AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



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gathering in his location, especially 

 when honey is scarce, and thinks that 

 the black bees should be defended. 



Mr. Lawrence, on page 478, says : 

 " The little black or brown bee for me — 

 less work, more honey, more money. 



Mr. Irvin Grover, on page 387, says : 

 " I have tested the blacks by the side of 

 the Italians, and have found the Italians 

 superior in every point mentioned by 

 Mr. Blanken." 



Some people are so down on black 

 bees that if they see a little black bee 

 anywhere, they will attempt to kill it. 

 Now, if a poultry-breeder would kill all 

 his black fowls, he would certainly do 

 wrong ; and so it is with bee-keepers — 

 they are doing wrong in throwing away 

 a good black queen, for they are losing 

 both honey and money. 



What I have said before, I must say 

 again, no matter what others think 

 about it; and those that know me will 

 remember that I never use a smoker, 

 neither do I use gloves, and very seldom 

 a veil, in my own or anybody else's api- 

 ary ; for I have been working with bees 

 and in apiaries since my 8th year, and 

 find that black bees are not as cross as 

 hybrids and others, and are better 

 workers. 



Jersey City, N. J. 



Why Clergymen Should Keep Bees, 



REV. J. CAKSWELL,. 



This is a subject which has not been 

 touched in this paper for some time, and 

 so a few lines upon it may not be out of 

 place. It may reach some of my breth- 

 ren in the ministry who have not thought 

 of the matter before, and induce them 

 to join our ranks and begin the study of 

 the honey-bee, which they will find one 

 of the most interesting that can engage 

 their attention. 



A large number of the most advanced 

 and intelligent bee-keepers belong to 

 this class, and they have done much to 

 make this industry what it now is. In 

 proof of this, I need only to refer to the 

 case of the Rev. L. L. Langstroth, who, 

 by his inventions, writings and ad- 

 dresses, has well earned the title of 

 "The Father of American Bee-Keeping." 

 We do look up to him, and reverence 

 and respect him as a father, and sympa- 

 thize with him deeply in the keen suffer- 

 ings, the "much tribulation" through 

 which he is called upon to pass. 



Others of the clerical profession, 

 though not so noted at Mr. Langstroth, 



have added their quota to the general 

 fund of information and experience. 

 Still the number of clergymen who keep 

 bees is comparatively small. Now, there 

 are quite a number of reasons why they 

 should keep bees, viz. : 



1. For recreation and exercise. No 

 class of men need this more. In fact 

 they must have it if they are to make 

 the most of themselves, and do their 

 work in the best possible way. Now, 

 the occupation of bee-keeping furnishes 

 them, during a portion of the year, with 

 the recreation and exercise they require. 

 They cannot help becoming intensely 

 interested in it, as their knowledge in- 

 creases, and they go on making experi- 

 ments and performing the manipulations 

 necessary for successful bee-keeping. 

 In this way their minds are drawn away 

 from their studies and their worries, and 

 are rested and refreshed. Whilst thus 

 occupied in the open air, they obtain 

 exercise for their bodies, and inhale an 

 abundant supply of oxygen, which 

 causes the blood to course through their 

 veins with greater ease, and imparts 

 fresh warmth and vitality to the entire 

 system ; so that when they return to 

 their studies, they are prepared mentally 

 and physically for doing efficient work. 



2. For the addition to their incomes 

 of what it furnishes. As a class, clergy- 

 men are underpaid, considering the time 

 and money spent in preparation for the 

 work, the position they must occupy in 

 society, and the innumerable calls made 

 upon them for Christian and benevolent 

 objects. The result is, that very many 

 have great difficulty in making ends 

 meet. If they have families to educate 

 it is only by exercising self-denial and 

 observing the strictest economy that 

 they can do it. In these circumstances 

 the profits of a little apiary form a most 

 helpful appendage, and secure many 

 little extras which add very materially 

 to the comforts of the home. I have 

 heard of more than one clergyman who 

 made enough from his bees to educate 

 his children, some of his sons being now 

 in the ministry. 



3. For the means which it furnishes 

 of ministering to the sick. Whilst im- 

 parting to them spiritual consolation, he 

 can at the same time tempt their im- 

 paired bodily appetites by giving them a 

 little honey done up in an attractive 

 way, and by a slight attention of this 

 kind, he may strengthen the tie and in- 

 crease the affection subsisting between 

 his people and him. 



4. For the counsel he may be able to 

 give, and the assistance he may render 



