The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1883-05-23
Bee Culture.

That bee keeping may be made n valuable
adjunct to the minor profit OF n firm. no one,
who has given the matter an Intelligent and
fair trial will, fer u moment doubt. Farmers
who depended upon the old methods of box
hives and birthstone killing, have %abnndnned
the business in disgust. Others, who have
have kept abreast OF the times by adopting
the latest Improvement and using common
sense appliances, have generally been favored
with success. The unanimous opinion anon
farm will produce more ready cash for 80
small an outlay of capital and for the labor
and time required than lee culture The last
quarter Of q century has worked an entire
revolution In bee keeping; and t. e business
Of raising queens, improving stock. multiply
ing colonies and marketing honey has risen
to the dignity or a science. In lA52 Mr.. Langs-
troth patented his movable comb hive and In.
impro. en,ent Is incstimnble. 1t has offered
to the diligrnt student the most ample means
for observation II know edge and hns
brought the most useful Of all the Insert race
ment of man. II has opened 10 inspection and
study, the marvellous economy OF the hive
and contributed to a perfect acquaintance
with the functions Of Its three distinct charac-
lers Of inhabitants. the quorn or mother bee,
the worker or undevelrred female, and the
drone or perfect male. That which had been
prev Iously inexpl!cnhle hecanIe plain. That
which had been difficult was now easy. Causes
Oh lEtDIl1lt "VlS tllllSlldlFu hilu HISNt .
and nll The mysteries Of n once Intricate sub
Iect became Siimplennd comprehensive. when
IL was once discovered that they were govern.
ed hy natural laws. which an ordinary mind
could grasp and average skill cOnld apply. BY
means of the movable frame, the hee keeper
gained access to every part of the hive. All
the operations of the colony were cnrrird ON
before his eyes and under his Inspection and
control; and lie Was thus enahlei to become
The master In place OF being the dependent.
The business j. now 80 plain that my one
with a reasonable degree of enterprise and
system, who will max himself acquainted
with facts and who will read some COOL bee
Journal. to inform himself Ot what others are
doing. may make q successful bee keeper. The
work. In Il limited iiraSur,. Is adapted TO the
capacity OF any pcrs III with II love for nature,
having n little gnrdcn space and who needs
chanue OF thought from business or recI eatl0n
from physical labor. TO such persons. moth
Ing can secure greater delight than The coll
temptation, study and manipulation of u COL
ony OF bees, with their indumitnbIr energy.
their untlagring industry, their sklllful
mechanism and their wonderful instincts.
The work Is also adapted to young people and
TO ladies who desire to combine div craion
with profit. 1t Is particularly appropriate TO
the farmer, whose broad fields and bylaws af-
ford abundant pasture with inexhauslible
farm within n few miles Of Frank ford. SOME
four or five years 81 CO procured one or two
colonies aud rave them only the attention
thai could b. spared from other duties. His
gLOcK lntIttlStu Al1U utchI1e Il SDllTte VI pleas
ure rather than labor From the beginning.
they paid him a large percentage over their
cost, and last yenr yielded sufficient profit TO
Day lhe entire rent of his farm. All this was
ACCOMPLISHED with Il less expenditure OF labor
and time, than was required by the least l.ror.
liable part OF his business. Careful apinrists
declare thai they count with certainly uron
all average annual, clear profit OF not less
thai ten dollars from each colony. 1t is esti-
mated that there are at present about eighty
thousand regular bee Keepers In the United
States. That IL, there ire that many persons.
more or less extensively engaged in the busi-
ness upon advanced methods. Those who fol-
low the old box hive system. cannot he COUNT
ed as bee keepers at all; us 1t IL utterly imi'os-
sible for such 10 make the slightest advance
ment. In addition to the bee Keepers. there
nre many large establishments for furnishing
supplies, with extensive catalogues and price
lists. Besides these, there ale many aquarium
societies holding annual conventions. In
nearly every Slate or the Union.-Frank}ord