186 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



3. Yes, all the bee journals are pub- 

 lished by supply dealers. If Ihey were 

 not, there would be no bee journals 

 published, as no bee journal could live 

 one year unless it received other sup- 

 port than the subscriptions sent in. 

 We have been through the mill and 

 know all about it. When the " Api- 

 culturist" started it had no supply 

 business attached to it and the bee- 

 keepers who did so much howling 

 about the bee journals on account of 

 the supply connection, were never 

 heard from so far as rendering the 

 " Apiculturist" any assistance. I 

 would like to ask our friend why it is 

 that beekeepers will not subscribe for 

 and better support the bee journals? 



Now that the '• Apiculturist " has a 

 supply business connected with it, it 

 is on a good footing. We had either 

 to go into the supply business or shut 

 up shop. 



Of course the " Apiculturist" is the 

 best bee journal printed in this or any 

 other country. Just say so to your 

 friends and get them to subscribe for 

 it. 



BEEKEEPING FOR MECHANICS. 

 QUESTION BY MECHANIC. 



Mr. P. R. EussELL : 



As you are a mechanic, and a most 

 successful beekeeper, will you favor 

 the readersof the " Apiculturist " with 

 your opinion as to whether it is advis- 

 able for the average mechanic to en- 

 gage in a small way in bee culture for 

 the purpose of furnishing his own 

 table with honey, and also a little 

 ready cash by the sales of the products 

 of his apiary? 



ANSWER BY P. R. RUSSELL. 



I see no reason why a mechanic 

 should not keep a few colonies of bees 

 with pleasure and profit, provided he 

 is properly situated. If he is obliged 

 to be away from home all day, it is 

 certainly very desirable to have some 

 member of the household who is (]ual- 

 ified to look after them a bit in his ab- 

 sence; such as taking care of swarms 

 that may issue, etc. 



If a mechanic can get no assistance 

 from his family, he may still keep bees 

 in a small way with success, by the 

 aid of the-AUey drone and queen tr;ip 

 combined and artilicial swarming. 

 Many mechanics have to pay rent, or 



interest on a small mortgage, and hav- 

 ing but a small area of land, still would 

 like to keep some sort of stock that 

 would be a source of income. To such, 

 I would say, if you have room enough 

 to keep fifty hens or a cow and pig, 

 you have room enough to keep fifteen 

 or twenty hives of bees, and the bees 

 when rightly managed will pay better 

 than the cow or hens, and with less 

 care and attention, and the income 

 from them will go a long way towards 

 paying the rent or interest money. 



i know what I am writing about be- 

 cause I am a mechanic myself, and 

 work every. day in tiie shoe factory, a 

 mile and a half from home. I live just 

 on the eastern boundary of the city 

 near the woodlands, and have only 

 about 7000 feet of land on which is a 

 cottage and a small bee house, IG X 20 

 feet. Near neighbors all about, and 

 yet I manage to keep fi'om twent}' to 

 forty colonies of bees with profit, and 

 have done so a good part of the time 

 since 1867. 



I admit that I am not located just 

 as I would like to be. I am too near 

 the ocean, have a poor bee range, and 

 the honey gathered is not first quality. 

 I am too near the neighbors, and I 

 ought to have more land. But with 

 all these drawbacks, I have no idea of 

 giving up my bees. I have sacrificed 

 my hens and strawberry beds to my 

 bee interests, because they pay me 

 better on a given amount of capital 

 and labor. 



I have tiius far been able to sell all 

 my honey and beeswax at retail in the 

 home market, without making any 

 special efl'ort. I have sold none to 

 grocers for several years past. 



I am indebted to Mrs. Russell for val- 

 uable assistance in the apiary. She 

 can hive the swarms in boxes as they 

 come out and help in many ways, al- 

 though she never attempts the exami- 

 nation of hives. 



I think there are few persons, if any, 

 about here who could get a good liv- 

 ing these times by making a specialty 

 of beekeeping. That time seems to 

 have gone by I fear. But that they 

 may be made to pay a reasonable profit 

 in connection with other business, I 

 have not a shadow of doubt, for I have 

 tried it and know by experience. 



Your correspondent, L. E. Burnham, 

 writes that he had a swarm of bees. 

 May 20, which he claims to be the 

 first in this part of the state. I think 

 there are others who can " cut under" 

 hiin, and I would like to hear from a 

 few of them. Your humble servant 



