No. 64.--Franklin Wilcox.
[Illustration: _FRANKLIN WILCOX._]
One of the prominent figures on the wonderful gallery of the
Agricultural Building at the recent World’s Fair, where were found
the more wonderful and beautiful exhibits of the apiary, was Mr.
Franklin Wilcox, of Mauston, Wis. We had never had the pleasure of a
personal acquaintance with him before the past summer, but now we feel
that in Bro. Wilcox, as in many other nice bee-folks whom we first
met the past year, we have indeed a good and true friend. So we are
glad to have this opportunity to also present to our readers another
leading bee-keeper--one who has done so much for advanced apiculture
in the State where he lives, and who takes such a deep interest in the
prosperity of all.
Like a great many of the famous men of the United States, Bro. Wilcox
had the good fortune to be born in the State of Ohio. We are not sure
that this fact has anything to do with his success as a bee-keeper, but
somehow we imagine there must be something encouraging in the feeling
that one hails from a certain locality where have come many who have
won deserved distinction, even to filling the highest position of honor
in the gift of the Nation. However that may be, at any rate Franklin
Wilcox was born in Hardin county, Ohio, in 1840. He moved to Wisconsin
in 1851, and settled in Juneau county, near where he now resides.
There being no school to occupy his mind, for a few years he spent
much of his time in the summer season hunting his father’s cows--for
pastures were bounded only by the horizon, and the cows seemed anxious
to find the outer edge; in the fall he frequently went with his father
bee-hunting, and there learned from observation some practical lessons
in bee-keeping, and we think he would spend a little time each fall
yet, in the woods, “lining up” the wild bees, if time would permit.
At the commencement of the late War, he went into the army and served
to the close, being wounded at South Mountain, Md., in September, 1862,
which disabled him from active service for one year.
At the close of the War he married, and settled on a farm where he
still lives. He thinks himself quite content with his comfortable home,
a good wife, and four children.
In connection with his farming summers and teaching a country school
winters, he kept a few colonies of bees, as some farmers do now, until
about the year 1877 or 1878, when he subscribed for the AMERICAN BEE
JOURNAL, and soon after added _Gleanings_, “Cook’s Manual,” and
several other bee-works. After a few months’ reading, he chose a hive,
and commenced bee-keeping in a new way, that astonished his parents and
some of his neighbors.
He now commences each season with from 200 to 300 colonies of bees, and
realizes as much profit from them as any farmer with the same amount of
capital and labor.
Mr. Wilcox has been the Secretary of a farmers’ mutual insurance
company for the past 15 years, which does business in four towns only,
and carries a capital stock of $500,000.
On a previous page is found a description and illustration of the
Wisconsin State apiarian exhibit at the World’s Fair, which Bro. Wilcox
superintended in such a pleasing and satisfactory manner.
[Illustration: In Sunny Southland]
CONDUCTED BY
MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY,
BEEVILLE, TEXAS.
Everything Booming in Texas.
I will now tell you about the weather up to date (Dec. 28th). We are
having summer weather, and the bees are just booming on wild currant,
which began to bloom about a week ago. The boys are to-day transferring
bees from 16 box-hives that they brought in last evening, and they say
that the robber-bees are not bad at all, as the bees are busy on the
currant bloom. To-day the thermometer registers 75° in the shade; at
sunrise this morning it was 66°, and at sundown last night 70° above
zero.
On Christmas day husband rode out some, and plucked an orange out of
Major DeGan’s orchard, where he saw trees bending with fruit of many
varieties of oranges; also the Japan plums were in bloom. The Major’s
fish-pond was partly covered with water-lilies, and stocked with the
finest perch he ever saw, and they were very gentle; they would come
right up to him for food. Then he went out to some of the many gardens
in Beeville, and found vegetables in great profusion--radishes, white
head cabbages, lettuce, mustard, English peas, new Irish potatoes, and
a great many other things too numerous to mention.
The lowest the mercury has been here up to date is 33° above zero, and
we are now having lovely weather, and everything shows a springlike
appearance. I will keep close watch of all the honey-plants, and at
the end of next season I will be prepared to tell all about them, etc.
If we have fine weather ten days longer, our strong colonies will fill
their hives with new currant honey, as it is very plentiful here.
We have drones hatching, and our swarming will begin about Feb. 15th,
or 45 days from now.