The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-10-29

ture, and yet there is nothing that
will bring in as much clear mon
ey according to the capital and
labor invested. The culture OF
bees, unlike most other industrial
pursuits, has been going backward
for the last few hundred years,
and the fore-part of the 18th cen
fury found the business almost
entirely abandoned. This was
perhaps in a great measure due
to the destruction of bees by the
moth which destroyed thousands
of hives, and caused many to give
up the business in disgust. But
there was a few men that had faith
enough in the business to put
their attention to it and by study
ing the nature and habits of
both the bee, and the moth, sue
ceeded in overcoming the difficulty
TO a great eXtent.
Prominent among these was
the Rev. l.. l.. Langstroth who
gave us the movable frame about
twenty-five years ago, and who
perhaps did more to advance the
cause than any other one man
ever did. The introduction of
the movable frame, and with it
Mr.. Langstroth's system OF bee
culture, opened up a new ezra in
the business, and since that time
hundreds of our best men mot
only in this but in the old coun-
try) have been making it a study.
and have spent their time and
money in experimenting, and in
so doing have rendered it as
much OF a science as any other
branch of industry. During this
time men have invented all kinds
of fixtures to hives and had them
patented, and by the sale of them
enriched themselves without ben
citing the bee keeper or giving
him anything Of real value for
his money, and perhaps the pub
lie has been swindled more by
patent beehive vendors than by
any other class of patent right
men that ever disgraced the land.
But we may be thankful that the
subject has been so ventilated
through the different journals of
the country that the days of pat
ent beehive vendors is about
over, but along with the useless
inventions there II as been some
very good ones, among these
perhaps the honey extractor will
stand at the head, by the use OF
which we can take the honey
from the hive without destroying
or injuring the comb and thus
save the bees great deal of Ia
hor, and securing greater yield
of honey. There are many other
good Inventions which cannot
take time to mention here. Now
why is it when we have all these
useful inventions given us, and
all the Instructions for using
them, given through the different
books, and journals of the land;
say why is it, that with all this to
aid us, in the business there arr
hundreds, yes thousands of fam.
tiles in our land. that never have
honey in the house once year
And why is it that Kansas is
annually sending out hundreds o.
dollars for molasses, and thou
sands of dollars worth of honey
going to waste for the want o
bees TO gather it. This is a ques-
ton that should interest every
citizen, and especially those living
in the country. l do not wish to
advance the idea that every ont
can make q fortune at the bust
ness, as some of our great bee men
have done, but / do claim tina
every farmer could, and should
have bees TO furnish his own ia
bic with honey the year round
But one will say l haven't time
TO tend to it. Whybless your soul,
it woulden't take any more tim,
than 10 tend n sorghum patch, nnt
it would pay a hundred per cent
better. But if the men thini
they have not time then | would
appeal TO the ladies, and in fac
some of our most successful apiri
ans are ladies, but perhaps they
too would think they had not time
but let us see how mnch time |
would take. l venture the asser
tion that fifteen minutes each da!
during the summer seasan, woul'
be sufficient TO tend five swarm
of bees. Where is there a lad,
that would not enjoy that mucl
out door exercise and be benefited
by it, for it is fact that there ar,
hundreds of our women, even in
the country, that don't take GU
door exercise enough, and even ]
they. have so much work that the,
could not spare the time, the bees
if properly cared for, would max
enough to pay a girl for twice tn
time besides supplying their table
with honey. l said in the com
mencement of this article tina
agriculture brought in more mon
ey, according to the amount inves
ted, than any other rural pursuit
To prove this / will not refer yoI
10 Grimm, Harbinger, Harm g
ton or host of others who hav
amassed fortunes in the business
But l will just give you a fey
facts in regard to my own opera
tons right here In your owl
neighborhood. / have been wor.
king on a small scale and do no
profess to be q scientific apirian
but perhaps my account will Civ,
you some idea of what might b
done. AS some of you are aware
commenced here in the sprin;
of 1871 with four swarms. NJ
whole expense for the year 1871
Including interest on money inyes
ted at twelve per cent. was $l35, 46
my net gain over all expense, in
Guiding increase of bees, wal
$l43,3S. For the year 1872 ex-
pense, $147,95; net gain $203,37
Expense for 1873, los, 90; net gain
$l44,1O. Expense for 1874, $205
46; net gain $11,S5. Expense fol
the four years $59l,S7; net gain
including increase of bees for the
four years $9SS,20. At the COM
mencement of this year valued
my stock of bees, including al
indictments belonging TO the apl-