The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-09-21
Progress in Bee-Culture.

EDS. COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.-1t is
interesting 10 look in back volumes OF
the Country Gentleman in the depart.
ment of agriculture, and notice the pro.
sress since twenty years ago, when
bees were kept in box hives and an
average profit of $40 per hive was sell
dom reached and still more seldom ex-
ceeded. One good swarm and Is or ~
pounds of honey or surplus in good
season was bOuntilul yield. A few
progressive bee-keepers who have stu
died to advance the interests of the fra
| lernity as well as their own, have made
considerable progress since that time,
and now it is not an uncommon thing
or a full, strong colony, that did not
swarm, tostore 200 pounds Of surplus
or when casting one swarm, to store
| 100 pounds. Probably the largest yield
| from any one hive, is that of Mr.. p.
Ellwooi of IIeIkimer County, n. Y
800 pounds extracted honey, the yield
Of one day was 57t pounds. This il
Mr. QuinUy's statement of August 81,
1874 At the time of his visit there HAD
been 502 pounds of honey extracted.
ana he estimated over SUI pounds from
that hive III one seasOn. In California
,he ploeles- is very marked. The sac
rainenIo Record says up 10 the time Ol
the Influx Oi the sOld hunters III 1857
| A l.4, IA mil.
as late as 1856 or 81, we think, Lefol,
any were Introduced. Mr., j. >. Har
"ison, The leading apiarian OF the stale,
made Il trip through the southern coun-
ties i'll searcli Of bee pasture. He iounu
such lood promise, that soon after his
return lie removed u small 1piary, i'll
ateu MIR. Clark with himself, 10 San
Diego These were the first bees il.
that county. The SUCCESS with which
this small venture was attended has ill.,
duced Mr. HARRISON to gather up all
his bees from all other localities anu
transfer them to the same county. Mr..
HARRISON has now in that county two
thousand colonies, which last year pro.
duced l5U, 900 pounds, Or 70 tons, of sur
plus honey OF very excellent quality
IT this he has shipped by railroad ovei
10 tons to the eastern stales--mostly IL
Chicago and New York. His sales OF
honey for the year 1874 will equal the
nice little sum of $50, 900. This places
MIR. HARRISON the foremost bee man IN
the world. so far as money making
from the business is concerned, and he
undoubtedly occupies the same position,
us to the knowledge of the business
there not being in the world his equal
in this respect. The labor in and all
about his ariaries il now done 10y APP
prentices, who are availing themselves
"fthe onnorfunitv to learn ths huei" nss
while their labor pays their persona
expenses. Light young men are thu,
engaged, and some of them have be
come so expert as 10 lie intrusted will
the entire management of some of hi,
apiaries. Other parties. since they
| nave learned Tie SUCCESS attending TN
bee business in San Diego county, hav,
also removed u large number there, ant
good judges estimate the product Of thu
apiaries Of the county last year at 500,
900. The field for improvement i
large. yet where you find one man hat
or uses movable comb hives. you viii
find ten that use the box hive. 1t il
estimated that the amount of honey
sent to New York yearly is 400, 900 lbs
New York alone contains 10000, 0O
acres, and it is estimated that ever,
} acre will produce it's pound of honey
which il, | think, about right.
GEO. A. WALRATH.
st. Lawrence Co., n. Y.