628 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



Oct. 5. 1899. 



colonies in a single season, and I am sure better reports 

 will come in the future under our ne%v relations, for Cuba is 

 .surely a hon^v country. I, myself, took, in 90 daj-s. from 

 an even 100 colonies, over 2,000 g-allons of the finest honey 

 I have ever seen. But where is that 100 colonies now ? And 

 still another ISO that I used to have in Cuba? All dead. 

 Yes, dead. Doctored to death with foul-brood cures — cures 

 that 7t'o«/(/ «(7/ cure in Cuba. But I will try it again. I 

 will embark for Cuba in September, as big apiaries under 

 sheds are fascinating to me — until contaminated with 

 Cuba's contagious •' difficultj-.'' foul brood, or "bacillus 

 alvei," as Prof. Cheshire. England's great scientist, called it. 



As to Porto Rico, I have not been there yet, but my 

 friends who have, say it is no such a honey country as 

 Cuba : but, of course, it may be better; I do not know. 



" The effect of our new relations with these islands on 

 our honey market " — they will have but little, if any, effect 

 for years to come, and if they do it will be to create a mar- 

 ket for fine honey, in many places where none is produced, 

 and but little consumed at pri'sciil, as is the case in many 

 parts of the South, where the quality of honey is had, and 

 the crop uncertain, and consumption amounts to nothing. 

 In such places thousands of tons of Cuba's fine honey could 

 find a market. But for European buyers, it is not likely 

 that much honey will come into our American markets from 

 Cuba, as her market is already establisht in Europe, and 

 has been for more than a century. 



\V. W. SOMERFORD. 



The above paper was then discust as follows : 



Mr. Selser — I notice that the people who talk about the 

 market do so to mock us. 



Harry S. Howe — I am going to be down there soon, and 

 shall learn what there is to learn. 



S. A. Niver — I, too, want to take issue with Mr. Selser. 

 I have had little experience, and I have compared the honey- 

 dew with good honey. Come to York State and see how we 

 do things there. 



Dr. Miller — Mr. Selser is nowhere when New York gets 

 after him. 



The next paper was read by Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson, of 

 Michigan, on 



Bee-Keeping as a Profession. 



The time was when many industries were represented 

 in one family. Flax and wool were grown, spun and workt 

 up into cloth and made into clothing. Cows were kept, and 

 chee.se as well as butter made for home use. Poultry and a 

 few colonies of bees added to the comforts of the house- 

 hold. But there is no need of going into detail ; every one 

 knows how people lived 100 years ago. Cheap and rapid 

 transportation has encouraged the invention of machinery, 

 the building of factories, and the classification of labor. 

 This has brought about specially. No one disputes that 

 this condition of things is better: by it our comforts are 

 more than trebled. 



Some industries brancht out as specialties much sooner 

 than others. Bee-keeping was among the later ones. At 

 last, however, it has been recognized as an industry of it- 

 .self. How does it compare with other professions ? What 

 are its advantages and disadvantages ? Can it be depended 

 upon as a means of livelihood? These are questions that 

 have come to all of us, and will continue to come to all who 

 enter our ranks. 



I believe it is well understood that bee-keeping is not 

 an occupation in which we can easily become wealthy. In 

 the very nature of thing^s it cannot be otherwise. Like the 

 keeping of poultry, the raising of small fruits, gardening, 

 and other minor branches of agriculture, the keeping; of 

 bees in localities adapted to the business can tie depended 

 upon to furnish their owner a comfortable living : but such 

 fortunes as are amast in merchandising' and manufacturing 

 can never be hoped for by the bee-keeper. 



Fortunately, however, the perfection of a man's happi- 

 ness bears but little relation to the size of his fortune. 

 Many a man with the hum of bees over his head, finds hap- 

 piness sweeter and deeper than ever comes to the merchant 

 prince with his cares and his thousands. Bee-keeping is an 

 ennobling pursuit. It keeps a man close to Nature's heart. 

 It brings out the best that is in him. But can it be depended 

 upon, year after year, as a means of supporting one's fam- 

 ily '. In some localities it can ; in others it cannot. Where 

 there is only one source of honey, and that an unreliable 

 one, a man learns, sooner or later, that he cannot depend 

 upon bees alone. 



If a man is to adopt bee-keeping as a profession he 

 must choose a location pos.sessing at least one unfailing 



source of honey, or else several sources, some one or more of 

 which will be quite likely to furnish a crop. 



