The Honeybee and the Sugar-Bowl 159 



Bee-keeping is an important industry, and the prin- 

 cipal source of livelihood for thousands of people. 

 During the past few years it has been extremely profit- 

 able on account of the unusual demand for sweets, 

 and of the high price of sugar. Bee-keeping, as a pro- 

 fession is not, however, for our home gardener, who 

 wants honey only for the enrichment of his table ; wants 

 it whether times are good or bad ; and wants it fresh 

 from his own little apiary. Things that are good 

 even when bought from the corner store are somehow 

 infinitely better when produced at home. 



The cost of establishing a small garden apiary, in- 

 cluding the purchase of bees, and equipment and sup- 

 plies, is usually about $50. A good hive should supply 

 from fifty to two hundred combs a year, and readily 

 pay for itself the first year. The cost of filling the 

 family "sugar-bowl" in this way is about two cents 

 per pound — counting nothing, of course, for one's own 

 time and labor, which is merely incidental to the con- 

 duct of the home garden. The market price fluctuates, 

 but is rarely lower than 20 cents a pound ; and usually 

 higher when the product is put up in attractive car- 

 tons. From twenty-five to fifty hives may be kept in 

 a good-sized garden lot. A small family with such an 

 apiary would doubtless have surplus product to sell 

 to the neighbors. There are many instances where 

 a cash income of from $4*00 to $500 is realized in this 

 way; and in any garden city there are certain to be 

 a number of enthusiasts loving bee culture and spe- 

 cializing in it, with a view of increasing their income. 

 Such people will generally have their private customers 

 in town and so obtain the full retail price. 



