Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1872-02-15
Bees i'm the Village.

/ ONCE saw more than hundred hives
in single village lot They were under
the shade of the fruit trees that nearly
filled the lot Each hive was separated
from the others, and distinguished by a
number Near the village were large
commons ; for, at one time, it was sup
posed that the village was to become a
large city, and hundreds of village lots
had been laid Off But, at the tim OF my
visit, these were free of houses and white
with clover blossoms. The city had gone
somewhere else, and the bees were having
the advantage of it, and the owner sold
tons of honey annually. The farms
around were small, and on each the farmer
had his little patch of buckwheat, while
through the village ran Il small river,
along whose margin, in autumn, were
patches vf golden-rod, wild asters, and
autumn flowers This was nice place
for the bees, and they made an income
Of this villagelot of no insignificant sum.
The time of its owner was pretty fully
occupied in their case and no one had
so many visitors as did our friend, and
yet few had the courage to go inside, but
stood leaning over fence or gate, and his
apples, pears, and cherries were safe from
foraging bows. Since then, | have been
through many villages that appeared to
have equal advantages, but ! could only
see now and then few stands OF bees.
And when | think of so many young
ladies who need outdoor employment for
an hour or two daily, / wish that they
would consider to what profit they might
turn this labor, so necessary 10 their
health The ambition TO speculate in
town-lots has left on the outskirts of all
our cities and villages hundreds of acres
Of ft1fti tfiTrse commons are vel
low with dandelions in April, and white
with clover in May and June, while the
wards and gardens are laughing with
autumn flowers that fill up the measure OF
the honey season.
Thus the village maiden may make
bee excepting both profit and pleasure.
There is no costly bee-house required
lust the shade OF the trees in the back
ward in summer, and a shelter of boards
in the winter, with the daily looking after
in the summer, and an occasional inspec.
ton in the winter.
ana an advocate for woman's rights
her right to good health, and her right to
profitable employment. 1t is said that
too much work makes Jack dull boy.
1t is ALSO true of young girls too much
kitchen -lrudgery makes them envy the
fashionable city girl, who apparently en-
lows her life of idleness But this is the
other extreme for too much play makes
Jack mere toy. Let US mingle, in good
proportion, work and play. Let our over
worked girls take bee-keeping for their
recreation--for the care OF few hives is
certainly pleasant recreation-and give
an hour each spring and summer day, IN
the glorious sunlight, booking after these
interesting insects, who soon come TO
know you--at least, you cannot 1all to
think so--and whose labors you direct.
They must be induced to build straight
comb for YOU want to take out frames at
your pleasure in order 70 see their condl-
ton, and to destroy their great enemy, the
moth-worm. And then, later in the sum
mer, the neighbors come after your surplus
store of honey, and willingly pay good
price for it. With a little Of this money,
YOU can hire the washing and other
heavy work done, and you are thus re-
lieved from the continued drudgery OF
the house. But, TO those in delicate health,
such labor, and such going out into the
sunlight after the dew has left the grass,
and the morning air coming through the
orchard, so pure. so sweet, so refreshing,
is so beneficial, that wonder that it has
not been laid down in the matersa meotsca
as the one sovereign remedy for the up
building of woman's health, for it is the
only thing that brings back to the cheek
the roses that the shadows of the house
have faded out.
There is no reason why this needed and
healthy employment should be confined
to my young lady friends, for there are
many married ladies who would be vastly
benefited thereby. In fact, bee excepting
may properly be called a feminine en-
though, like many other OF our
employments, it has been monopoliZed by
the lords of creation, and ii is now time
that we compel them tc yield it back to
the rightful owners. Now is the time to
consider the question, for this is the time
to make the necessary preparations for
spring is now just in the offing, marching
over ton-fields, and will soon reach the
prairie, where bud, and tree, and blossom,
will be Joyous, and invite US out to the
beautiful, to give a new lease OF life
'Ezya," in Cticago 1TiJane.
The Omaha Bee gives an account OF
a plucky exploit by James Mason, who
H.