THB BEE-KEEPBRS' REVIEW 



199 



entire energy into growth and reproduc- 

 tion. Thus it exercises very little, and a 

 large number of ratjhils can be kept in a 

 small space. I know of a rabbilry of 

 over 100 individuals kept wholly in dry- 

 goods boxes. These rest on a platform 

 about three feet from the ground. The 

 whole space occupied by the rabbits is 

 less than three rods square. Thus the 

 man in the city is not precluded from en- 

 gaging in this business. 



Again, the animals are so neat that ill- 

 health is hardly likely to interfere with 

 success. I have heard of only one case 

 where any one has had any loss from 

 disease. In this case there was a sore 

 lack of knowledge of the business. I 

 think it as safe as anything in which one 

 can engage. 



Again, the cost of keeping rabbits is 

 very light indeed. A friend of mine, who 

 is a very careful man, estimates that 

 when hay is 59-oo a ton, two cents per 

 month will keep a full-grown rabbit. It 

 is said that alfalfa hay alone, dry and 

 green, will do for food. It is probable, 

 however, that they might do better with a 

 greater variety. 



It follows from the above that it will 

 cost very little to produce meat. Another 

 friend said to me a few days since, 'I can 

 produce the meat at a good profit if I can 

 get nine cents a pound.' When we re- 

 member that it sells readily now for 20 

 cents a pound, we uiulerstand why the 

 business is so profitable The excellence 

 of the meat is also a substantial argument 

 in favor of the industry. Even epicures 

 smack their lips in rehearsing the ex- 

 cellencies of the rabbit for table use. We 

 had these on our table more or less for a 

 week with very little intermission, and 

 >ve all pronounced the meat first-class in 

 quality, even to the last meal. 



It is often asked, 'Will not the excite- 

 ment soon pass by, and the rabbits fail to 

 pav expenses?' When we remember the 

 millions of mouths to be fed, the appetiz- 

 ing character of the meat, and the cheap- 

 ness at which it can be produced, I doubt 

 if we need fear that it will be soon over- 

 done. Many prefer the rabbit to chicken, 

 and 12 to IS cents a pound is paid for 

 chicken pretty generally throughout the 

 country. 



One disadvantage that the bee-keeper 

 lalxirs under comes from the fact of off 

 years. One off year is frequent, tv\o off 

 years in succession not uncommon, and 

 he is a lucky apiarist who has not had 

 more than once three successive off years. 



.Again, the bee-industry does not claim 

 the whole time of the bee-keeper all the 

 year, and he may well add another string 



to his industrial bow. Poultry-keeping 

 has often served admirably for this extra 

 string. I believe the Belgian hare will 

 even eclipse the hen in this desiied com- 

 radeship. I have a neighbor who lives 

 between here and the foothills. He has 

 a large apiary which has only been an 

 expense now for over two years. I fre- 

 quently pass by his place on my way to 

 the canyons. As I have seen his brood 

 of children — a very large one, by the way 

 — I have felt pity for the household, de- 

 spite the fine flock of chickens which 

 adorn the home yard. I feel le.ss pity 

 now, as the gentleman told me the other 

 day that he had made over |;6oo clear in 

 Belgian hares during the last year I am 

 thus led to say: 'All sjicress lo a co-part - 

 vership be twee fi bees and the Belgian 

 liare.'' " Los Angeles Co., Cal. 



HIVING SWARMS. 



When and How Two Swarms can lie Hived 

 Together Advantageously. 



I don't know whether it is because my 

 locality is similar to that of C. Davenport, 

 of Minnesota, or whether it just "hap- 

 pened" that we have fallen into the same 

 way of managing things, but I know that 

 I seldom read an article of his that I 

 don't feel as though I were reading my 

 own experience. In a late issue of the 

 American Bee Journal he has an article 

 on the management of swarms in secur- 

 ing the greatest amount of white comb 

 honey, and the management is such that 

 I know from experience, that it is the 

 very best for our short, early white honey 

 flows of the North. For that reason I 

 copy it. Mr. Davenport says: — 



"I have before in these columns men- 

 tioned the fact that I largely practice 

 hiving two swarms in one hive. These 

 swarms may be either natural or artificial, 

 or one may be a natural issue and the 

 other artificial — it depends upon circum- 

 stances, but it is all ])ractically the same 

 thing, and the thought may have occur- 

 red to some who have not been engaged 

 in our pursuit long, whether it pays to 

 hive two swarms together, and if more 

 surjilus can be securefl in this way than 

 if each swarm is allowed a separate hive. 

 It undoubtedly pays with me, and I will 

 endeavor to explain why. This will 

 necessitate briefly describing my locality 



