AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



427 



No. 50. -AUGUSTIX E. IWAWUM. 



The subject of our sketch this week is 

 another of the few " big bee-men " of 

 the East. He is more widely known, 



A. E. MANUM. 



perhaps, to the readers of Gleanings 

 than to those who read this journal, 

 though no bee-keeper of Mr. Manum's 

 experience and success could well help 

 being known almost throughout the 

 whole world. 



The following interesting biographical 

 account of Mr. M. was written by Mr. 

 J. H. Larrabee, for Gleanings, In 1889. 

 It shows that as a comb-honey producer 

 Mr. Manum is in the front rank of bee- 

 keepers. Here is the sketch entire, 

 which, though short, contains much 



"between the lines,"' that will give an 

 abundance of food for meditation for 

 some time : 



Augustin E. Manum, was born in 

 Waitsfield, Vt., on March 18, 1839. 

 When the war broke out he enlisted in 

 Company G, 14th Vermont regiment, as 

 a nine-months' man. He served at the 

 battle of Gettysburg, where his com- 

 rades in line on" either side were killed; 

 his own gun was shattered, and he was 

 hit four times. 



In March, 1870, a friend desired to 

 lend him " Quinby's Mysteries of Bee- 

 Keeping." Reading the book, his en- 

 thusiasm upon the subject was kindled, 

 and he immediately purchased four colo- 

 nies of bees, and began the study of 

 apiculture. Having a natural aptitude 

 for the business, and a love for the bees, 

 he was successful from the first. His 

 apiary so rapidly increased, that, at the 

 end of four years, when he had 165 

 colonies, he sold out his harness business 

 and began the pursuit as a specialist. 



Since 1884, Mr. Manum has devoted 

 all his energies to the production of 

 comb honey, increasing his plant until 

 his bees now number over TOO colonies 

 in eight apiaries. He always winters 

 his bees out-of-doors, packed in the 

 "Bristol" chaflf hive. For the eight 

 years previous to 1887, his average loss 

 in wintering for the entire time was 

 only 33^ per cent. He uses exclusively 

 a frame about 12%xlO inches, outside 

 measure, which he considers the best for 

 practical purposes in his apiaries. His 

 hive, the "Bristol," is almost entirely 

 his own invention, being specially 

 adapted to the perfect working of the 

 system upon which his bees are man- 

 aged. In 1885 his production was 

 44,000 pounds of comb honey, an aver- 

 age of 93 JC pounds per colony, all stored 

 in twelve days from basswood. 



Because of the failure of the honey 

 sources in 1889, about 14,000 pounds 

 of sugar syrup was fed the bees to pre- 

 pare them for winter. He still has much 

 faith in the pursuit, although the past 

 three successive poor honey years have 

 told heavily upon his enthusiasm. 



Mr. M. is of medium height, with dark 

 complexion, hair and eyes. A kind 

 friend, an upright gentleman, and a 

 thorough business man, he has attained 

 an enviable position among the bee- 

 keepers of Vermont, where he is so 

 universally known. His extensive opera- 

 tions, his uniform success, and his prac- 

 tical writings, have also given him a 

 national reputation. 



