MAY 15, 1914 



369 



GENERAL 



.PONDENCE 



5TS IN BEEKEEPING ; A VALUABLE AMTECLE FROM 

 ONE m^HO KNOWS 



BY R. F. HOLTERMANN 



The article of Arthur C. Miller, followed 

 by your editorial on pages 290, 291, inter- 

 ests me. I believe the estimate of 10 per 

 cent loss in the introduction of queens is not 

 far from correct, although with me it gen- 

 erally runs somewhat less. I doubt if the 

 beginner has a much heavier loss in intro- 

 duction, as the rules for this Avork are pret- 

 ty well known, and, if followed out at all, 

 are likely to give just as good results with 

 a beginner as with any one else. 



In introducing queens, especially in the 

 fall of the year, I feel sure that a matter 

 that is overlooked is that, at such time, there 

 are often two queens in the hive — mother 

 and daughter. We found a large number 

 of colonies in that condition last fall when 

 introducing several hundred young queens. 



STUDENTS. 



In the footnote attached to the same arti- 

 cle you are kind enough to value my time at 

 50 cts. an hour. The bee season lasts in all 

 about six months, or close to 150 days. That 

 would give me a wage of just about $750 

 per year. Would that not be a pretty hand- 

 some salary for a man who has been en- 

 gaged for over thirty years in a business? 

 I am afraid that, in counting the cost of 

 honey production, there are a large number 

 who do not consider that there are many 

 days for a beekee^Der when his time is worth 

 little or nothing, and that he must " make 

 hay when the sun shines." 



Then as to students, you overstate Avbat 

 I pay tliem. I consider that it has cost me 

 considerable to learn what I have by ex- 

 perience. Moreover, I have spent a good 

 deal of money in going to conventions and 

 privately visiting beekeepers. T am run- 

 ning something like 800 colonies; and who- 

 ever comes with me for a season should get 

 the benefit of pretty long and wide experi- 

 ence. If a person goes to school, college, 

 or university, it costs money, and I do not 

 — need not — teach a young man his business 

 and pay him besides. 1 have taken two 

 more young men than usual this year, and 

 could easily get as many more, to say noth- 

 ing about several young ladies. 



I want men of clean habits. I do not call 

 tobacco-smoking a clean habit; for, even if 

 smoking is not indulged in at work, or 

 going back and forward to work with others, 



one using tobacco always smells of it, which 

 is vei'y unpleasant for those not using it. 

 Then, if I judge from correspondence I 

 have with those who are likely to be suit- 

 able, they come understanding they Avork as 

 they learn, and get their board. That is all 

 that is definitely promised them. Their 

 Avashing is not promised them, but Ave have 

 done that for them with the exception of 

 fine shirts and collars. Then if I do Avell 

 (Avliich I fix as getting 50 lbs. of surplus 

 per colony, spring count), and they do well, 

 I promise them $35.00 at the close of the 

 honey season, and the promise to stay for 

 the season, April 15 to Oct. 1 (about). 



I have no trouble in getting all the help 

 I Avant, and I have generally succeeded in 

 picking desirable and intelligent men. Mr. 

 H. H. Boot Avill not hesitate in saying I 

 made a good selection last year. 



What I expect from students is an inter- 

 est in the work. The terms they come on 

 Avould indicate that; but there is a great 

 difference in men. Some are thorough in all 

 they do, Avhile others are the opposite. Some 

 have their mind on Avhat they do, and some 

 have their minds on almost any thing except 

 Avhat they do. Others appear to have no 

 mind at all. I have found, in the majority 

 of cases, a well-brought-up farmer's son a 

 good man. A shirker is a nuisance, and, as 

 a rule, between us he manages to get his 

 share of the load before the season is up. 



Let me say here there is no trouble in 

 sizing up people. It is only the selfishness 

 of a person that prevents him from seeing 

 that every one can read him as readily as he 

 can an open book. 



What I Avill not tolerate is a two-faced 

 person — one Avho can do things well Avhen 

 some one is around, and any Avay but Avell 

 Avhen no one is around. I expect students 

 to make mistakes sometimes. That is part 

 of their tuition ; but I do not expect them 

 to make the same mistake over and over 

 again. I do not expect them to make mis- 

 takes A'ery often that a little foresight 

 Avould have prevented. If they do it counts 

 against them. I have much symjDathy for a 

 person not naturally very alert so long as 

 T can see he is doing the best he can, par- 

 ticularly if he is frank. 



I have had quite a lot of young men do 

 Avell under my tuition and management. 



