Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-07-02
Wednesday, July 2, 1919.
seekeepins for Soldiers.

Bookkeeping Tor soldiers Is one OF
the latest federal Agricultural De-
partment plans for reabsorbing army
surplus into the civic mixture. A
bulletin says:
Because successful beekeeping re-
quires more work, study and attention
than many people are willing to give
it. bee specialists of the United
States Department of Agriculture are
devoting their efforts to developing
better beekeepers Of those now in the
work rather than make more bee
keepers. There is one outstanding
exception, the specialists say, to this
rolicy-the returned soldier who is
disabled and who is not now qualified
for the work in which he was en-
gagged before entering the Army. The
Government, through the Federal
Board for Vocation Education. offers
disabled men training in whatever
line of work they decide upon for
le-education. To give some of them
an opportunity to see the advantages
in beekeeping. the Bureau Of En-
tomology of the Department recent
ly invited some Of the boys from the
Walter Red Hospital in Washington
TO the new bee-culture laboratory in
Somerset, Md. Talks were given on
the life history of bees and on the re-
ouirements of successful beekeepers,
and demonstrations were held in
handling bees. A few of the men
who had heroically gone through gas
attacks and barrage fire took to the
bushes when they were handed
frames on which the bees were busily
at work. Others bravely went into
the apiary without wells and removed
honey from the hives. Perhaps the
most interesting part of the afternoon
for the more timid men came after
the honey was in bucket. With
hot biscuits and coffee served by the
women of the local Red Cross unit, a
large quantity Of honey was con-
sumed.
While the commercial beekeeper
reeds to be in fine physical condition
to do his best, the bee specialists
point out that it remains true that
the most important part of a bee
keeper is the, part above his neck.
There are already more beekeepers
than are needed-10 times over, per-
haps-but it is true that 10 times the
present number Of good beekeepers
are needed. they add.
We agree to this line Of talk. II
sou are going to get stung. boys. get
stung in q way that will let you
know when and where, and not by
tho Lane malaria and mosquito meth
cd that provides sale of useless
swamps in the South.
There's some sense in getting stung
by an honest, Woodworking Maine
honey bee. but to be stung by politi-
clans and profiteers is a disgrace.
To us it seems about time for return
ing soldiers to let Congress know that
the $5oo.o00,00o Southern patronage
propagation is not favored by men
who can see hole in ladder.
In New England are thousands of
farms unoccupied but ready for Gull
uvation when the victory garden"
hypocrisy is called off so that pro-
fessional farmers can estimate mar
ket possibilities. If the federal gov
crnment would promote occupancy Of
these idle lands that are cleared,
tillable and. in large percentage Of
cases. with buildings in condition for
occupancy with small repairs. it
would do something worth while for
the soldiers and consumers.
Every dollars worth produced in a |
war" or victory" garden, as an
average. costs twice as much as that
produced by those who make a bust
ness of farming. But war and VIC
tory gardens promote sales of fer
tilizcr. tools, seeds and poisons. out
of oil proportion to those used by
regular farmers, and the exorbitant
prices charged are not questioned by
war and victory gardeners.
That is why government depart
ments first stimulated the garden
scheme Of food producing and why it
was taken up by expert" advertisers
and space beggars, takers and
swindlers. 1t is a WONDER some de.
partment Of government does not
boom victory" grocery shops to
spoil the business of the regular re.
ta1ers. They would, too, if there
were any patronage in it or ram.
paign funds from special wholesale
interests.
The present victory GARDEN"
sw1ndie gets the regular farmer 60
ing and coming. destroys his market
In the early winter months before
produce shrinkage and when he
neeos the money. and keeps at unholy
prices the things he has to buy IN
prosecution Of his business. ana
the whole fool program is an eco
nomic loss to tho victory" gar
dener. as 1t was to the war gar
dener. II the average victory gar
dener hasn't the brains to figure it
out let him consider the well known
economic fundamental that any
utility II reduced in cost by guam
ety production. even with equal
akin. emeisncy and economy Of labor
and machinery. After awhile it will
dawn upon him that he is paying
prodtaering prices for every article