The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-07-19
Bookkeeping.
From the Chicago Inter-ocean.l

a farm would hardly be thought COM
pletely stocked without a few hives. In
this country Bookkeeping by ordinary
farming farmers is the exception rather
than the rule. Indeed it is looked upon
by not few as a sort of weakness, a
species of hobby riding, when a far
mer takes to keeping bees.
Now, we believe in what is called
''mixed husbandry.0 The tendency is
of things. Afewyears ago themania was
for wheat growing, because wheat was
the great cash article in the productive
market. The rage in this western coun-
try has been too much for corn. When
Teri sheep were bringing fancy prices
everybody was crazy about them. Not
long since the rural passion was for
hops. just now, perhaps, the inclina-
tiOn sets towards stock raising and dai-
rying. But we contend that the wiser
plan is to pursue a miCellaneOus, gene
raj system of farming, except in those
cases in which some peculiarly of soil or
location dictates a speciality. Farmers
should avoid as much as possible put
ting all into single venture. They
should try all expedients to increase
their gains, and if one source of profit
fails another will succeed. Nor should
they despise Titles, for, according to
the old proverb, "many little makes a
mickle.7
Bookkeeping well deserves a place
among the lesser industries of the farm.
AS it is wise to keep poultry to pick up
the waste grain and stray seeds, so it is
wise to keep bees to gather the nectar
of orchard blossoms, and wild flowers
that would otherwise go to waste. It
+fx,, 10 l.
Bookkeeping than it does in poultry
keeping, and season for season we will
match the bees against the chickens.
with large odds in favor of the bees.
Bee-keeping used to be very crude
affair. It was carried on with gums or
straw hives, inside Of which everything
was fastly fixed and all realm of mys-
terry. The bees were left pretty much
to themselves until the close of the
honey season, when they were brutally
smothered with birthstone fumes, and
the colony being thus eXterminated, its
stores were appropriated to the use and
luxury of the owner. Now we have the
movable frame hive, which gives the
keeper access to the interior Of the col
Ony, perfect control over it, and liberty
to take the surplus honey without xii
ling the bees. With this form of hive,
the loss of swarms by their going off
to the woods can be prevented, queens
can be given to stocks that become des-
titute Of them, and weak colonies can
be strengthened by giving them comb,
bees, or honey.
The invention of the honey extractor,
or, as some American apiarians prefer
step inadvance. By use of this cOntriv-
ance the yield Of honey in a single sea-
son can be often doubled, and even
trebled. By the application of centri-
| fugal force, the honey is thrown out of
the combs almost to the last drop, and
on replacing the empty combs in the
hive the bees, as in duty bound, at once
proceed to refill them. Often when
they wholly suspend work, and will not
put a drop of honey into surplus box,
though there is plenty of it in the field
they will replace the honey of which
the extractor or melipult has deprived
them. The reason of this is obvious
Instinct teaches them to fill the body OF
q hive with a store of sweet, but when
that is done their task is accomplished
and they are not cOvetous like man
who goes on labOriOusly accumulating
even after he has enough. They have
not only craving instinct, but an in.
stinct. of satisfaction. The well-filleC
hive appeals to this latter instinct
full" Take away O. portion of thei1
stores and a craving instinct comes int
play again, and drives them forth al
busy workers to the fields for fresh sup
plies.
Another modern improvement in api
culture is the Importation and breeding
| lr>fe, honc Roac lilo In w. Il
deteriorate by in-and-in breeding, an(
may be improved by crosses. There
are inferior and superior breeds of bees
just as there are of poultry, swine
Sheep, cattle and horses. For a few
years past italian bees have been large
" imported, and though it may seem al
extravagant thing to give five Orsix dol
lars for queen bee-a little insectab0u
an inch long, it is no more so than tt
give one hundred dollars for a superiO
bull calf or ram lamb. The italian eros
has greatly improved common blacl
bees by giving them "a dash of fresl
blood" as stOck-breeders would expires
it, and by imparting to them desirabl,
qualities, The Italians are harderTace
buster than "thellittle busy bee' we hav
known from childhood; more prolific
more beautiful in appearance, and les
inclined to sting.
Under the crude appliance of old
time bee-keepers it was fairly remune
rative business. "Bee profits" have fig
farming side by side with "pOultr,
profits, from time immemorial. Mucl
more, then, is it worthy of attention
with the aid of modern improvements
Further progress may reasonably b
expected. Science and skill are bus
experimenting, and many wise head
are thinking out the subject in its va
riOus aspects. 1t is therefore only ma
tural to expect that before many years
agriculture will take a much highe
,, rank than it does now among rural in
dustries. Honey and beeswax are mar
ketable articles for which there is
, well-nigh limitless demand, which lik
that for fruit, increases with the supply
Honey forage is abundant everywhere
In wooded localities the maple, which
when tapped. yields the sweet sa
, which we boil into sugar, furnishes hon
ey in Its earlier blossoms. In swan
| regions there are various plants tha
: : supply the bee food with the first open
! ing of spring. The willow yields pol
! len, prOpOlis, and some say honey. Gu
: early wild. flowers and fruit bloom
: give the bees something to do; an
; ; when white clover spangles the field
I and roadsides, the honey harvest is a
in it's glory, The late asters, colder
: rods, and buckWheat protract the hone
season into the fall. The bees are til
l best farm laborers we can have, mas
much as they work for nothing an
! ! board themselves,
E The chief trouble with beginners i
: hae-Eeening is that they will not %
the slight expense and small trOubl
necessary to get informed on the sui
: ject. They buy @ hive of bees, aftt