Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-10-17
BEES IN THE CITY.
WORKING PEOPLE STUNG BY
INSECTS FROM APIARIES.
Miniature Bee Farms in Greater New
York Present Serious Prob
lem for Health De-
partment.

In q list Of the industries of New
YORK, great, complex and inclusive as
such list must be, one would hardly
think OF including the raising of bees
and the harvesting of honey as one
OF them. Yet at an early meeting of
the health officials they will be con.
fronted with the problem of deciding
whether or not beehives are a nui.
sance in city of this size, says the
Tribune.
FOR demonstrating purposes, so the
omcers OF the company declare, an
aplary OF II hives is in operation in
Vesey street There is a candy fac.
tory near by where the bees CLEAN the
sweetness necessary to their daily life
and a winter store of honey. The
young women of the factory and the
occupants of Office buildings in the vi.
cinity have been stung so many. times
In the last few months that the howl
OF complaint has reached the head
quarters of the health department.
In several other parts of the city
miniature bee farms are in opera.
ton. Although there is probably nc
big city where fewer flowers are to
be found than in this ountain OF
asphalt, brick. steel frames and cob
bleS, the bees seem to thrive in the
metropolis. The yield of honey is said
to be equal to that of the ordinary
country hive
-
stincts of their kind, and the most
troublesome of these for the city
jewellers is the nip with which they
sting when disturbed and the Unborn
habit of swarming.
1t was not many weeks ago that one
of the downtown stations of the Sixth
avenue elevated road was put out OF
commission because a hive of bees had
settled upon it as desirable place to
swarm. Hurrying along with the
usual Manhattan rush, the first visitors
TO the station ran into the nest OF
stings and retreated withou even
waiting to say "Stung again."
Naturally crowd gathered and
found much amusement in watching
needless ones rush up the stairway to
catch the next express only to hasten
down again swinging their arms about
their faces as though a flock OF
stegomyia from New Orleans was
after them. 1t was said at the time
that this particular swarm of bees had
been blown across the North river
from Jersey, but in view of the mum
Der of hives since discovered in the
heart of the city this statement is open
to doubt.
The bite of RATHER, the prick of a
thistle or nettle, the poison of the
wrong kind of ivy and kindred trials
are net to be expected In the most
crowded city in the land. Shall the
sting of the bee be added to the other
nuisances of New York life? Such a
prospect is not particularly encourag
ing when one reads in the news dis
patches from Indiana that two native
born Hoosiers have been stung to death
on country road. The average citi
zen will declares that with automo
biles, electric cars, rubberneck wagons
and other things that rush about
Broadway is dangerous enough with
out the infection of bees. If the hope
of the health department order fails
one must remember that an agricul
tural experimenter in the west believes
that he has bred stingless bee. Per.
haps the Tammany aldermen will pass
An ordinance prohibiting any other
kind, though, as they are so seldom
''stung," they may not take sufficient
interest.