The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-03-30

/ uafihg Deen very sui ceaefol IN the keeping OF
bees, desire to offer through the columns Of the
Havk-Eye . few practical hints, hoping may
| awaken a new interest in the little busy insect
and induce some one to undertake the care Of
| them with spirit and understanding also. / do
| not intend to enter into the natural history and
habits of bees, except incidentally, for hope to
| awaken desire to know all that is known about
them, which desire can be easily grati6ed by the
perusal of any or all of the interesting books
written on the subject.
Many farmers have hive or more of bees in
the garden, and all, l doubt not, would IKE to
have-but very few give them any attention or
proper care. I frequently, when passing or Wis
itng farm, inquire ''And how do your bees
prosper?" In nine cases out Of ten receive an
answer like this: 20, just tolerable kke--I used to
have luck with bees, and get right smart of hon.
ey, but now bees are of no account" Why this
is so they do not understand, and therefore call
it all luck. Now in bee keeping in every thing
else, the lucky man is the careful one; and to
enlighten the understanding in the matter so
that all may know Aow to take care, is the object
and aim of these articles st.7. eos .a
THE PROFIT OF BEES
in these hard times, desire first to consider, as
the nearest road to the interest of the reader
No branch Of husbandry Yields so great profit
in proportion to the outlay and risk as this
Honey is always acceptable to the family, and
always saleable-and as the cost of keeping is
nothing, any one can see that there must be
profit. RoU great the profit depends somewhat
on the season, but more upon the amount and
kind Of care bestowed. At an expense of TWEEN
ty dollars purchased in the Spring of 1859 four
hives of bees, of medium strength, and from
them secured by fall, fifteen good swarms, and
$50 pounds honey in glass boxes, besides some
inferior honey. Such honey sold here readily for
l5 cents per pound, and each swarm of bees was
worth IS, making gain of $77,50 from an in.
vestment of $40. This was an unusually good
year. The succeeding year, 1860, was unusually
dry, and many bees did not swarm at all, yet
mine doubled in number, and had quantity
of surplus honey. l have no doubt that can
double my number of swarms every year, and
realize from 20 to IS pounds spare honey from
each hive besides
CARE OF BEES APPROPRIATELY BELONGS TO WOMEN.
Our busy farmers have so much on their hands
that, if left to their care at this busy season Of
the year, bees are sure to be neglected. I would
like to persuade every farmers wife to take pos
session of the bee hives as she does of the
chicken coop, and make it study how she can
best care for them. can insure any one who
takes this course, that she will be well rewarded
both in the pleasure and profit of the operation.
The more one examines into this subject, the
more interested they become, and all who 60
about the study in earnest find it possesses
wonderful fascination. The advent Of the Sew
ing machine has commenced new era in the
life of women. The day is near at hand when
wives, mothers and daughters are to be relieved
in great measure from the eternal "stitch,
stich, stich," which has made so many lives wea-
risome. This release will give leisure for many
new and pleasant out of door employments, and
among them hope that of bee keeping will find
large place. The profits from single hive of
bees in short time would purchase a sewing
machine, and the time saved by the machine
would amply suffice each day for the care of
many hives. If the eye of some far mer's daugh-
ter rests on this article, let me urge her to give
the idea more than passing thought. Follow
me to the end of these articles, and allow your
self to become interested in the subject and
think can show you a new, interesting and
pleasant employment.
BEES CAN BE PROrITABLY KEPT
anywhere in our State-in country, village, or
even in the city. Quinby, in his most excellent
work on bees, says, "where clover, Eastwood,
ard buckwheat abound, there is the Eldorado Of
the bee keeper" In this State, in most locali-
ties, we have not only these in prefusion, but
much wild fruit-the blossoms of which coming
in early Spring, are great assistance, and ena-
BILE the bees to live on fresh stores much earlier
than they do in the same latitudes farther East.
Our wild flowers also are great source of profit
to the bee. With proper attention am sure
honey may become a staple production of our
State. L.
Brighton, March 20, 1861.
| N;as;ae;op; River March 81