River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1922-01-19
DEVELOP APIARY INDUSTRY
IN PIERCE COUNTY

When the beekeeperS of Pierce
county meet at Ellsworth on January
20, extensive plans will be made fol
the development of the apiary indus
try of this county.
Officers of the Wisconsin Beekeep-
ers' Association and Representatives
of the experiment station as we'll as
local apiarists are confident that the
beekeeping possibilities of this coun-
ty are far greater than is generally
recognized They predict healthy
growth of beekeeping here if suffi-
Gent attention is given to the details
of colony management. II. +. Will
son. secretary of the state associa-
ton, who regards beekeeping as one
of the most important of the minor
agricultural industries of the state
is among those who highly respect
the beekeeping prospects of this sec
tion.
"When the work is properly done,
the returns from beekeeping are ex-
ceedingly satisfactory" declared Mr..
Wilson, when interviewed upon this
subject. "For the amount of money
invested and the labor involved, bee
keeping gives as much or more pro-
fit than any other agricultural pur-
suit. But like any agricultural pur-
suit to be profitable, it must be con-
Quoted in a business-like manner, and
receive the same attention as the
successful farmer or stockman gives
his crops or stock. Needless to say
a proper knowledge of bees and
honey production is essential before
the best results can be obtained.
About 80 per cent Of those who
start in Bookkeeping fail because they
do not have a sufficient knowledge OF
the modern methods Of honey proiuc-
ton, or possessing it, they do no;
apply it properly"
Commercial beekeeping is mod
ern agricultural pursuit, the inven-
tons and methods of management
having been brought forward since
1850. The history of beekeeping in
Wisconsin seems to run parallel to
development of bee culture in the
United States. In 1867 Adam Grimm
took to Jefferson county from eastern
states, the recently invented Langs-
troth movable frame hive, with 20
Italian queens, all that remained from
shipment of 100 from Europe This
was the first successful importation
of queens on a large scale. Pre-
viously bees had been kept in hollow
logs, boxes, straw hives and similar
contraptions. With the introduction
of modern hives, and italian bees
many improvements have been made
until today Wisconsin has many pro
gressive beekeepers producing tons
of the best quality of honey found il
| the United States"
The state, according to Mr.. Wilson
| is divided into six regions, VARYING
in adaptability -beekeeping. A con
siderable portion of the undevelopet
section north of the northern region
is fairly adapted to beekeeping ant
awaits, along with the Progressive
farmer, the beekeeper. In this regiol
there probably are numerous local.
ties that would yield good return
in honey from clover, Eastwood, gol
denrod. and fall flowers. Wiscon
sins climate, soils and honey liant
admirably adapted her for beekeep
ing so that with proper encourage
ment and development in near futur
she should rank with Texas, Califor
MIA and Colorado as a honey produc
ing state.
The local conference Of beekeeper
will be addressed by L. p. Whitehea
of the department of Economic En-
tomology at the University of Wis
consin. He will outline some of tn
general requirements for successfr
Bookkeeping. The members of tn
committee who are arranging for thi
meeting are hoping to have s. f
Fracker, state entomologist presen
to help Pierce county combat tn
pests in their colonies.