742 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



l^omen are engaging in bee-cul- 

 ture quite often of late, and the pursuit 

 is attracting considerable attention as an 

 occupation for women. 



Mr. John H. Martin, in the September 

 number of the Illustrated American, had 

 an interesting article on bee-keeping. 

 Women, he wrote, find in bee-keeping 

 an occupation particularly well suited to 

 them. The bees and their ways are 

 among the most fascinating of all mar- 

 vels of nature to the student, and the 

 various manipulations and the manage- 

 ment of the bees require ja delicacy and 

 an intuition that makes the pursuit one 

 in which women should excel. 



On the courage required when begin- 

 ning to handle bees, he writes thus: 



It is true that courage approaching 

 the heroic is required of the beginner. 

 To go near a hive and manipulate its very 

 animated and busy inmates is a ticklish 

 business at first. When we approach a 

 bee-hive we find the entrance guarded by 

 a score or more of vigilant sentinels, who 

 resent any intrusion upon their domain. 



An incautious rap upon the hive will 

 arouse the entire community to active 

 warfare, and woe to the unprotected or 

 unskillful person who thus becomes the 

 object of their vindictiveness. 



With a little experience the danger of 

 exciting their quick susceptibilities 

 diminishes, the fear of stings becomes 

 less, and the hand that trembles at the 

 first encounter with the bees becomes 

 steady as a veteran's. 



Then the interest of the beginner in 

 the occupation grows rapidly, not only 

 from the pleasure of having overcome 

 imposing obstacles, but also from 

 increasing knowledge of the habits of 

 the bees. 



In the study of the habits of the 

 honey-bees we find that their first 

 impulse, as a stranger approaches, is 

 war. If their attack is in vain, the bees 

 then seek to save as much of the pre- 

 cious sweets as possible. Each one fills 

 its honey-sac, and if time enough is given 

 for all to become loaded they are very 

 tractable, and can be manipulated easily. 



Xlie Department of Electricity 

 is making an effort to secure a complete 

 collection of historical electrical appara- 

 tus, in order to show the progress of the 

 science from early times, at the World's 

 Fair. 



Programme of the convention to 

 be held at the State House, Springfield, 

 Ills., on Dec. 16 and 17, 1891: 



Dec. 16, 10:30 a.m. — Prayer by Rev. 

 Dr. Johnson. 



Welcome Address. — G. F. Bobbins. 



11:00.— What the laws should be 

 relating to apiculture. — Hon. J. M. Ham- 

 baugh. 



11:30. — Discussions and recess. 



1:30 p.m. — Fertilization of plants by 

 honey-bees. — Mrs. L. Harrison. 



2:00. — Question-box and discussions. 



3:30. — Bees for the average farmer. — 

 Col. Chas. F. Mills. 



Dec. 17, 9:00 a.m.— The future of the 

 Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association. 

 —Dr. C. C. Miller. 



10:00. — Question-box and miscella- 

 neous. 



11:00. — Statistics of the honey pro- 

 duct of 1889 and 1890. — Secretary. 



1:30 p.m. — ^Are bees an injury or a 

 benefit to horticulturists ? — A. C. Ham- 

 mond. 



2:00. — Question-box. Adjournment. 



Director-Oeneral Dairis and 



Chiefs Buchanan and Peabody, respect- 

 ively of the Agricultural and Liberal 

 Arts Departments of the World's Fair, 

 have held a conference with a number of 

 gentlemen representing nearly fifty 

 agricultural colleges and experimental 

 stations in the United States, regarding 

 exhibits from such institutions. It was 

 practically decided that a complete 

 experimental station, showing the work 

 by students and the results secured, 

 will be established in connection with 

 the agricultural exhibit, and that the 

 exhibit by the agricultural colleges will 

 be made in the Liberal Arts Depart- 

 ment. 



Tlie 1892 Catalogue of G. B. 



Lewis Co., of Watertown, Wis., is on 

 our desk. It contains 36 pages, and 

 gives full particulars about their hives, 

 frames, sections, etc. 



Orotmd Cork is the best packing 

 material for bees in Winter. It never 

 becomes damp, and it is a thorough 

 non-conductor. It is so cheap that its 

 cost is practically nothing. 