Many who attempt bee-keeping as a specialty, are lack- 

 ing in business methods. The}' attempt too many make- 

 shifts in the way of hives, implements, buildings, and the 

 like. To become a successful professional bee-keeper a man 

 must first find a proper locality, as I have just explained, 

 then he must secure the best stock procurable, put up suit- 

 able buildings, wintering cellars, if necessary ; have the 

 best of hives and implements, and keep a large number of 

 colonies. I think many fail in this point. They keep only 

 bees enough to bring in an income during a good year, or, 

 possibly in an average year, and when one poor year fol- 

 lows another, two or three times in succession, want stares 

 them in the face. Keep bees enough so that when there is 

 a good year or two, enough money may be made to tide 

 over the poor seasons that are sure to come. The very fact 

 that the bees are scattered about in out-apiaries, several 

 miles apart, adds to the certaintj' of a crop ; as one localitj- 

 often yields a fair crop while another a few miles away 

 3-ields nothing. 



With a man adapted to the business, a suitable locality, 

 and the adoptit>n of sound business methods, bee-keeping 

 will compare favorabl}' with other rural pursuits. 



Believing that the mission of a paper is best fulfilled 

 when it introduces the subject, rather than exhausts it, I 

 bring mine to a close. W. Z. Hutchinson. 



Mr. Doolittle — I don't like to see time run to waste, 

 neither do I want to oppose anything that so intelligent a 

 brain as Mr. Hutchinson's has brought forth. He told us 

 how agriculture, in many branches, has ceast, and the 

 masses are not happier. Mr. Hutchinson, I want to say 

 this, and enforce it by telling a story. One of those long- 

 faced brethren was riding one day, and came across a 

 young man walking, and askt him to ride. Presently they 

 entered a deep wood : he thought he was called upon to 

 speak to the young man about his soul, so he askt him the 

 question, " Are you prepared to die ?" and the young man 

 jumpt out and ran away. Now, I want to say to you, that 

 anything: that kills our happiness is wrong. 



Mr. Hutchinson— What is your point, Mr. Doolittle ? 



Mr. Doolittle — The point is, that no people are happier 

 than when working for a home. And this speculation that 

 our people have gone into has spoiled our homes. A hungry 

 dog cannot fight. You may run up a flag, but you cannot 

 force people to respect it. 



Mr. Hutchinson — When I first went to my present 

 home, we kept a cow, had a garden, etc., but the work in 

 the garden came at the same time as the work in the apiary, 

 so I laid by the cow and the garden. 



Dr. Mason —Mr. Doolittle says a poor, hungry dog can't 

 fight, so he must mean that the dog that is well fed and 

 sleek can fight the best. Now, that is all right, and I agree 

 with him. (Several — "If not/oo fat.") But what makes 

 that dog poor ? Is it not his own fault ? In our locality 

 (and you know localities differ), there are too many who 

 have not the backbone, or the principle, to make use of the 

 means at their command, to make home happy, and blame 

 the more fortunate for their success. 



W. E. FIower-This reminds me of a storj- of an Irish- 

 man. He and his wife quarreled. She said to him, " Look 

 at the dog and cat. Did you ever see anything more pace- 

 able than that ?" The husband paused and lookt at the 

 creatures, tlien said, "Jist tie them together tight, and, 

 faith, I think then they'll fight." Taxes are so high I do 

 not want a home. If I am going to spend all my income for 

 taxes, I am better ofi^ without a home. 



Dr. Miller — The question is a serious one. If a young 

 man should ask me to-da}' if bee-keeping is a profression 

 that pays. I would not dare to say it is as safe as a profes- 

 sion as it was 20 or 40 years ago. I think Mr. Hutchinson 

 was very wise in putting it that way, that it is not a matter 

 of dollars and cents. Perhaps I may rest and strengthen 

 up while following this profession ; I am a bee-keeper, and 

 I find time to go fishing. We get our pleasure as we go 

 along in our occupation. I am enjoying my bee-keeping. 

 That is my vocation, and I believe I can enjoy it as a pro- 

 fession. 



Rev. E. T. Abbott — You have gotton on my hobby. 

 This talk about bee-keeping as a specialty all sounds very 

 well, but I don't think there is a man in the room that 

 makes his living out of bee-keeping. There is something 

 else combined with it. 



Mr. Doolittle— I do. 



Rev. Abbott — Where is your farm ? 



Mr. Doolittle— Bees bought it. 



