Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-12-02
PROFITS IN BEE CULTURE.
Progressive Farmer Writes on Sub
ject OF Farming for Profit.

Westminster, Nov. 28.-Editor
Keowee Courier: The dawn Of day
is not far distant, when the back
bone industry of our country will
not be so specialized as 1t has been
in the pat. Adjuncts will be consid-
cred and added to farm life. They
will De made q study and pursued
successfully along with farming.
One Of these adjuncts that l wish
to consider Is Bookkeeping. There is
no pursuit SO closely related to farm
ing as Bookkeeping, and yet it is sell
dom connected with 1t. Honey is
secreted in various flowers and vast
ed about our homes, md the farmers
have more time to save and market
this valuable product than those
engaged in other callings OF life, and
it should be annexed to their busi-
ness. 1t Is often remarked that the
honey bee Is too mysterious an in
sect for the average person to learn
to handle 1t successfully. This is not
the case, for any one with average in
telligence, who will apply himself, by
study and practice can soon master
enough Of the traits of the honey bee
to cultivate 1t intelligently and sue
cessfully.
The farming class Of people have
had but little chance to learn bee
keeping. The proper literature on
the subject has been scarce and hard
to obtain, and some Of it not alto
gether reliable. Our agricultural col
leges do not teach 1t, l am sorry to
say, and many Of our Southern States
do not recognize 1t. All the infor-
nation un the subject mas been sent
out over the country by individuals
through our agricultural papers and
through catalogues sent out by the
bee supply manufacturers, and this
has only been done in a very limited
way.
The traits of the honey bee are
many, interesting and fascinating to
the human mind, and the public has
on every occasion availed itself Of the
opportunity Of learning item, but
these opportunities have been rare,
and not enough knowledge of bee
culture has been obtained to assure
1T success, even on a small scale,
especially by the farming class Of
people. The great opportunities that
the bee and honey industry affords
have never been made known to the
progressive man. and 1t Is generally
looked upon as a mere DaStjine buSi-
ness. Aside from the surplus honey
that the bee-keeper gets, his bees pay
him a handsome profit because they
pollenize all fruit and vine crops,
which makes them bare more and
better fruit.
| cannot help believing that the
time has come for Bookkeeping to re-
ceive its due attention, and to make
a rise as other small industries have,
and it is hoped that those who have
attained success at Bookkeeping,
even on small scale, will avail
themselves Of the opportunities to
demonstrate the great possibilities
that this particular industry has, and
to do all in their power to enlighten
the people along It's lines Of work
by conversation. correspondence and
by writing articles on the subject for
the press, which is always glad to
publish them. 1t is also hoped that
bee culture will be taught in all our
agricultural colleges, and literature
widely distributed; also experimental
apiaries established, etc. In various
ways the public can be enlightened
along the lines Of this necessary and
profitable industry, which at present
Is wantOnly neglected through doubt
and ignorance.
Many of the farmers In the North
ern States are enthusiastic and pro-
the time and money expended on
their bees have proved good in
vestment, besides giving honey for
home use. 1t is possible for the in
telligent Southern farmer to estab-
lish about his premises a modern
apiary of some size, and operate II
successfully in connection with far
ming, and not interfere with 1t
much. If any. and the returns will
come in at the time of the year when
they are most needed.
If this article proves to be inter-
cstlng to the public | will begin a
series Of articles, and show how the
novice can begin Bookkeeping on
small scale and work up to pro-
Grcssive 5ee-keeper. While | am not
very far advanced In bee culture, l
have kept bees for the past twelve
years, and made 1t a profitable little
industry, and | think have learned
some things from experience, and by
reading good text books on the sub
lect, that will prove to be help to
the novice. j. Wade Dickson.
Mrs. McRancy's Experience.