The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-03-12
THE AplARy.

THE APlARY.
Extracts nom an Address by Thomas q.
Newman to the Detroit (sGich.) Bee-Keep.
ers' Convention.
A carefully prepared estimate reveals
the fact that in North America (the ter
ritory covered by thus society there are
300, 600 persons who keep bees. The
annual product of honey amounts to
over 100, 900, 900 pounds, the value OF
which is about S15, 100000.
May not these figures give us q full
comprehension of the dignity of our
mission, the magnitude of the work be-
fore US. and the exalted possibilities
which may inspire us to fresh zeal and
grander achievements in our pursuits?
In passing-let us contemplate. for .
! moment, how invention, art and science
have followed every progressive STEP
in agriculture. just think of the crude
methods of our fathers, and then con-
template the wonderful improvements
of to-day. Instead of the tubs and pals
of yOre, containing the broken csmbs of
honey, bee-bread and dead bees, taken
from the breeding department of the
hives, the result of numbering the bees
by fumes Of sulphur and then robbing
their homes of the ''stOres' laid up for
winter-see the beautiful little sectional
boxes, in which we have educated the
bees to build virgin combs, and then to
fill them with honey from natures labO-
ratory-for mans behoof and for mans
nOurishment. This is one item in the
long catalogue of accomplishments. but
it illustrates the agricultural develop
ment of the scientific progress and art
of this ever-advancing age.
Surely, these are achievements! but
shall we with them rest and be satis-
fled? No! says the impulsive and en-
thusiastic beekeeper-pOssibilities of the
future! Teach us how to obtain crop
of honey day after day, month after
month and year after year! Well, this
is the duty imposed upon me by your
committee why, l know not; nor do l
ask; but l will seek solution of the
problem by leading you into ''green
pastures" filled with myriads of ''flOw.
ers," in which Nature distills the honey,
drop by drop, and invites the bees. by
their gorgeous hues, to come and dip
into their tiny fountains, and feast and
fly, and fly and feast continually. These
fields of splendor will point you to sue
cess-to shining dollars and affluence.
Ask the breeders of stock, the shep-
herds and the dairymen for the secrets
of their success, and they will point you
to their well-tilled fields, green pastures
and mountains Of hay. They will tell
you that they provide corn for their
hogs, rich meadows, pastures and hay
for their stock. and then naturally ex-
pect good results.
Ask beekeepers upon what they de-
pend for results. and they will have to
confess that .'luck" has a good deal to
do with it; they depend upon natural
forests, neighbours clover field, with
flowers in the fence corners, rOadsides
and wild lands; and if they are '.lucky
enough to have these in due proper.
ton to their bees, they will sing song
of gladness; but if not, their visages
will tell Of hopes blasted and prospects
blasted.
But alas, with advancing civilization
comes the wOOdman's axe. cutting down
the Eastwood, oak and maple trees.
The farmers pillow destroys the magnif-
icent wild floral carpet supplied by ma
ture, and the poor bees often find moth
ing to gather-the wild fora is destroyed
the honey all gone, and starvation
stares them in the face! Nothing re-
mains for them but to destroy their
brood and kill drones. and if possible to
hold out on half ratiOns and some stray
wild flowers unmolested by the pillow in
fence corners or by the roadside, re-
plenish their scanty stores, but if these
are denied they ''succumb to the newt
able"-and their owner declares he
'.has no luck with bees"
Now what is the duty of the apiarist
in this state of affairs? The answer is
plain, positive and unmistakable. Pas
turage for the bees must be provided
it is an absolute necessity. He must
study the honey seasons of his locality,
and supply the efficiency of planting
while alsike or sweet clover, mignOnette,
borage, motherwort, cleoma, mustard,
rape, ETC., and thus provide the bees
with honey producing flora when the
natural supply is insufficient or entirely
destroyed.
Good judgment must, of course, be
exercised in the selection of seeds for
planting. If white clover is plentiful,
and tall flowers abundant, scatter minis
Ito fill the gap" If Eastwood is the
main stay for honey. then SOW sage.
motherwort and other early nectar-yield-
ing plants or trees. The golden rods,
asters. buckwheat, sweet clover, etc..
will always pay to cultivate for fall
honey. The latter (sweet clover) with
its white modest bloom will gladden. the
eye in June, and the sweet fragrance of
its flowers will linger till frost and snow
comes and the bees are safely placed in
''winter quarters"
We are well aware that many who
keep bees have not enough land to spare
to devote to bee pasturage; but in the
vicinity of every apiary, and
within easy flight of every colony of
bees in America, there are waste lands
enough, covered with mighty brambles,
burdocks. fennels, mullins, rag-weeds,
etc., which it would pay to seed with
suitable plants for producing honey.
Many of the best plants require but little
or no cultivation, after scattering the
seed; and even the poorest honey pro-
ducers would be more agreeable to the
eye on such waste land than sand burrs,