Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-11-29
&ee Asepimg.
For the VERMONT FARMER.
RANDOM THOUGHTS ON BEE
KEEPING.

Judge Turner, who practiced law in st
Albans some fifty years ago, while making Q
plea in the County Court used language moi
very complimentary to the judge presiding
The judge, with the view of checking the
attorney, requested him not TO be too free
with his small shot, whereupon the wary
lawyer replied, "May it please your honor, !
always proportion the size of my shot tc
the size of my game" We all know that
while the tiny shot reaches the heart of the
rabbit, it glances harmlessly from the iron.
clad turtle, or the thick. pickets of the
porcupine. Now | would not like to call
brother bee-keepers either turtles or porcu-
pines, for it might prove very "onrleasant'
for me to touch fire to their magazines; they
might make it too warm around my ears.
Nor would liken the Bookkeeping readers
of the FARMER 20 game, although they have
often been made game" Of, by vendors of
patent hives and other so.called improve
ments, and "sold" too But thought Of
the diversity Of minds, dispositions and cir
cumstances with which we have to deal in
writing to bee keepers, suggests the above il
lustrations And if | were capable of se-
lccting, could hardly tell what manner or
method would be most likely to reach and
benefit the mass.
When the truth is honestly and fairly
presented, few earnest minds perceive and
embrace it, many more pass on unconscious
of its presence; and when it makes itself
heard, it is met by storm Of opposition.
Some dislike it simply because it is new |;
others hate to be disturbed in their old ster-
eotyped way Of thinking Some who con l.
wounded by the fact that new developments
are bringing their lifelong study to nOught !;
that they must really become pupils is quite
too much. Still other "hard.shels," wrapped
in A mantle Of self.suficiency, are fortified,
and pride themselves on having stemmed the
tide of humbug (imprOvemenp for half
century, and when forced to acknowledge a
new and important truth, reply, THAT is
just so | have always known it." 1t may
be that the same obstacles have to be over.
come in advising improvements in other av-
ocations, for We bee keepers would not like
to have more than our share of human weak
ness imputed to us. But it seems that no
other pursuit is doomed to struggle against,
and contend with, so much prejudice, super
stition, and ignorance. 1t is very encourag-
ing to see dairymen, fruit growers &C., by
association procuring the aid of the best
talent in the country, and availing them
selves Of the practical experience of the
most successful in their respective callings
This is the shortest and only sure way to en-
inent success, and its happy results to farm
ers as class. With bee-keepers it seems to
be different. With few honorable excep-
tions, they are pursuing the course in which
thousands have lost, and hundreds more have
failed to realize any signal success. Some
Of this class curse the luck, and bee keepers
generally; others accept their losses and
disappointments with a sort Of Christian
resignation to Providence never dreaming
that most Of their oalamities are the result
of their own (pardOn me, cannot help but
say it) stupidity, and not necessarily connect
cd with or chargoablc to either Providence
or bee-keeping.
Now il it seemed best, and | could find
time, would next tell what know Of beo
keeping, or better, some things that know
and other things that don't know, for, like
the Chappaqua farmer, have more to learn
yet. On WAIT.
West Georgia, NOU, 7.