Vol. LVL— No. 1. 



HAMILTON, ILL., JANUARY, 1916 



MONTHLY, $1.00 A YEAR 



A System of Extracted Honey Production 



Economy of Time and Labor an Important Consideration 



IN order to realize the most profit 

 from honey-production, it is impor- 

 tant that the beekeeper eliminate 

 unnecessary labor,for labor is the most 

 expensive thing which he has to buy. 

 If a man does all his own work it is 

 equally important. Two things must 

 be considered in establishing outyards, 

 the honey-producing flora within reach 

 and the time necessary to go from one 

 yard to another. There may be other 

 considerations, but 

 these two will apply 

 in every locality. 

 After the general lo- 

 cation has been se- 

 lected there will be 

 still a number of 

 minor considerations 

 such as convenience, 

 ease of approach, 

 protectionfrom wind, 

 etc. 



When a man puts 

 all his eggs in one 

 basket, he should be 

 very careful of the 

 basket. Accordingly 

 when a man decides 

 to take up beekeep- 

 ing as a business, he 

 should use his best 

 judgment in every 

 detail. Too much 

 care cannot be used 

 in selecting the loca- 

 tions for the apiaries, 

 for a very few miles 

 may make a great 

 difference in the hon- 

 ey-production which 

 will be possible with 

 a given number of 

 bees. There are seven 

 apiaries in the Da- 

 d int series, and only two of these can 

 be depended upon for a fr<-quent fall 

 flow. During the past season all seven 

 yards stored heavily from heartsease 

 and other fall flowers, but it often hap- 

 pens that the only fall flow is from the 

 two apiaries within reach of the Miss- 

 issippi riv,:r bottoms. 



The first outyards were established 



in 1872, and several have been main- 

 tained ever since that time. While the 

 locality would support a large number 

 of colonies in one yard during a good 

 flow, the available fruit bloom is not 

 sufficient for spring brood rearing. 

 The flora that determines the number 

 of colonies which may be profitably 

 kept in one yard is not that which pro- 

 duces the main flow, but the interme- 

 diate bloom which keeps the bees oc- 



A SCREENED ENTRYWAY PREVENTS THE 

 THE EXTRACTING 



BEES FROM 

 HOUSE 



cupied during the rest of the season. 

 In most of the northern States, east of 

 the Mississippi river, fruit bloom and 

 dandelion blossomsare depended upon 

 to furnish the nectar and pollen for 

 spring brood rearing. The clovers, 

 especially white clover, are the source 

 of the main honey flow. In many locali- 

 ties there is a second flow from fall 



flowers. If the beekeeper is within 

 reach of sufficient honey-producing 

 plants to furnish necessary food sup- 

 ply during the interim between the 

 clover flow and the fall flow, and also 

 for spring brood rearing, there is little 

 danger of overstocking his locality. In 

 the vicinity of Hamilton these minor 

 crops do not seem sufficient for more 

 than about 100 colonies. When the 

 number has reached as many as 120 in 

 one yard there has 

 been a decided re- 

 duction in the yield. 

 The automobile is 

 the latest addition to 

 increase the produc- 

 tive capacity of the 

 beekeeper. Movable 

 combs, comb founda- 

 tion, the extractor, 

 and now the automo- 

 bile have raised hon- 

 ey-production from 

 a mere fad to the 

 dignity of a business 

 worthy the attention 

 of a man of high at- 

 tainments. It is now 

 easily possible to 

 reach an apiary 10 or 

 15 miles away, do a 

 good day's work and 

 get home in time for 

 supper. 



It is important that 

 apiaries be establish- 

 ed where they can be 

 left for a long time 

 as it is desirable to 

 have a honey-house 

 and other conven- 

 iences that are not 

 easily moved at each 

 yard. Most of our 

 apiaries have been established for 

 many years, and since the owner of the 

 land receives an agreed share of the 

 crop, he is usually well satisfied with 

 the arrangement. There is more in- 

 terest on the part of the land owner 

 where his rental depends upon the size 

 of the crop, than where he receives a 

 certain stipulated price regardless of 



GETTING INTO 



