432 STATE BOAKD l)F AGJIICULTUKE. 



greater. I judge so from observation and from my own experience, which I 

 have been requested to give. 



Three years ago last fall I bought two colonies of Italian bees of Prof. Cook, 

 and under his instructions wintered them out-of-doors successfully. The year 

 following they increased to five large colonies, and my account for the first year 

 is as follows : 



Sjn-inrj of 1874— Dr. ' 



To 2 colonies of Italian bees @ 112.. _ 824 00 



interest on the same at 1 per cent 2 40 



3 hives complete @ $2.50 7 50 



Total •- $33 90 



Fall of 1874— Or. 



By 5 colonies of bees @ $10 ^oO 00 



215 lbs. comb honey @ 25c 53 75 



185 lbs. extracted honey @ 18c. 33 30 



Total Cr _ $137 05 



Total Dr 33 00 



Balance of credit --. $103 15 



The second winter the five colonies were kept on their summer stands and 

 came out in good order. These were increased to 17 colonies, and the account 

 for the second year reads thus : 



Sjjvinrj of 1875 — Dr. 



To 5 colonies of bees @ $10 - $50 00 



interest on the same - - 5 00 



8 hives 20 00 



sugar for spring feed 2 00 



Extractor 8 00 



Quinby Smoker 1 50 



Total $86 50 



Fall of 1875— Cr. 



By 420 lbs. comb honey @ 25c $105 00 



504 ibs. extracted honev @ 18c 90 72 



17 colonies of bees @ $io 170 00 



80 empty combs @ 25c. each 20 00 



Total Cr. $385 72 



Total Dr 86 50 



Balance in favor of Cr _ . . $299 22 



The third winter all were kept in a room in the house cellar specially pre- 

 pared for them, but not in the best condition when they were put in. It was 

 plastered all over, but too late to become perfectly dry. As a consequence 

 there were some mouldy combs, and the colonies were all somewhat depleted, 

 though none were wholly lost. In the early spring, througli negligence, one 



