The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-05-03
AGRICULTURAL.
What is Sweeter Than Honeyi

they could have it without any trouble
they would use large amounts of it, but
there is feeling on the part OF many
that to keep bees requires great deal
of skill, and 80 numbers are deferred
from taking Bookkeeping up. The past
winter has been hard one for bees as
we'll as for fruits, and 30 it will prob
ably be a good time to go into bee
keeping. Not few who have invest
ed in the business and lost good deal
will be giving it up, honey products
will be likely TO be higher on account
of the loss of many swarms, and best
of all is the reason given by one man
for going into the peach business: eve
probably shall not have another 80
hard winter for ten years or more, for
after 80 cold winter we usually have
a number of mild ones"
Many people are looking for some
thing to do which will bring an addi-
ton to their income, and Others need
some outdoor interest to keep them
from moping in the house. We knew
one Vermont farmer who kept bees, he
said, 'tjust to see them work" In
some cases women keep bees and do
nearly all the work connected with
them. In some instances people
keep bees in the upper part of a
house or barn. In fact, where there
is will to keep bees, way will be
found to do it. The tronble is, 80
many who could keep bees just as well
as not, do not do 80. We desire to set
our readers to thinking about this mat
ter, and to stir them up to make start
in this useful and profitable work.
Many would like to try bees but are de-
tered by their ignorance of how to do.
The whole subject is shrouded in mys-
terry. They do not know what to do,
how to take the very first step. Then
fear of the stings of the bees has de-
terrent effect on many who think of
the work. Still another hinderance to
starting in beekeeping is the cost of
starting, with the uncertainty attending
the investment 1t takes half as much
to make start in beekeeping as it does
to buy cow, and one can sit down and
milk a COW, and get something for her
to eat, without having any very deep
knowledge. But to keep bees there
are many lessons for a beginner to
learn, and all the old bee men advise
the beginner to get some standard book
on the subject and read it carefully, to
learn all they can about the work in
every way before embarking in the
undertaking.
There are probably hundreds of far
mers who read this paper who do not
keep bees, but who might at least keep
enough to provide honey for their fam
ilies There are acres of clover which
might serve as pasture for bees, there
are many other acres which might be
made productive of white clover and
thus furnish the best bee pasture, there
are many honey plants which might be
introduced and cultivated and thus pro-
vide sweets to use and sell. There is q
little folder on the "Food Value of
Honey" by DR.. G. G. Miller, which
tells us that it is far better to use honey
than commercial sugar; that it is much
healthier to eat, especially for children,
and that all who can should go into bee
keeping.
All these things will continue in the
future as they have in the past to deter
great many farmers who might easily
keep bees from 30 doing, and all this
makes il better for those who do keep
bees. 1t is one of the things that
should be taken up in very limited
way at the first. The beginner should
not undertake to keep more than five
or six colonies of bees, and after a year
or so he can tell whether he had better
undertake TO keep more.
A. 1. Root says in his catalogue: eve
believe that, for the same amount of
capital invested and care in manage
ment, there is not another rural pur-
suit that will yield better average re-
turns than Bookkeeping. To be sure
there are localities and seasons when,
with the best of management, the re-
turns are small, or wanting entirely;
of what rural industry can you not say
the same? The energetic, careful bee
keeper usually receives good return
for the money and labor expended"
The A. 1. Root Company seems to be
the leading manufacturers of bee
keepers supplies in this country, and
every one who thinks of starting in the
work should obtain their catalogue,
which can be had free by addressing
the firm at Medina, Ohio. 1t prints
the leading book on the subject, GA B
G of Bee Culture,"a book of which