The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-15

during the working season she lays
daily from two to four thousand eggs.
1t is curious to note, moreover, that
in spite of the dominating sex, bee af.
fairs are conducted with a singular
lack of sentimentality, not to say an
almost ruthless materialism. Not only
do the workers kill the masculine
drones to safeguard the winter stores,
but the queen as we'll makes wholesale
slaughter of all rival queens.
No less an authority than the Unit
ed States Department of Agriculture is
responsible for the statement that bees
may be kept profitably even in great
crowded cities. One large apiarist an
nually moves his bees from the coun-
try TO Washington, a distance of ten
miles, in order to gather in the rich
harvest of honey furnished by the Lin
den trees and the shrubs of that city
parks and lawns. Indeed one of the
largest yields of honey on record, for
ty-tnree pounds in three days, was OBJ
tanned entirely from Linden trees.
instances are also given of a success
Iul aplary on the roof of a New York
business house; and of one in the
heart of Cincinnati, whose forty colo
mes produce annually about LOCO
pounds of honey. These industrious
little insects will travel a distance of
several miles and gather honey all the
day. not only from every opening
Hover, but also from trees. shrubs and
even weeds, which one would hardly
associate with so delicate a product.
Golden rod and asters often give a
large yield in the late fall after all
other honey plants fail. Any wo-
man, therefore, who lives within a
bee line" of a park may start a tiny
agricultural experiment station of her
own, and if she is lucky, may provide
honey for her family and no inconsid-
crate entertainment for herself.
To begin with, one needs good
book about bees, then a hive of good
bees, A veil, gloves and smoker, all of
which may be obtained at any been
supply store. The rest Is all expert
ence. The danger from singing is
greatly exaggerated. An apiarist who
understands his bees as a 1ocky does
his horse has little to fear In fine
weather, when gold is pouring into the
Golfers of the hive, the bees are usual
ly in good temper and may be ap-
preached with impunity. In wet wealth
err. however, when work is at a stand
still, and the bees are forced to loaf
about the hive, they are apt TO be i'll
tempered and quarrelsome, and it is
the part of prudence to keep at dis
tance till sunshine and the consequent
wave of prosperity restores harmony.
When they are angry, the hum of the
bees takes a high. ominous note, which
an experienced ee-keeper recognizes
at once and respects.
Comb honey sells for twelve or thir-
teen cents pound wholesale and five
cents pound more at retail, while ex-
tracted honey is several cents a pound
cheaper. This Is accounted for by the
fact that 1t takes great deal of honey
to make very little comb. A bee makes
wax by gorging herself with honey
and hanging herself to the top of the
hive until tiny scales of wax form on
her body. The bee-keeper simply I'M
caps the honey combs, extracts the
honey and returns the empty combs to
the hive, leaving the bees free to store
away honey instead of manufacturing
comb.
An entire bee outfit costs from eight
to ten dollars, and il one were to have
the worst possible luck, the loss of all
the bees. two or three dollars would
replace them, while an unusually good
season might show enough surplus
honey to pay the entire first cost. By
beginning in a very small way and
making haste slowly one runs but lit
tie risk, and the venture may prove
very profitable.
A deaf and dumb woman in New
York state, debarred from most other
opportunities of earning a living,
bought a hive of bees some years ago
to try her fortune. She is now a sue
cessful beekeeper with a large apiary
and a very snug income. Whether api-
culture is taken up for food or for fad,
it has much to recommend it as an oc-
cupation or recreation for women.
Marie Agnes Rest