42C PASTURAGE AND OVERSTOCKING. 



bark Papillon. This had all been purchased from Los Angeles 

 Apiarists. 



712. In the excellent season of 1883, the honey crop of 

 Hancock County, Illinois, was estimated at about 200,000 

 pounds, which made an average of less than half a pound 

 per acre. 36,000 pounds of this was our own crop, and 

 the county did not contain one- tenth of the bees that could 

 have been kept profitably on it. Yet, at this low rate, the 

 crop of Illinois alone, with the same percentage of bees, 

 would have been 15,000,000 pounds. We cannot form an 

 adequate idea of the enormous amount of honey which is 

 <vasted from the lack of bees to harvest it. 



713. In our own experience in the Mississippi valley, 

 we have found eighty to one hundred colonies to be the 

 number from which the most honey could be expected in 

 one apiary. Dr. C. C. Miller in his interesting work "A 

 Year Among the Bees," says also that one hundred colonies 

 is the best number in one location. Mr. Heddon strongly 

 urges bee-keepers not to locate within any area already 

 occupied by an apiary of one hundred colonies or more. 

 The extensive experience of both these Apiarists confirms 

 ours, but we must remember that locations differ gTeatly. 



714. In all arrangements, aim to save every step for the 

 bees that you possibly can. With the alighting-board prop- 

 erly arranged, the grass kept down, or better still, coal-ashes 

 or sand spread in front of the apron-board, bees will be able 

 to store more honey, even if they have to go a considerable 

 distance for it, than they otherwise could from pasturage 

 nearer at hand. Manj^ bee-keepers utterly neglect all suitable 

 precautions to facilitate the labors of their bees, as though 

 they imagined them to be miniature locomotives, always fired 

 up, and capable of an indefinite amount of exertion. A bee 

 cannot put forth more than a certain amount of physical 

 effort, and a large portion of this ought not to be spent in con- 

 tending against difficulties from which it might easily be 

 guarded. They may often be seen panting after their return 



