430 STATE BOAKD OF AGKICULTURE. 



would not exceed in the aggregate 20 days, at say SI. 50 per da}^ being $30. 

 'Now, what will he receive in return? Judging from my own experience and 

 that of others who have practically applied the improvements in bee-culture 

 made in the last 20 years, he will obtain not less than an average of 75 pounds of 

 surplus per hive, making 750 pounds, worth at least 12i- cents per jiound, or 

 893.75; deducting the value of the labor, and he has 863.75 as a profit on the 

 original investment of 8100, — an income of G3f per cent. Aside from this in 

 most years there would be an increase in stocks which would offset any losses 

 which might be suffered in wintering. 



But is not the above estimate too high? Let us see. During the past year, 

 — and it was not above an average honey season in my section, linn or bass- 

 wood yielding but little honey, — from 29 hives, 20 of these being in box hives, 

 I obtained 2,000 pounds of honey and 25 new colonies. In one season previous, 

 being desirous of ascertaining just what a number of colonies would produce if 

 attended to carefully, and increase of colonies prevented, 17 hives averaged 

 125 pounds of extracted honey each. I am satisfied the estimate is not too 

 high, but the profits might be often larger in extra seasons. Of course my 

 estimates arc made on the supposition that the system of management is in 

 conformity Avith the improved methods, and not on the old plan. I think I need 

 not waste any time in presenting evidence that the profits above mentioned are 

 larger than those secured in most branches of agriculture, and shall assume 

 that the first objection is answered. 



The second objection, — the fear of being stung, — is certainly a very feeling 

 objection ; and a warm reception by a score or more hybrids, Avithout protec- 

 tion, would put a large majority of persons to flight, but fortunately such cases 

 are rare, and with the use of the bee hat all danger is avoided. Occasionally 

 there is a person who is so seriously affected by the virus of a bee that it would 

 be imprudent for him to have anything to do with them ; but we find only one 

 such person in a thousand. Many persons care little for the sting of a bee, 

 scarcely more than for the bite of a mosquito. 



The fear of being stung is a small objection, and the pain and inconvenience 

 is one of the unpleiasant features of the business, and what business has not its 

 disagreeable points? Crops fail, all kinds of stock are subject to disease and 

 accident ; pear trees are struck with the blight, the curculio destroys the plums, 

 even the dog runs mad. 



The third objection, — a lack of knowledge of how to manage them, — is the 

 most serious one. The first two are merely used to avoid giving the true rea- 

 son which would involve an acknowledgment of ignorance, which, unfortu- 

 nately, we oftimes hesitate to make. It is a fact not to be disguised that the 

 successful keeping of bees requires careful study and prompt and timely care, 

 as much perhaps as any branch of agriculture ; but happily the bee-keepers of 

 the United States have been a public-spirited and unselfish class, and through 

 the medium of our bee journals, pamphlets, and books, have placed within 

 easy reach of all people a full and complete knowledge of the vast improve- 

 ments made in the management of the apiary during the last ten years. And 

 what more pleasant way can the farmer employ the long winter evenings than 

 in making himself, his wife, sons and daughters familiar with "Langstroth on 

 the Honey Bee," "The Mysteries, by Quinb}^" and the equally valuable and 

 still later information contained in the journals of to-day. In this manner the 

 natural history of the bee and the theoretical management of the hive can be 

 pleasantly obtained. And not only this, but the boys will be influenced to 



