$ J\)Q Apiary ^ 



HINTS TO AMATEUR BEE-KEEPERS.— I. 



AVING been a constant reader of the Horticulturist 

 since its initial number was sent out, I have noted with 

 pleasure its steady improvement, until now it is a credit 

 to the editor, the publisher, and the Society whose organ 

 it is. I am satisfied of the wisdom of devoting a portion 

 of its columns to bee-keeping, because of the intimate 

 relationship that exists between bees and fruit, if for no 

 other reason ; and I trust this " new departure " will be 

 favorably received and worthily maintained. It should 

 be borne in mind, however, that it is a different thing to 

 write on bee-keeping for a journal specially devoted to 

 apiculture from treating the same subject in a horticul- 

 tural paper. In the one case the writer addresses himself 

 to an audience fully conversant with the practice and principles of the science, 

 whilst in the other he speaks to people, a majority of whom are novices in the 

 business. To be interesting and instructive, his treatment of the subject in hand 

 must be regulated by the capacity of those for whom he writes to comprehend 

 and appreciate what he says. Under existing circumstances, I think your 

 correspondents should mainly confine themselves to discussing the initial steps 

 in bee-keeping, and the primary principles of apiculture. Debatable points may 

 profitably be kept in the background until first principles are exhausted and a 

 desire for further knowledge manifests itself. 



If there be any avocation to which bee-keeping may be profitably added, it 

 is fruit growing. Farmers should keep bees, but not become bee-keepers in the 

 ordinary sense of the term. They should keep bees to supply their families with 

 an abundance of honey throughout the year Beyond this, as a general rule, it 

 will not pay them to go. The reasons for this are obvious enough ; but those 

 reasons do not apply to the professional orchardist. He can prosecute the 

 business with as little inconvenience and as little tax upon his time as any one. 

 The nature of his business confines him to the vicinity where his bees will be 

 kept. In the season he will be on hand to capture and hive swarms as they 

 issue, and then resume his work He can harvest his honey without interfering 

 much with his other duties. This is usually done after small fruit is marketed 

 and before the harvesting of larger fruit begins. Then he has a good deal of 

 spare time in winter, a part of which may be devoted to hive-making and other 

 appliances used in the business of bee-keeping. As a rule, he will make a better 

 bee-keeper than the farmer, because he is more accustomed to attend to details 

 in small things, which counts not a little in the successful management of bees. 



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