The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-09-12

prepare for the coming winter. Sec
,ndly.
Is bee keeping pleasant and prof
table? Gentlemen; I, and no doubt
every one of you. would answer this
question in the affirmative. For
The last five years my attention has
been engaged in the dairy business.
sought how to convert grass, the
spontaneous production of the soil
into palatable human food. AS a
consequence engaged in the pro-
duction of milk and manufacture of
cheese; at the same time 1 know,
too, that the flowers of the fields
produce something that should be
turned into account-honev. yea,
milk and honey, or rather cheese and
honey, have, and shall, if permitted,
continue to receive my attention for
some time to come. have tried to
educate myself in order to be able
to produce these two staples profit
ably. have had some practice with
both, not claiming any perfection in
either, yet l feel satisfied that there
IS pleasure and profit in both. AL
though the honey and cheese pro-
ducing interests are but in their in
fancy in our locality, still l do be-.
lieve, though it may be in the dis
tant future, that ours will vet be a
land nearly flowing with milk and
honey. (Cheers.)
To behold the regularity with
which these industrious little insects
arrange their cells and combs, the
perfect system under which all the
labors of the hive progress, must be
pleasing 20 every intelligent eye.
Admitting then, that there is pleas
Ere in bee keeping, we have all new
ertheless learned, that every pleasure
has its sting.
Is it profitable? is probably OF
most Importance to us all. In our
day age, people are very much in
clined to look protitward. The first
question on many lips in regard to
any new enterprise, and new under
takings is "will it pay" 1 would
answer yes. My own experiences,
with those of others, satisfy me that
with proper care and attentions a fair
profit may be realized. In this
branch of industry, like in all others,
we should remember that whatever
is worth doing is worth doing well.
Twenty years ago, when bees
were kept in box-hives only, an aver
age profit of ten dollars per hive
was seldom reached, and still more
seldom exceeded. One good swarm
and fifteen or twenty pounds sur
plus, in good seasons, was a bounti-
fol yield. In single isolated cases
one hive might produce forty pounds
and one swarm. II, from any cause,
a strang colony in spring failed to
swarm, and collected eighty pounds,
it was considered extraordinary, es-
pecially if it commanded 20 cts. per
pound in market. Here was a re-
turn of sixteen dollars in one season
from one hive, enough to purchase
three good stocks in spring.
A few progressive bee keepers,
who have studied to advance the in
terests of the fraternity as well as
their own, nave made considerable
progress since that time; and now it
is not an uncommon thing for the
full strong colony that did not swarm
to store two hundred pounds sur
plus, or when casting one swarm, to
store 100 pounds. Capt. j. E. Heth-
erington, Cherry Valley, New York,
in 1870, from 3l5 hives obtained ov-
er $4,000 pounds box honey, which
sold for more than $1,000. Mr.. H.
Hildreth, Herkimer, New York, in
1871, from IS hives, obtained over
1900 pounds surplus in boxes, and
increased his colonies to double the
original number. j. Underhill, st.
townsville, N, Y, from 10 colonies
obtained six swarms and 1850
pounds box honey, and over 500
pounds extracted honey. The lat
Ter was all from two hives, and 225
pounds of the box honey was from
one hive. Quinby d Root, speaking
of their apairy during the season of
1871, say one stock had filled forty
boxes, averaging pounds each, an
other thirty. From one they extract
ed 220 pounds. In 1870, one hive fur
nished 36l pounds extracted honey.
The yield, in one week, last of June,
was SO pounds. These results, breth-
rem, are to be attributed to peculiar
management, in connection with a
hive and movable comb.
Third and last, Patent hives
This subject, in my opinion, has
been too lightly treated in our meet
ings heretofore. The frequency
with which / am interrogated in re-
gard to the opinion of the society
on this important subject, has led me
to belle that measures should be
taken to bring the voice of the differ
ent members before the public on
this all-important question. Many
bee-keepers in this vicinity seem
eager to know the feeling of this
society, and are remaining aloof until
satisfied whether this society is in
tended to advance the interests of
patent hive venders or not. There
fore, would call the attention of our
President to this matter. | would
suggest that there be a committee
to report resolutions for
the vote of the society at our next
meeting. /, for one, am very desir-
ous, indeed, to have an opportunity
to vote on this question. l know
men in this county that would not
permit you to introduce your best
Italian queens into their black col
onies, though you did it free of
charge and insured the job, simply
because they have been duped with
some patent hive. Likewise the
readiness with which most patent
hives are abandoned, seems, 1 think,
conclusive evidence that their vend-
ng through the country has been
1eleterious to the best interests of
oee-keeping throughout the land.
IN conclusion, 1 would say that
while lam very willing to pay royalty
IN movable frames for combs, 1 de-
'ire the privilege to make the hive to
suit myself. Having now none but