AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



75 



We need hardly say more to prove that 

 our friend was early taught to be relig- 

 ious, truthful, honest, and industrious, 

 for how loyal are almost all the Scotch 

 to all these grand principles, which are 

 the very basis of true manhood ! When 

 I add to all this the fact that the par- 

 ents were sturdy and vigorous, able to 

 carve out a home in the forest wilds, I 

 have said enough to show that our 

 friend was born to unusual fortune. The 

 mother, though a pioneer farmer's wife, 

 and mother to fourteen children, still 

 lives in good health, at the age of 79. 

 Ten of the children still survive. Presi- 



R. L. TAYLOR. 



dent Taylor is the oldest of the six sur- 

 viving sons. Like most farmer boys, 

 young Taylor worked on the farm sum- 

 mers, and went to a common district 

 school in the winter. At the age of 19 

 he lost his father, who was carried off 

 by an accident, when the severe and 

 arduous duties of a large farm devolved 

 on our friend. But he had learned to 

 labor, and was equal to the emergency. 

 But our friend aspired to a college edu- 

 cation. He taught winters, and pre- 

 pared himself for the classical depart- 

 ment of the Michigan University, which 

 he entered in 1862. 



In 1865, a thirst for business, which 

 robs so many college students of their 

 diplomas, took Mr. Taylor from the col- 



lege. He entered mercantile life, which 

 he followed at Almont very successfully 

 for three years. But mere business 

 was not wholly to Mr. Taylor's tastes, 

 and so he spent his spare time — every 

 determined man, however prompt in 

 business, can find spare time — in the 

 study of law. He was admitted to the 

 bar in 1869. In 1872 he was elected 

 Register of Deeds by the largest majority 

 ever received by any county officer of 

 his county. He then moved to Lapeer, 

 where he has resided ever since. Two 

 years later he was re-elected. In 1877 

 he resumed the practice of law, and was 

 elected Prosecuting Attorney the follow- 

 ing year. 



At this time, fortunately for apicul- 

 ture, two colonies of bees fell into Mr. 

 Taylor's possession. His early life and 

 habits had developed a taste for rural 

 life and pursuits that had not left him 

 with his youth. Country air and land- 

 scape still lured him toward the country, 

 and led to the purchase of his present 

 beautiful home in the suburbs of Lapeer. 

 His bees increased rapidly, and his In- 

 terest kept pace, owing, doubtless, to 

 the success which marked his labors 

 from the first. Thus he declined a re- 

 nomlnation as Prosecuting Attorney,and 

 very soon gave up the practice of law, 

 that he might devote his entire time to 

 his bees. Thus here, as everywhere, 

 Mr. Taylor, Is consistent. He preaches 

 exclusive apiculture for the apiarist, and 

 does what very few of his colleagues In 

 his faith do — he practices what he 

 preaches. He Is, perhaps, the largest 

 bee-keeper In our State. 



As an apiarist he stands among the 

 first. His cautious, scientific, thoroughly 

 informed mind grapples even with foul 

 brood, and the fell disease is worsted in 

 the struggle. He told me once, as I 

 visited his apiary, that he rather en- 

 joyed the malady, as it was Interesting 

 to watch and study it. How few are 

 cautious enough to hold this scourge at 

 arm's length, even though it be right In 

 the apiary ! 



Mr. Taylor is one of Michigan's best 

 bee-keepers. The American Society is 

 honored no less than Mr. Taylor In his 

 presidency. He Is so expert in bee-keep- 

 ing that he can " feed back " at a profit, 

 and can produce an immense crop of 

 comb honey — his specialty — without any 

 use of separators, and yet take the very 

 cream of the market. Like nearly all 

 successful bee-keepers, he is very in- 

 genious. Everything about his apiary 

 is neat, orderly, and convenient. His 

 Invention to fasten foundation In the 

 sections Is doubtless one of the very best 



