72 



GLEAJSriNGS IN BEE CULTURE 



PROFITABLE AND UNPROFITABLE EXPENDITURE 

 OF LABOR IN HONEY PRODUCTION. 



One of the remarkable things one notices, 

 he said, when visiting beekeepers is the vast 

 ditTerence in the amonnt of time and labor 

 expended by ditferent individuals in accom- 

 plishing similar results. It is not always 

 the professional beekeeper who produces his 

 crop with the minimum expenditure of time 

 and labor, nor is it always the amateur who 

 produces his crop with the maximum ex- 

 penditure of time and labor. 



There are men here who are operating a 

 series of apiaries with probably a less ex- 

 pense than others are expending on a single 

 apiary. A peculiar thing about this feature 

 of beekeeping is the fact that it is not a 

 phase of the business that can readily be 

 taught at conventions nor through the jour- 

 nals, nor even by visiting the more efficient 

 beekeei^er. It seems rather to come from 

 experience — not experience measured in 

 years of routine work in the apiary, but the 

 experience of the manager, the experience 

 of the man who is not so covered up with 

 the details of his business that he is unable 

 to see their interrelation and relative im- 

 portance. 



To make the problem more difficult, the 

 beekeeper is at once both manager and rou- 

 tine laborer; and one tendency is to become 

 so engrossed with the routine work that 

 ability as a business manager may be de- 

 veloped slowly. Fortunately, however, bee- 

 keeping calls forth such a variety of activi- 

 ties that it stimulates development in vai'ious 

 directions. Beekeeping is a business of de- 

 tails; and while one may be overwhelmed 

 with the multitude of details, another with 

 double the number of colonies, and perhaj^s 

 other business interests, somehow gets 

 through the busy season and lives to tell 

 about it. 



The paradox that the one who has the 

 most to do has the most time for extra work, 

 holds in beekeeping as well as elsewhere. 

 The usual trouble with the man who is over- 

 worked is that he hasn't enough to do to 

 compel him to systematize his work. It may, 

 therefore, sometimes be a kindness to over- 

 worked individuals to impose extra burdens 

 upon them. 



The greatest efficiency in beekeeping is 

 not develojied by operating a single apiai-y 

 of one or two hundred colonies with no 

 other business carried on in connection. He 

 had in mind a beekeeper who was forced 

 into greater efficiency by a series of promo- 

 tions in other business. He has gradually 

 increased the number of colonies operated; 

 and during the same time has been compel- 

 led to decrease the amount of time spent in 

 the apiaries. Years ago, with a single api- 



ary and but little other work, he was a very 

 much overworked individual; but now he is 

 operating three apiaries of 60 to 100 colo- 

 nies each, for comb honey, is otherwise em- 

 jiloyed, and several hundred miles away 

 from the bees during 10y2 to 11 months of 

 the year. 



Compared with some of you, this partic- 

 ular beekeeper is but half grown; but it 

 lequired considerable external pressure to 

 compel him to become more efficient as a 

 beekeeper. 



The beekeeper who uses his energies and 

 ability at " half capacity " in order to be 

 able to label himself a specialist is paying 

 a high ]irice for a fancy label. 



The beekeeper with 100 or 200 colonies, 

 who hesitates about keeping more bees, 

 should by all means take up some other 

 work in connection with beekeeping. 



The motto, " Keep more bees," should 

 stand as a monument to the memory of the 

 remarkable man who so patiently and per- 

 sistently taught it; and it would seem like 

 sacrilege, he said, to change it in any way; 

 but could we not put up in big letters, 

 '' Keep more bees," then write underneath 

 in small letters, "but if you don't, get an- 

 otlier job to be carried on in connection with 

 beekeeping, and woi'k at the other job most 

 of the time"? 



The election of officeis resulted as fol- 

 lows: President, S. D. House; Vice-presi- 

 dent, John T. Green ; Secretary, Irving 

 Kenyon. 



ODE TO A HONEY-BEE 



BY T. F. NORRIS 



Dear bee, thou art a rover 

 When the meadows bloom with clover. 

 From bloom to bloom thou'rt goin? 

 Where the sought-for nectar's growinsj 

 Fearless of the rain and thunder, 

 Through the distant fields you wander 

 Where the winding streamlets flow 

 EveJ onward, still you go. 



Onward still, thou blossom-rover. 

 Till the autumn flowers are over. 

 With too much courage for a bee. 

 Or any thing so small and free. 

 Through noontide's scorching ray. 

 Ever hastening on thy way, 

 On thy way on pinions fleet. 

 Still in search of hidden sweet. 



Toil on, thou restless rover ; 

 O'er many blossoms thou dost hover; 

 Merrily o'er each bloom bounding, 

 With your merry hum resounding. 

 Toiling while the day is closing. 

 Thence homeward to thy home reposing 

 Is thy home a hive or tree ? 

 Pray tell me, dear honey-bee. 

 Vanceburg, Ky., Dec. 17. 



