10 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



SYSTEM. 



By Geo. W. House. 



We may turn our attention in 

 any direction we wish and shall see 

 that perfection is attained only 

 through system. We see it in the 

 creation of the heavens and the 

 earth ; in the different seasons of 

 the year accompanied by the dews, 

 winds, rainfalls, the influence of the 

 sun, etc., without which all vegeta- 

 tion would be naught, in fact, every- 

 thing in which nature plays a part 

 must he and is in accordance with 

 some system. 



Take, for example, the daily toil 

 of the ant. What could be accom- 

 plished by these insects w^ithout 

 system? All the nations of the 

 world nmst have a system of gov- 

 ernment^ or become annihilated and 

 fall a prey to some other power. 



We see the importance of system 

 in conducting and running the hun- 

 dreds of trains on our great rail- 

 roads. The system of commerce 

 enables our vessels to navigate to 

 all parts of the world. Without 

 system, our postal-laws would be of 

 but little account ; our express com- 

 panies could accomplish nothing ; 

 our money would be of no value 

 and no market would exist for our 

 various articles of production. Sys- 

 tem is foremost in our manufacto- 

 ries, in banking and in printing. 

 It is system that enables our Wall 

 street brokers to manipulate the 

 stock markets ; that insures suc- 

 cess to the thousan(;ls of our whole- 

 sale and retail business houses ; 

 and it is of vast importance to the 



fancier, in breeding and improving 

 our horses, cattle, swine, poultry, 

 etc. In fact, any business without 

 systematic management will sooner 

 or later succumb to the inevitable. 



With these facts before us, what 

 think you of apiculture ? The finest 

 illustration of system we have is 

 exhibited in the habits and home 

 of the honey-bee. If we would but 

 study them, we shall learn that to 

 attain perfection in our calling, 

 and place apiculture on an equal 

 footing with kindred pursuits, we 

 should inaugurate system. Can you 

 tell of any pursuit of equal magni- 

 tude that manifests so little system 

 as- is displa^-ed in the management 

 of our products ? That much sys- 

 tem is shown in the management 

 of the apiary is true ; but there is 

 room for much improvement. 



It is to be regretted that our bee- 

 literature in all its different forms 

 gives so little attention to a subject 

 of so much importance. Can you 

 find a page, yes, a column, or even 

 a short article on this question ? 

 And if not, why not ? 



There is an opportunity for im- 

 provement in our journals to ren- 

 der them indispensable to every 

 apiarist. Instead of publishing so 

 many letters, extolling either the 

 editor's goods, or some act of his, 

 would it not be better to devote 

 that space to this subject? 



We need a universal system in 

 grading and crating our honey, and 

 marketing the same ; in the manu- 

 facture of our hives, boxes, etc. ; in 

 collecting reliable statistics in time 

 to be of benefit to the producer ; in 

 buying all our supplies, and in fur- 



