Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-12-04
For tho VERMONT FARMER.
BEE KEEPING IN VERMONT.

Vermont is by no means the best state in
the union for bee.kesping Our short, va
riable summers and long, cold winters not on.
ly render more care and attention on the
part of the apiariau indispensable, but ma
terially increase the risk aud diminish the
profits Of this branch of rural industry.
We have no means of estimating the
amount of capital invested in bees, nor the
annual product Of honey derived from them
in our state. Oar census is supposed to be
fair authority upon other subjects, but not
so on this, as the question is rarely asked,
How many colonies of bees do you keep or
How much honey do you produce?
We occasionally see estimates of these
products, but think they are not ut all re-
liable, as they are not the result of real and
complete statistics, but presumptive evidence
if any. We can mention several cases in-
cluding our own in which We believe the
amount Of honey, bees, and wax have not
been included IN the census statistics. We
know that much Of our honey is consumed
among farmers, also that our villages and
cities are well supplied aud that scores, and
we might almost safely say hundreds Of
tons, are annually shipped to Boston and vi
cinity, and elsewhere.
One very enterprising dealer Of our &C.
quaintance, Mr.. j. D. Goodrich, of Hard.
wick, usually ships to Boston and its ada
cent cities from 10000 to 10000 pounds Of
pure box and extracted honey. This amount
is prir lily the product Of the Lamoile
valley. uhen we take into consideration
the almost entire absence Of Eastwood in this
valley, and the fact that in other sections it
is our main reliance for surplus honey, we
are led to the conclusion that his is a COM
paratively poor section for bookkeeping. We
refer TO this section, as it is the only one in
the state reported to US with any degree of
accuracy, though We have correspondents in
more favorable parts Of the state reporting
from 500 to 5000 pounds each from their
own apiaries. From these facts it will be
seen that, though apparently large, our esti-
mate of 100 tons is not extravagant, and in
this connection we woaId like to have it re-
membered that even now, in good season,
not over hundredth part of the supply
Providence furnishes is gathered, Tor want OF
workers.
The objection is often urged that bee-keep-
ing Is unreliable. So 1t is but no more 80
than most farm products, and all earthly
hopes. The wheat crop, for instance, is no
more reliable, and when it is good crop the
prices are liable to run SO low that a fair es-
timate Of the us9 of land, manure, labor,
seed, interest, taxes, &c, will equal or ex.
ceed the market value sf the entire crop
through the state. So it is with the corn
crop, while an average honey crop intelli'
gently managed will all sell at a very uni
form price, aud although the original stock
has not diminished in value, the receipts
will pay full 100 per cent. on all invest
ments.
We are often reminded Of the obstacles ia
: the way of prosperity in Bookkeeping, such
as millers, moths robbiug, going to thu
woods, &c. These are all imaginary an(
if properly managed need not be feared
Really the greatest obstacle in the way o
progress is ignorance, followed las tn,
, sword6sh and shark swiftly follow tn,
y wounded whale) by s0indling impostOrS VIII,
live and feed on ignorance, and who hav,
bled and nearly devoured our bee.keepinl
J interests. Just in proportion as bee-keep
| ers, or any other class, are informed, the,
, cease to be easy game for sharpers an,
knaves, whether they be vendors Of cOnpli
Gated non.swarming bee-hives with mott
traps, drone traps, and other useless claI
traps, or whether they vend morus multcau
lus chinese yams, wine plant, branching
corn, with the ears nicely glued in, or choio
: varieties Of apple trees grated on misera
Bile crab roots, sold at double the usua
. price, to double the sales and quadruple tn
A profits. The rule holds good, apply it wher
you will. Bookkeeping is now reduced to
e science, and though in its infancy has it
- main principles ascertained and fixed. On
Q ly those who learn tho science and becom
familiar with its application will be likel
: to succeed AS in all other avocations, el
/ pecially rural pursuits, the unskillful an
unscienti6c will fail to realize their expec