CHAPTER II 

 HOW TO BEGIN BEE-KEEPING 



THE VARIOUS WAYS OF BEGINNING 



THERE are so many ways of beginning this inter- 

 esting work that no classic way obtains. Many 

 people have received the stimulus from a swarm of 

 bees, escaped from some apiary, which has alighted 

 on a tree or bush on the premises, and which seemed 

 too much like a gift of the gods to be ignored. In 

 fact, no one with blood in him would do otherwise 

 under such circumstances than to hunt up a soap- 

 box or a nailkeg and, with an intrepidity amounting 

 almost to heroism, place it under the cluster and 

 shake the bees into it. Then, if the swarm feels 

 content, the fact is accomplished ; and the involuntary 

 owner finds a new interest in life, and enthusiastically 

 becomes a bee-keeper. This is an excellent and 

 inexpensive way to begin, and for all who are thus 

 favoured it is by far the best way. But one may 

 wait many years before this happens, and after all 

 there are other and more direct methods. The 

 best way is to begin by wishing sincerely to keep 

 bees, and then to adopt one of the following plans : 



The cheapest way is to visit the nearest neighbour 



