April, '16] HASEMAN: APIARY INVESTIGATIONS 283 



better agricultural methods and the experiment stations have been 

 investigating methods of increasing yields and maintaining soil fer- 

 tility while the beekeepers have received comparatively little help. 

 At least these have been the conditions in this state. In some cases 

 the profits from bees have helped to send young men and women to the 

 University, where they have found instruction in almost every subject 

 except beekeeping. 



Three years ago the first real instruction in beekeeping was given 

 by this department. Along with the development of courses in bee- 

 keeping we have begun some investigations and are planning more 

 extensive work for the future. 



In Missouri it seems that beekeeping must inevitably resolve itself 

 into farm beekeeping. Our natural, climatic and agricultural condi- 

 tions all point in the direction of small apiaries if future beekeeping in 

 Missouri is to thrive. We do not have conditions for successfully 

 maintaining apiaries of hundreds of colonies in any one locality. If 

 ten strong colonies of bees will save the honey flow in any locality why 

 try to maintain an apiary of fifty colonies to accomplish the same end 

 and eat up all the profits? Since these conditions prevail with us, we 

 have planned, first of all, to "preach the gospel" of small apiaries, well 

 located, with only strong vigorous colonies of bees. Our first investi- 

 gations are also planned for like conditions. Along with the prepara- 

 tion of our first report on "Farm Beekeeping," now in press, we have 

 been studying economical methods of securing a few strong colonies as 

 a start and the necessary equipment so as to place beekeeping within 

 the reach of every family. A few strong, well cared for colonies of bees 

 on every Missouri farm is the remote goal toward which we are working. 



The simple methods of dividing and forming nuclei and the methods 

 of queen rearing and requeening are being studied with a view of 

 enabling any farmer to build up his apiary. We have demonstrated 

 in a modest way in our department apiary that without the expendi- 

 ture of much money, any one, who is wilhng to studj^ and work, can 

 build up a small apiary and secure both profits and pleasure from it. 

 Our colonies are used both for class work and for demonstration pur- 

 poses at fairs and yet in the past three unfavorable seasons we have 

 built up an apiary of from two to seven excellent stands, and have got- 

 ten surplus honey every year, even as much as sixty pounds from one 

 of the stronger stands one season. These smaller and simpler things in 

 beekeeping are receiving our special attention now for we realize that 

 to develop successful farm beekeeping in the state we must first reach 

 the beekeepers with simple, practical farm methods. The larger 

 problems of out-apiaries, wintering in cellars, engine extracting outfits 

 and the like have no place in our present work. 



