Maine Department of Agriculture 



QUARTERLY BULLETIN 



Vol. XVII. December, 1918. No. 4. 



BEE CULTURE IN MAINE 

 By O. B. GriEEin, Caribou, Maine 



Nearly everyone whose early years have been spent in the 

 country has, at some time in their youth, learned the taste of 

 honey. Perhaps their first knowledge of the most wholesome 

 of nature's sweets may have come from robbing and destroying 

 a nest of bumblebees of their hard earned treasures, or it may 

 have been purchased at considerable cost in pain and facial dis- 

 figurement, but who has not felt well repaid after the battle 

 was over and the victory won, and who has not resolved after 

 an acquaintance with the beautiful solid combs of honey of the 

 honeybee (Apis Mellifica), that as soon as possible they would 

 own some bees and produce their own honey. If they did 

 not make such a resolve, it was because they were deterre'd 

 only by the fear of their stings. 



With flowers everywhere during the spring and summer 

 months, many of which secrete nectar, it is really a pity that 

 so few have honey as a part of their bill of fare, or even know 

 of its real value as food. 



Until recent years many physicians had very little knowledge 

 of honey as an article of food, especially for patients who 

 perhaps could not partake of cane or beet sugars or much solid 

 food. There are some who cannot eat honey, but only a very 

 few. Such people are presumably affected by the small trace 

 of poison contained in the honey since a small piece will 

 make them very sick. There are also a few people to whom 

 the sting of the bee will cause serious trouble, while a few 

 stings would undoubtedly cause death, but such cases are rare. 

 Those who like honey but cannot eat it clear, are able to eat 



