_Sawyersville, N. C._, Aug. 12, 1870.
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[For the American Bee Journal.]
Bee Humbugs.
Since the introduction of movable comb hives, numerous attempts have
been made to palm off on bee-keepers worthless hives and sundry humbugs.
As with other branches of business, so with bee-culture; it has its
proficients, amateurs, novices, and pretenders. Generally, it is with
the two last-mentioned classes that worthless hives and various humbugs
originate. The novice is often suddenly attacked with that disease known
as “bee on the brain,” and ignorantly but innocently fancies he has
mastered the whole science of bee-culture, and is therefore prepared to
astonish the world by producing a bee hive that will supplant all its
predecessors. Now, with many, to think is to act. Hence, yearly, there
are introduced to the public several “best hives in the world,” which,
however, prove to be either bungling attempts at an imitation of some
good hive, or a worthless throwing together of timber, embracing in its
construction not one scientific principle, but often many features
directly opposed to the nature and wants of the bees. Their fanciful
shape, novel construction, and the many advantages they are said to
possess, often cause a number of them to be sold to unsuspecting
bee-keepers, who are not educated in the science of bee-culture. The
country is full of such worthless trash, and parties often pay more than
they would require to do for really good hives, the reputation of which
has been established for years--hives constructed by those well
acquainted with bee-culture, and who are hence qualified to construct a
hive adapted in every feature to the wants of the bee.
The other class, whom I have styled pretenders, are generally
unscrupulous persons, who do not hesitate at anything by which they can
bring the “dimes” to their pockets. It is with this class that “bee
humbugs” generally originate. Having a slight smattering of knowledge,
they make great pretensions, and tell wonderful stories about bees--what
strange things they have known bees to do; how one swarm went away,
because the owner quarrelled with his wife; another because a child was
buried, and the owner failed to whisper it in the hive; while a third
was so particular, that it would not stay in the hive, because there was
a rusty nail in sight! In this way they arouse the curiosity of the
uneducated bee-keeper, who is soon ready to swallow all they have to
say. They then come forward with their pretensions to superior
knowledge. They can do this or that with bees. They have some wonderful
secrets, and for a “V” (five dollars) they can tell you how to take the
bees out of a box-hive, take their honey, put them back again, and they
shall be all right “in the spring.” They have also got a curious
compound, a peculiar drug, with which they can charm the bees so that
they will not sting, price “only fifty cents a bottle;” and the recipe
to make it only another “V.” Thus the honest and unsuspecting bee-keeper
is victimized, while the swindling pretender “feathers his nest.”
The following extract from a letter of inquiry, has called forth these
remarks:
“During the past season, the management of bees has been taught in a
secret school, and one of the things taught is the art of drawing bees
from a tree a distance of two miles, even though it may not be known
where they are located. As one of the students is preparing to sally out
on the public, I thought I would write to you, for your opinion.”
A person possessed of such power as this would be likely to surround
himself with a large number of swarms in a very short time, if he
performed his operations in some neighborhoods where hundreds of swarms
are kept within a circle of two miles. He would certainly be an
exceedingly dangerous person to have about, unless strictly honest, as
he might draw off and steal all the bees. Perhaps his secret
incantations have no attractions for bees that live in a hive; and, I
may say and, for bees that live in a tree! Allow me to say to my
bee-keeping friends that all the bee drugs or bee charms are bee
humbugs. If any person is pretending to teach or to do what is stated
above, he is either a knave or a fool, perhaps both.
To say the least, all such persons should be arrested, for obtaining
money under false pretences. If bee-keepers would be safe, let them take
a reliable Bee Journal or agricultural paper, where they will find such
impositions exposed; and in purchasing hives let them select such as the
experience of years has proved to be good.