BEE INDUSTRY
The Rev Geo Henderson wrote as follows -
The Chapel Brown’s Town
March 23rd, 18[98]
Geo. A Douet, Esq
Secretary of Agricultural Society
My Dear Sir, - There is no doubt that the lectures of Mr Cradwick are bearing good fruit in different parts of the island and gradually changing effete agricultural methods into an intelligent and scientific system, which must not only give better financial returns, but result in developing the character and intelligence of the people.
I have been wondering whether your committee would not branch out in other directions and consider the advantage of dealing with other subjects besides tillage. I am thinking especially of bee keeping, which has been dealt with m several of the copies of the Journal in May, that has awakened new interest in the subject. Could not your Society arrange to get Mr Doidge, or some person as capable of giving information to give lectures in different parts of the island? There are a good many of the peasantry who keep bees, but have not the remotest idea of the principles that govern the hive. In talking with one of my people on Tuesday last, who has kept bees for twenty years in the usual way, he was astonished to bear of the “Italian Queen” etc, and acknowledged that he could not tell which was the queen. Another asked what would be the use of buying one bee, as that would be no use There is no doubt that in this land of flowers we have advantages for apiaries that have not been improved, and the industry of beekeeping is so closely connected with agriculture that I think your society might very well subsidize a lecturer for a few months to go round and instruct the people the matter.
Will you kindly bring this matter before your committee as it seems to me a promising way of helping the people and adding to the income of the island.
With kind regards,
Very truly yours,
GEO E. HENDERSON
The Secretary also read the following letter on the subject.
Mandeville P O. April llth 1898.
To His Excellency the PRESIDENT and MEMBERS of the Board of Management
of the Jamaica Agricultural Society.
Gentlemen, - I offer no apology for again bringing the Bee industry to the notice of the Board of Management of your Society.
I affix a list of names of parties who have started, and others about starting in beekeeping and who are in postal communication with the Jamaica Bee Supply Co Mandeville.
In addition to the above list Mr. Doidge and myself are constantly in the receipt of correspondence from all parts of the Island asking for information and urging the importance of a lecturing town at desirable centers - and would we undertake to do this?
Quite a number of persons have already purchased from us standard works for the purpose of acquiring information preparatory for going into beekeeping, such as for instance A. I. Root’s “A B C on Bee culture” and Langstrain [Langstroth] “On the Honey Bee” beside monthly journals from England, Australia and America.
Mr. James Doidge is not only a coffee planter of 18 years in Mysore, India, he has had over 20 years experience in apiary management He arrived in the Island in the fall of 1895 (and has been with me ever since) studying the habits of the Honey Bee in the Tropics, thus adding to his previous knowledge of them in semi tropical and temperate Zones. At the time of his arrival here there were only a few apiaries in the Island, being run on the selfish principle of “each man for himself, &c., &c.,” the development within two years will be seen in reference to list above mentioned
Among the list of names will be found clergymen, schoolmasters, small settlers, well-to-do folk and last but not least the names (we are proud to say) of three ladies.
Apprentices also appear on the list (not as many as we would wish) too few.
Some time ago I brought to the notice of the Society the fact of an enormous yearly output of honey and wax which was shipped from Cuba and sold, the struggle for independence has put an end to the industry and the opportunity I think is one we should embrace .
Should the Society see its way to provide a sum sufficient to cover the cost of say a lecturing tour of three or «ix months (the lecturer taking a set of all the necessary implements to enable him to demonstrate clearly the importance of this profitable industry). I would recommend the appointment of Mr James Doidge who is willing to undertake the work, he is a member of the Society, and well known to your Secretary
I would also urge that the Members of the Board of Management bring to the notice of the President and the elected members of the Legislative Council the importance of having Bee Supplies put on the free list of imports and so encourage and build up
this important industry
I have, &c,
GEO.NASH
Member of the Board of Management
P S Box shooks are free of Import duty
Box shooks with ‘BEE’ before t— pay duty!
The Secretary said what was asked was that someone should be sent round to instruct the people on the subject.
The President Is there a qualified man?
Mr Douet replied he had a man
It was resolved that the matter be referred to the small stock Committee
Daily Gleaner, April 14, 1898
