei-mont Pyramid, which 

 no one will venture to eay is well adapted to the multiply- 

 ing of colonies, the preventing the ravages of the bee-moth 

 and the robber , yet, from its mathematical figure and me- 

 chanical con.-it ruction so far captivated the committee, that 

 it was allowed to bear ofil' the palm, much to the disappoint- 

 ment of experienced bee eulturists. 



And now, Mr. Editor, we will notice the second and last 

 regarded worthy our attention by that wise committee ; or 

 in other words, Mr. Kelsf.y's " only one of real value and 

 utility." And what are the merits claimed for this wonder- 

 ful invention ? Let Mr. Kelsey answer for himself : 



First, "Tlie bees are easily hived." Now can any one 

 be found so a/lli/ as to argue that the same cannot be done 

 by numerous patent hives, and even with the old box and 

 straw hives ? 



Second — "It never becomes necessary to kill ofl" the 

 swarms." If this be a newly discovered principle, or even 

 first applied to Bee-hivee by Mr. Kelsey, it is for me yet 

 to learn. 



Third—" Honey can at all times be taken away when it 

 can be spared by the swarms." Strange as it may appear, 

 this principle has been successfully applied by Dr. O. IIey- 

 nolus and others, long before Mr. Kelsey secured a patent 

 for his " only one of real value and utility." 



Fourth — " Young swarms can be taken away at the prop- 

 er period iind put into other hives." This principle has 

 been practiced by Br. O. Reynolds with great success for 

 two years, and by others for even a longer period. 



Fifth — " The swarms are entirely protected from robbery 

 by neighboring bees." This priniiple depends for success 

 as much upon the care of the apiariam as upon the construc- 

 tion of the Hive. 



Sixth— " The eggs or embryo of the bee-moth, or miller, 

 c^n not hatch or mature around these hives." This, Mr. 

 Editor, is to mo a stumper. I think an apiarian will have 

 to divest himself of his experience at least, to swallow so 

 gross an absurdity. No observing man can have kept bees 

 for one year even, without having learned that the miller 

 will enter wherever there is a passage for the bees, and 

 once in the hive they deposite their eggs at pleasure iu 

 every waxen crevice, where in due time a worm is brought 

 forth to annoy, and if not removed, to destroy the bees. — 

 The idea that a zinc plate will prevent the ravages of the 

 moth, is too absurd to publish to the world. I am fully- 

 satisfied from experience and careful observation, that inju- 

 ries from the moth can only be prevented by closing the 

 hive when the bees have ceased their labor for the day. — 

 The alternating principle of Mr. Kelsey's hive is such that 

 honey taken for use will be more or less mingled with 

 brood comb. 



And now, Mt. Editor, notwithstanding a wise(!) com- 

 mittee has said that the Vermont Pyramid, and Mr. Kel- 

 sey's "only one of real value and utility," are the hives, 

 and the omy hives worthy our attention ; yet I can say, 

 and from experience too, that "Dr. O. Rey.xolds' Non- 

 Swnrming and Dividing Bee-Hive," has with me proved 

 itself well woith the attention of the public in general, and 

 of Bee culliirists in particular. 



1 remain, sir, your humble subscriber, 



Webster, N. Y., 1847. A. G. Melvin. 



Remarks. — The vibove communication has 

 been on hand nearly a year. In publishing it, 

 we must dissent from the views of the writer rel- 

 ative to Agricultural Societies. The fact that 

 one man has been deprived of a premium on his 

 horse or bee-hive — by some unintentional error 

 or oversight of a committee — is hardly a suffi- 

 cient reason for condemning both State and 

 County Societies and their committees. We 

 express no opinion as to the comparative merits 

 of the hives mentioned by friend Melvin, not 

 having examined all of them. 



