Evening star., 1918-02-03
Busy Bees to DO Their Bit i'm War by Increasing Nations
EIHE Department of Agriculture Is

E1HE Department of Agriculture Is
working assiduously to increase
the honey production for 1918.
q This measure is advocated in
order to assist in conserving the ma
tons sugar supply. The professional
-beekeeper is being encouraged in every
possible way and is earnestly urged to
employ every advantage to insure a
record-breaking honey crop.
Many years ago. before progressive
and enterprising people of temperate
countries established a trade with the
tropics. and so came to depend upon
the Importation of cane sugar. honey
was much more widely used as a food
commodity than it is at present To-
day there are persons living in the
United States who never. from years
end to years end grace their table with
honey, though as a wholesome and
toothsome substitute for jams. jellies
and marmalades it has no equal
Farther back ia the worlds history
than any one can now remember. men
with rude clubs prowled around rocky
search of game. Sometimes they stum-
bled upon a honey deposit and the
more ventUreSome tasted IL, experiment
tally and half fearfulIy. Upon discov-
was altogether luscious and brought no
harm to them, they searched for it
quite as diligently as they hunted for
game. Favored indeed. was he who
found the treasure. In spite of stingS
from angry bees-stings even modern
and expert beemen are subject to-they
secured the sweet and hastened glee-
fully away with il.
Natives of Palestine. Africa. Asia.
South and Central America gather wild
honey to this day. One South American
country. Peru. finds il in sufficient guam
titles to export. In the history of the
United States stories are related OF the
pioneers delight upon discovering a
bee tree and his quick appropriation OF
its precious stores
No very long time elapsed between
the discovery Of the bee tree. with its
priceless wild honey. and the man-made
hive. In many lands man enjoyed it SO
keenly that he did not wish to be de-
pendent on its discovery: he wished
rather to have it at hand should he
grow honey hungry, and hence the in
PRODUCTION of bee culture, which today
has grown to impressive proportions.
Several thousand individuals. with
homes located in every part of the
United States. are keeping bees. The
majority probably pursue beekeepins
in order to swell the family excbequer.
though large number do so because
tHcy derive q UedE pleasure from II
and find il a thoroughly worthwhile
hobby to ride.
Any one who lives in the country can
indulge in an apiary If he desires.
Within the confines of the modern city,
however. where handful of ground is
at premium. the question of beekeeping
is far more perplexing. The average
suburbanite escapes. apparently. insur-
mountable difficulties. which bob up
disconcertingly to confront those who
dwell nearer the heart of town. But
persistent person with a live ambition
for an apiary will find way by uti1iz-
ing the back part of city lot. or, II this
is out of the question. he may try out a
bee colony on the roof of his house, and
even under these conditions. which may
seem totally adverse, success is posi-
BILE.
: Unfortunately. the amateur beekeep-
er rarely succeeds in obtaining from his
bees their maximum of honey. An ef-
ficient beekeeper is thoroughly train
ed individual. and usually has number
of years of valuable experience behind
him-years which have enabled him to
attain his pinnacle as a valuable pro-
ducer in the honey market These are
the professionals. and it is this class
that TSncle Sam is endeavoring to reach
at the present time.
These men are being importuned to
rustic up the unproductiye colonies of
amateurs and buy them The govern
ment feels that in the face of the ac-
tual sugar shortage il would be poor
time indeed to undertake the training
of new or amateur beekeepers. Honey