BEES. 73 



PROFITS OF BEE-KEEPING. 



Before commencing- this part of the subject, it will be as 

 well to give a brief description of those technical terms which 

 are in common nse among apiarians, as many young* bee- 

 masters have been sadly puzzled to comprehend the instruc- 

 tion given in bee-books. By a ''stock" is meant a hive of bees 

 at the end of the season, after all possibiHty of swarmmg- 

 IS gone. A swarm that has taken possession of a hive, and 

 m its turn sent forth another swarm, is called a stock, with- 

 out reference to the length of time during* which it has in- 

 habited the hive, as being- the stock from which the swarm 

 was sent. Hives that have been introduced into their habita- 

 tions, and have not thrown out swarms, are themselves termed 

 '' swarms " until the end of the season at Michaelmas, when 

 they are advanced to the rank of stocks. *' Colonies " are 

 tJiose bees living- in double or treble hives. 



Sydserff supposes, in an estimate that we shall try to 

 make clearer than he g*ives it, that every swarm or stock may 

 produce another annually for sale, whilst the entire number 

 of the stocks kept in hand shall be doubling* yearly, which 

 can only be accomplished thus : — 



1st year — 1 stock produces 2, making 3 in all; 



from which 1 is sold, leaving 2; product. .. ^60 10 G 

 2nd year — 2 stocks produce 4, making G in all ; 



from which 2 are sold, leaving 4; product.. 110 



and so on. The expenses of the hives being defrayed by the 

 honey obtained, what will be the result in fourteen years.'* 

 Why that the last of the fourteen would produce 4,.300Z. lij-s: 

 from 8,192 hives! We wonder whether Sydserff ever askod 

 himself how many apiaries could be doing- this at the same 

 time in England, and still obtaining- 10s, 6d. for each hive ? 

 A less amusing- but much more useful calculation would be, 

 to see what could be done by relying- upon keeping- your 

 stocks yourself to produce honey, which can always be sold, 

 and which would probably be much more larg-ely consumed 

 if it were cheaper. Here is a wide open field for skill and 

 enterprise. All apiarians are agreed as to the profitable 

 nature of bee-keeping-. Bees in good pasturage, well 

 managed, will give two swarms yearly ; and, in favourable 



