, 1872-12-16
THE APIERY.
Eoz1naI Codition OF Hec-CuI:,.ro South
and rsoTtz. o2 the Ohio, Compared
with Present CcuGitiOn.


aud No=tz. os the Ohio, Compared,
with Present Cout:i1ion.
From Oar 0ra Correspondent.
|. Rural HONE, ILL.,, Da:. II, 1872
I have been often asked the question il the
Southern States were not more favorable to bee
keeping than the more Northern,-that is, the
States south Of the Ohio River and those north
Of it. II ve are to Judge by the size and sue
cess Of commercial apiaries. must answer in
the negative; but, if we look at tho great nan,-
ber Of small apiaries attached to the homcstea
for family use, we must answer in the afhrm2-
tive; and yet this does not give
q fair answer as regards tho
relative value Of tho two sections
for this purpose. Whilo the two sections
have many things in common, there are many
things TINT materially differ, and one of these is
the habits and pursuits Of the people.
If We cast glance at the normal condition Of
the two sections, wo will find that the South
had vastly the advantage in climate, that gave o
loEg-coutinued season Of flowers and q mild
w'iuter. Tho bee being the companion Of man,
it vas but natural that it flowed over the Alle-
gEenics With the first wayos of eHligra:ion; G11d
took up its abode in tho great forests toward the
Mississippi, and from tint period kept in the
van, and in short time tho wnolo Of those
great forests was file withd honey by bees re-
TUNED to 9. condition of sc1fderendence, like the
w:ld bce Of the olden time. This was the
eztont througheus e the s0 70 4 Is tao
that great pEairics. intcrveued; but there we're,
also, great, wide-sproaInS forests in Ohio. 1ndi-
ana, Michigan, Northern Wisconsin, Southern
Illinois, With the riyer-fores:s of the illinois,
the mississippi, and the Missouri. Thus, We
Eeo that in the normal condition, from physical
causes, the States soutl. Of the Ohio had vastly
the advantage, and from this ne might draw the
inference that that section Las superior advan-
But we must not loso sight Of the changes
that settlement effects in climatic and other con-
ditions Of q new country. The woodmau's axe
levels the forests and the farmers p1ow
uptCrns tho ycrnG, the summer, and the
autumn flowers. The aower7 trees t
disappear, and wo cut off the boe- -pasturase.
Thus man destroys tho very paradise of tho
honey in founding his new homo, and turn
ing the forest in fields Of grain. Of pasture, md
Of meadow, aud the flowers OF the towering mag
nola, the tuipo, the cucumber and lesser trees
disappear when these trees are turned over for
the use OF commerce. Then even the forgot
me-not5, and the thousand ANIMALS, biennials,
and percnnia1s, thet carpetea tho forests. are
der by the plow. This is what man, with his
civilization, has done with the natural pasturage
Of the bee.
The came system has been pursued in both
sections. So far as culture has progressed, it
has carried disaster to the hives and homes Of
this insect, SO useful to man. Among the %, 600
insects that have their home in the country un-
der consideration. the honey-bce is the only one
that ministers directly to the use OF man !; and,
In all the countries Of the world, we can only
add two others,-the si1k-worm and the coec;la,
or cochineal insect; and these are more matter
of luxury than Of use.
Now that VIC have nearly destroyed the natural
resources Of the honey-bee, both for it's food
md nj yio1 Fnt 10
consider its art or artificial condition.
At the South there yet remain remnants Of
the Old resource, while the same may bo said of
the North. There lDgcr in the old forests of
tulip, and Eastwood, the wide-spreaaing honey
locust, the cane-brakcs and reeds that |
border the bayous. But the summer-drouth is
also there, and tho clover family have g feeble
reedy lakes and moist borders Of tho streams,
and hero the clover family Live and flourish with |
native Yigor- Here also come the drouth and |
the fierce shocks of winter, that sometimes |
shake our faith in the progress of our chosen
pursuit. These are pictures Of truth, not Of
but when we look further, We find |
at the North great, thriving apiaries, rich in |
honey, and full Of healthfm vigor that chal- |
lenSes our admiration: while every homestead |
1T the South has it's two three, or dozen hives.
That i've to the rural population an abundant |
supply OF this useful food and coveted luxury
In the one section, the homes Of the rural popi1-
alton are the recipients; while, at the North,
commerce steps in and demands that it shall be |
ING of the elements Of trade and exchange.
We must not forget that the changes that We
loticed are continued from the same causes. |
hough they are more slow, but yet quite as
ure; and to this end we must provide by art
yhat art has destroyed Of nature. In doing
his, we need not plan great forests, but no
my plant trees to limited extent, like the
Eastwood and the locust; we may SOW clover,
, ,,ucAwheat, and other honey-producing plants,
nat may have commercial value in addition to
'ne 1or Eon5y; aud it is to this end TINT NO
nase 1cnd oar ecergios. asd it il this that. In