168 



FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



sheets of foundation properly put into but sane business management is an 

 perfectly made frames. essential to success. 



As to labor or help, conditions vary Many of us are already giving our 



with different localities. fad the thought and study that makes 



Probably as a rule the best is the ^°^ successful business management, 

 cheapest. Ordinary help is profitable I" connection with management, us- 



sometimes under a proper, competent "ally capital is considered. The money 

 foreman, but in bee-keeping without to swing the business is necessary in 

 proper superintendence it is usually any business and particularly so in a 

 worse than useless. business that yields only annually at 



Usually help may be had during the ^^^^ ^"'^ ^" ^'^^^^ ^^^\% are months or 

 late fall, winter and early spring, but fZf^ ^ ^'^^^ ^""^ ^ ^^" a* ti"^«« ^^^'^h 

 it becomes more of a problem during ^^"le or no mcome. 



the busy season, therefore as much of Costs for management may be kept 



the work as possible should be done down at times by co-operation or 

 during off seasons. consolidation. Some western bee- 



If one engages in bee-keeping as a ^^^^^^^ ^""^J^ "^°f profitable to co- 

 business one probably will not try to operate on the production end as well 

 do all the work himself. From a busi- f^ «" ^^^ sellmg end on account of 

 ness standpoint one should be able to '^« '°^^^ ^°^t and more efficient re- 

 hire help and leave a profit, and cer- suits. 



tainly if one can't afford to hire help So much for production in a general 



he can't afford to do the work himself. way. Now as business is a matter of 

 In other words, if the bee-keeper busi- costs and profits, of figures and per- 

 ness man's time is worth less than centages, let's see what this means 

 the time of a man he can hire, he had in tangible form. 



better give up bee-keeping as a busi- Assume we're in the business of bee- 



ness and consider it merely a fad. keeping with raw material, plant, labor 



Management is usually called "over- and management all provided for. As- 

 head" and means the necessary outlay sume we move 5 colonies to a yard 25 

 for overseeing things, for running the miles out for a flow necessitating eight 

 business. The cost for management trips to get off a crop and get ready 

 must be kept within bounds. Many to move to the next flow, there being 

 businesses fail through too much over- three flows in all. Then will our costs 

 head or management and probably a figure out for the yard something like 

 great many" more through too little, this: 



1 

 RAW MATERIAL,: i 



Rent $ 5.00 



Moving one way 25.00 j 



Eight trips, auto 25 miles out and 25 miles back — 50 I 



miles at 10c per mile— $5.00 per trip 40.00 ' $70.00 



PLANT. 



Depreciation 50 hives, $3.00 — $150.00 — 10 per cent 1 year 15.00 

 Interest on 50 colonies, $8.00— $400.00— 6 per cent 1 year 24.00 



Painting and repairs par year 15.00 



Wintering 50 colonies, including feed 50.00 



Total for year $104.00 



Only one-third charged this yard .- i $34.67 



LABOR: 



Eight trips, 12*^ hours each, 100 hours @ 30c 30.00 



MANAGEMENT: ! 



Salary $1,000.00 per year $1,000.00 



Accounting, miscellaneous 250.00 



Interest on investment in shop and general supplies, 



$1,000.00 at 6 per cent 60.00 $1310.00 



Half to production $ 655.00 



If own 500 hives, management expense per colony per 



year 1.32 



One-third charged this yard — 44c per colony 22.00 



Total $156.67 



or per colony, say, 3.17 



Thus the cost for producingi a crop at this yard would have been per pound- > . 

 If crop was 20 lbs. per colony 16c, and 3 — 19c. 



If crop was 30 lbs. per colony. 10c. and 3 — 13c. , 



If crop was 40 lbs. per colony. 8c. and 3 — lie. | 



