New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-05-27
INDUSTRIAL TOPICS.
Suggestions to Persons Who Contemplate
Engaging in the Business Of BeekeepIng-
Items Of Interest.

| suggestions to Persons Who Contemplate
Engaging in the Business Of Beekeeping-
Items Of Interest.
Commencing With Bees.
That many persons fail, says The
| Chicago Times, at reaching success in
keeping bees is undoubtedly true.
That more money has been spent i'll
some localities for colonies Of bees,
hives. honey-extractors, boxes, and
frames than the purchasers ever real
lze for honey sold in the market or
eaten in their own houses is also un-
doubleday true. Every few years there
is a honey craze that affects entire
communities. The inventor of some
newfangled beehive obtains a patent
On it and advertises to sell territorial
rights. Enterprising agenus scour the
country, and By means of plausible
talk and tempting circulars induce
many persons to engage in the business
of keeping bees. Several enthusiasts
have written books on the profits of
bee-culture which are misleading. o.
;asionally magazine writer prepares
an article on this subject which secures
million readers and gains many
thousands of converts to the belief
that almost any person can gain fort
une by keeping bees. Paragraphs in
newspapers, which become sweeter
every time they are copied, state
how some crippled soldier, lone widow,
Or frlendless orphan secured a colony
Of bees, and in the course of u few
years had an apiary of thousand
hives and an income of retired capt.
talist. The press is always ready to
chronicle success in any department
of husbandry. 1t is responsible for
many of the failures in Embarrassing,
sugar-making, poultry breeding, and
Bookkeeping, because it does not give
The number and extent of the failures
that occur. 1t presents the bright side
IF every portion of farm life. The
local paper will inform the public if
one OF its subscribers quadrupled his
colonies in a year and lifted mort
gage with the money received from
The sale Of honey. 1t will make no
mention of the losses sustained by an
other person living in the same town.
That many persons fail'in keeping
bees isnot wonderful. They 90 into
The business with no knowledge OF 1T
derived from books, observation, or
experience. They are not adapted to
by nature and do not take kindly to
t. They are not situated where they
,an keep bees to advantage, and they
nave little or no time to devote to
Them. They read that Bookkeeping
pays and they are DESTROYS of making
money without work. They should
lot expect to succeed in business
chat requires knowledge, skill. care,
and watchfulness, as we'll as favor
able location. That many persons
nave found Bookkeeping both pleasant
and profitable is certain. Not only
men but women and youths have sue
,eeded in keeping bees. In Germany
ooys and girls manage apiaries and
derive large incomes from them. That
many persons in this country would
ind the keeping of bees a pleasant
and profitable employment seems GER
tain. They should, however, exercise
caution and discretion in commencing
It. They should acquire considerable
knowledge from books before they
purchase their first colony of bees
The. literature pertaining to bees is
very extensive. Among the best and
most practical treatises on the subject
Ire Langstroth's ..Hiyes and Honey
Bee, .'Quimby's New Bee Keeping"
Cooks "Bee-Keeper's Guide" Kings
''Bee-Keeper''s Text Book, - and "Bees
and Honey" by Thomas g. Newman
Of this city, whois publisher Of The
american Bee Journal. Either of. the
above named works will furnish the
information that is essential to the
novice in bookkeeping. BY carefully
studying it he can form an opinion as
70 whether he is adapted to the busi-
ness of keeping bees and is willing TO
JAKE the proper steps in order to be-
come successful apiarian. He will
learn that something is required of
aim besides buying hive of bees and
getting box to keep them in.
1t is stated by those who have bees.
nives, and books to sell that bees can
De kept in city, village, or country to
excellent advantage. This may be
true If an expert keep the bees. There
are locations particularly adapted to
the successful keeping OF bees as there
Ire locations specially suited to other
industries. A good location for bees
may be determined by an abundance
Of flowers yielding honey during sew
eral months in the year. Considerable
may be done in raising crops on a
farm where bees are kept that furnish
honey that Can be gathered. Still,
there is little evidence to show that
there is any profit in raising flowers
simply to produce honey. Buckwheat
IS profitable crop TO raise for produc-
ing grain, and the honey furnished by
the blossoms will enable bees to fill the
combs in their hives. White clover is
desirable in every pasture. as 1t fur,
nishes excellent food for stock. while
It yields large amount OF honey.
Many other plants can be raised in a
ield or garden that will return profit
On their production and besides Weld
= considerable amount of honey. Still,
the bee.keeper must rely principally
On trees and minor plants of spontane-
ous production for honey. In this part
IF tho cOuntrv tho 1;p1on ~. ho,.-ool