Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-14
BY
STATE RESCUES
BEE INDUSTRY
Activity of Apiarist Curbs
Disease and Insures Better
Production.
MORE COLONIES OWNED


most ancient times, says bulletin issued
By the division of entomology of the
Indiana department Of conservation.
1t is in the last few decades that the
business received notable assistance from
scientists with the result that rela-
lively small business was transformed
into an industry OF gigantic proportions.
In the last two years largely due to
shortage Of sugar and unprecedented
cost of this domestic necessity occasioned
by the world war, honey was accepted
by many thousands as a substitute for
sugar.
In the opinion of many bee experts,
thousands who turned to honey as a sub
stitute now favor it to sugar, and 1t IS
questionable if many ever viii accept
sugar in all It's former uses. Conse-
quenuy an evolution brought about
through necessity bids fair to assure an
increase Of honey for future consumption.
HONEY BEE
EULoGIZED.
Poets, philosophers. historians and
naturalists have eulogized the honey bee
as unique among insects and endowed
IL nature with wonderful gifts more
beneficial to mankind than any other
creature Of the insect family.
Hindu medical authorities used new
honey as a laxative, and after il become
a year old it was considered an as
tringent Doctors of India, considered
we'll learned regarding cancers, made a
esromel by gently heating together one
part of pure beeswax and four parts Of
strained honey. This preparation was
recommended for application to ulcers,
etc, and much preferred to fatty appli-
cations.
In Egypt and the Far East honey was
used in making embalning material and
likewise for the preservation Of fruits.
cakes. etc. Mix and honey were proper
offerings to guests and the bride and
bridegroom at connubial events. 1t is a
Hindu custom to place honey in the
mouth of a newborn babe, and as a
feed for small children it is considered
unexcelled. The Greeks used either milk
or water and honey as a libatiOn to the
dead There is well-founded evidence that
the mamma OF trees referred 10 and
eaten by John the Baptist was really
wild honey.
Twenty five years ago Indiana was ac-
corded little recognition as 4 bee keeping
State and there were only a few ener-
Eetic bee-keepers within its borders.
These few confined their operations TO
limited areas. Most Of them wers To-
Gated along the Kankakee River, where
the sHsmps abounded in wild flowers
The central part of the State had a few
bee keepers, for there clover was pro-
duced and clover honey harvested. The
hnly section in southeastern Indiana
maintained a few bee keepers. In the
southwest river bottoms the industry was
practically unknown. All efforts at honey
production were made in a crude and
unseientifc manner.
APIACULTURE
MADE STUDY.
There were scattered throughout the
State people who kept bees in gums,
soap boxes, nail kegs, etc In fact. where
beekeeping existed 1t was followed in the
most ancient, crude and antiQusted man
ner. Little honey was obtained and the
remuneration was nearly negligible. Some
owners killed a part of their bees each
fan in order to remove the honey store.
AS the truth Of real beekeeping filtered
through the State rs g result Of bee Jour
nails and a few books on agriculture. there
became manifest a slow drift toward i'm
prOvement and a gradual increase Of we'll
infozmed apiarists.
About 1908 it became evident that tw5
dreaded brood diseases known rs Amer
lean and European foul brood prevailed
in epidemic form throughout Indiana bee
colonies. AS these disea ses were little
known they soon spread rapldly-in fact.
all over the United States. Eastern and
Western States began enacting laws to
combat the scouFge. Such States made
liberal appropriations and employed the
services of experts as inspectors.
Indiana beekeepers recognized the i'm
pOrtance of such State action and a few
Of the more progressive beekeepers
created an organization known as the
Indiana State Beekeepers' Association
This association drafted proposed bee In.
spectiOn laws, set forth the needs Of pro
cedure II the industry was to progress
and the 1907 Legislature gave this State
its first inspection laws.
INSPECTION
ONCE OPPOSED.
The first two or three years under
State inspection developed some highly
enlightening facts on the bee industry
There were found to be in Indiana about
10000 people who kept bees and about
eS per cent OF them operated their bust
ness in haphazsrd manner with an ut
ter disregard st prevention OF weak OF
diseased colonies. There was no uni
form method to increase honey produc-
ton. Anticipated hives were used and
diseases fOurished In malignant form
Many people opposed State inspection
terming It official interference. In view
of the many difficulties attending State
Inspection, IL is little less than miracu-
lous what has been accomplished in plac-
ing Indiana IN the foremost ranks Of
money producing States.
Three summers ago, department of con-
servation records show, there were more
calls for inspection and assistance than
it was possible for four inspectors to
I'LL. In that season 1900 colonies were
Inspected and it developed that State IN
spectiOn and advice on methods of bee
keeping had cut down the foulbrOod
raTages until only Il pc rcent Of col
onies visited were infected.
In 1919 four men, working under c. o.
Yost, State apiary inspector. inspected
1900 colonies. Last year three in
spectors, through cooperation of the
State Beekeepers' Association, were bic
10 inspect 1900 colonies, and it was
determined that there now exists % per
cent less fOulbrood than existed in In
diana two years ago.
There are approximately 2OOOO bee
keepers in Indiana today and they own
about 100000 colonies. Inspection
records show that each beekeeper owns
20 per cent more colonies than prior TO
State inspection Hoosier beekeepers
produced 100000 pounds Of honey in
1870 According 10 Nost no other state
in the Union has a more liberal distri-
button OF honey bearing plants than In
diana. there being 100 species which gives
the state two classes OF early summer
flows and two classes OF fall flows An
entire failure of those rrouDs aT ouca