Via: Historical Honeybee Articles - Beekeeping History 02A) Women in Beekeeping 1899 - Miss Ada Pickard and Her Apiary Miss Ada L. Pickard who is shown herewith in her apiary, resides in Richland Co., Wis., and is one of the few lady bee-keepers who is making a wonderful success in her chosen field. We are glad to be permitted to place before our readers not only the picture, but also the following few words from Miss Pickard about herself and her work with the bees: When I was a small girl my mother purchased Mr. S. I. Freeborn’s apiary, numbering 160 colonies, which he placed upon our farm in Richland County during the summer of 1887. She being very much interested in the work succeeded in interesting me during the vacations. I always worked with her until the spring of 1898, when we moved 100 colonies about 12 miles from home, and I took charge of the apiary having sole management of it, and securing, as the result of my labors, 16,000 pounds of fine basswood honey. The picture represents me in my apiary last summer. When fall came, we removed our bees home and placed them in winter quarters. Having excellent success in wintering, we moved 111 colonies to the place where I now am, and we are awaiting the results. The prospects are very good for a crop of honey this year, as the basswood trees are hanging loaded with bloom. We trust that this short account may prove an inspiration to other daughters of our readers. They may not be able to “go and do likewise ” to the extent which Miss Pickard has attained, but in all probability they might be very successful in their efforts along the bee-keeping line. We regret that Miss Pickard didnt go a little more into the details regarding herself and her work, but as we hinted when writing her that she need not give any clue to her age, we presume she felt excused from giving many other interesting particulars as well. In the last report issued by the Wisconsin Farmers’ Institutes, we find the following from Miss Pickards pen, being a portion of an entertaining contribution, entitled, “ The Importance and Development of Bee-Culture :” The Bee-Master. Progress in Beekeeping, etc. To be a thro bee-master requires as much intelligence, fore‘ thought, and skill, as to be a good lawyer, physician, or any other professional, and withal a clear perception of the relation of cause and effect. Some people are inclined to think that beekeeping is a pleasant pastime which lazy and incompetent people can take up with success, thinking all that is required is to put bees into a hive in some out of-the-way place, and that they will “work for nothing and board themselves.” And so they may, but if the owner desires to obtain any surplus for his own table, or for the market, he must give them further care, and unless he has a heart for the work, so that he finds some degree of pleasure in caring for them, he had better not attempt to keep them at all, as they will only prove a source of annoyance without profit. To make a successful bee-keeper requires a special gift, or a natural aptness for the business, the faculty of perceiving what needs to be done, and an inclination to do it promptly. The old Spanish adage, “Never to do anything today which can be put off until tomorrow, does not apply to bee keeping, as it savors too much of slothfulness; but the old Anglo-Saxon maxim, “Never leave until tomorrow what can well be done today,” will be found more applicable, being much more in harmony with the assiduous activity of the bees. We are living in a progressive age. No other period in the worlds history has ever been signalized by such wonderful developments in science and art as has been brought to light this 19th century. The great labyrinth of Natures mysteries has seemed to be set open unto men, and forces and principles which have lain dormant since the beginning of the creation, have in our day been brought forth and made subservient to the will of man with astonishing results. And while such unparalleled progress has been made in other directions, bee-keeping has also received its share of attention, and I feel quite safe in saying that more progress has been made in the management of bees, during the latter part of this century, than during all the thousands of years of previous history. Beekeeping in its present stage of development is fully entitled to take rank as one of the arts, and were it not for the variableness of the seasons, the changeableness of the weather, and other atmospheric conditions upon which the secretion of nectar in the flowers is so largely dependent, and upon which hinges the turning-point of success or failure, all of which are entirely beyond our control -I say, were it not for these uncertainties, then bee-keeping might properly be clast as a science; but inasmuch as the variation of seasons necessitates a variation in management of the bees, therefore no set rules can be established which will work satisfactorily under all circumstances that may arise; but, the judgment and skill of the apiarist needs to be constantly exercised in order to discover just what needs to be done, and when and how to do it. Although the manipulations of an apiary are widely different from farm work, as the practice of medicine is from the practice of law, yet a few bees in the neighborhood are a real benefit to every farmer are fruit-grower, because the bees evidently perform a very important part in the fertilization of the blossoms of fruit and seed bearing trees and plants. Therefore, let the farmer, fruit-grower, and beekeeper, live in harmony and good-will, for that which promotes the interest of one, promotes the interest of all. Give the bees a chance. -Ada L. Pickard Source: American Bee Journal, July 20, 1899. Page 449
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 11:11:33 +0000
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