In SunnySouthland
CONDUCTED BYMRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY,Beeville, Texas.
While I was looking over the index of theBee Journalfor 1893, I came across the above subject, and as I have not time to turn back and find what was said on the subject, I wish to add a word more concerning poultry combined with bees for women.
Now, when we take a right view of our surroundings, and look at human nature a moment, we will see that but very few people wish to engage in a business that will give no rest at all, as it will sooner or later, become a drag, and we become tired, and long for recreation. Well, I for one do not count idleness recreation; but some other light work for rest of mind and body is sought for, and for women (and I will say men, too) I think poultry is first choice to go with bees. I know that it gives me rest and pleasure when tired of working with the bees, to get some grain and call up the chicks, and pet them awhile, and see to their wants—such as good, comfortable nests, roosts, etc.; and this kind of rest proves to me profitable, as well as rest and pleasure.
I know that too much business of any kind is worse than not enough business, and I think we should avoid having too many irons in the fire at one time, but I do believe that to get the best of enjoyment and pleasure, we should have something else to go with bees, whether it pays or not; and I believe that nearlyall successful bee-keepers are lovers of flowers and poultry. Am I right?
I have a flock of fine Plymouth Rock chickens, and a bunch of White Holland turkeys, and, oh! how I do enjoy a rest sometimes among my pet chickens and turkeys!
Jennie Atchley.
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As I have promised to tell more about southwest Texas, I will proceed by saying that Charlie has just returned (Dec. 28th) with a wagon load of preachers that he carried out hunting two weeks ago. I will relate their success.
They killed 20 wild turkeys, 4 wild geese, and a number of ducks, squirrels, armadillo, and a lot of other small game, and one deer. Charles says that of all the lively crowds he ever saw, it is a wagon load of preachers. They made it a rule that the first man that entered camp with a loaded gun should cook a day, and soon they had plenty of cooks.
Charles says that he and one of the preachers went out one day together, and they espied a deer off 50 or 75 yards, and the preacher was to have first shot, then if he missed his aim Charles was to try it. The preacher's gun snapped, and failed to fire, and then Charles fired away and missed the deer. The preacher told him that he had the "buck ague," and so why he missed it. But Charles says that he was laughing at the hard Sunday-school words the preacher was saying because his gun failed to fire, so it turned out that neither of them bagged that deer.
All the preachers got lost, and lay out one night about 15 miles from camp. They had killed a deer, but could not carry it all. A large 12-spike buck would have weighed 200 pounds. Well, they took off the hams, and took turns about carrying it, and they got bewildered, and night overtook them. But about dusk they espied a log-cabin, and went to it, but found no one at home, and from the best they could make out, it was the home of one of the "fence-riders," or where one of the guards lived that looked after the ranch to keep fence cutters and hunters out. The preachers were so nearly famished and tired that they remained all night at the cabin, and no owner came that night, but the preachers found some dried beef and some flour and black molasses, so they were fixed, and soon filled their empty "bread-baskets," as they called them.
They would not sleep on the bed, as they found a six shooter under the pillow, but they laid on the floor, and one kept watch while the others slept, up until midnight, when all fell asleep. The reason they kept watch was, that they feared the owner would come home and take them for robbers, and fire into them without warning. But no owner came, so in the morning they arose early and ate breakfast, and Charles says the preachers say they left some money and a note on the table, to show the owner that they were not robbers, but they longed for a fence-rider to overtake them, as they had gotten in on forbidden ground, and did not know how to get out. As there were 170,000 acres in the pasture, you see they had a hard time of it.
But before night the following day they reached camp O. K., but nearly worn out, and they said they did not expect to find Charles there, as none of them would have staid alone at that camp among the wolves, panthers, wild cats, cougars, bears, etc. But Charles said he made it all right without any trouble, but the coyote wolves kept him plenty of company with their howling. However, the preachers made up their minds that if that 14-year-old boy had remained at the camp ten miles from anybody all alone, they would each give him a dollar, which they did, though Charles says he thanked them and offered the money back; but no, they said that a boy with all that courage justly deserved the money, and they insisted on his keeping it, which he did.
They then went into conference, and delegated two to go after the rest of that big fat deer, when lo, and behold,theygot lost, and just barely made it into camp by night, without finding the treasure. They then called together the "court" and discussed the matter of adjournment, as most of them had to get home in time to preach the Christmas sermon at their several churches. Well, they broke camp on the morning of Dec. 22nd, and Charles started home with his wagon load of Baptist ministers.
You will remember that I have told you of our bee-wagon being enclosed with wire-cloth, and resembles a lion's cage. Well, after they got started on their way home, they concluded to play lion awhile, and one of them was a little fellow, and Charles says that the larger preachers tore his clothes nearly all off of him, and when they arrived at the hotel at Beeville, he wrapped himself up in his overcoat and went in, and they had to go out and buy some clothes forhim. They wanted him to preach that night in Beeville, but he would not because they had torn his clothes off.
Charlie says that he has been out with lots of crowds, but the preachers were the liveliest set he ever saw. He says they had him promise to haul them out again a year hence, as they were coming if the Lord was willing, and when they could get as brave a boy as he was they were sure of success. Charles says they were very prompt, and paid him $1.00 per day, besides the premium for his bravery, and he will surely take them out whenever they come.
The preachers killed so many turkeys that they rotted on their hands, and they agreed to knock the first one down that mentioned turkey in a month.
Jennie Atchley.
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It will be understood that we keep some out yards to draw brood from to keep up the nuclei in the queen-rearing yards. We injured some colonies very much by injudicious drawing of brood. If we do not wish to run the colonies down to nothing, we should mark X on the top-bars of two or three brood-frames, and do not take them when we are drawing brood. I find that two Langstroth frames in the center of the brood-nest will keep the colony up pretty well, but three are better—that leaves about three frames to draw on, when 8-frame hives are used, as the two outside combs seldom have brood, or not as much as the center ones.
The best plan to control an apiary that persists in swarming, is to draw brood from it and recruit or build nuclei with the brood. It would likely astonish any one to know how much brood can be drawn from a good queen during the season. I am satisfied that we have drawn as much as 50 frames of brood from a single colony during one season of eight to ten months, and then get some honey, and have a fine colony for winter in the colony we draw from. But if we draw at random, and take any and all the frames, we are likely to ruin the colonies.
Jennie Atchley.
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Honey as Food and Medicineis just the thing to help sell honey, as it shows the various ways in which honey may be used as a food and as a medicine. Try 100 copies of it, and see what good "salesmen" they are. See the third page of this number of theBee Journalfor description and prices.