TERMS OF LETTING BEES ON SHARES. 419 



to let or take bees on shares, the enquiry is often 

 made as to what the terms should be. I therefore 

 propose to state the terms usually made in such 

 cases. 



FIRST. The party letting bees takes the risk of 

 their dying, unless it results from inattention or care- 

 lessness, during the period for which they are let. 



The party taking the bees to transport them to 

 the place where they are to be kept, furnish the nec- 

 essary enclosure, shades, hives for swarms, and 

 attend to keeping the stocks in good order ; watch 

 for and hive the swarms as they issue ; in short, per- 

 form all the labor required during the period of two 

 years. 



At the end of that time (unless otherwise agreed 

 by the parties) the original stock, together with half 

 their increase and products to revert to their original 

 owner ; who, in turn, bears the expense of their re- 

 moval. The other half of the increase and pro- 

 ducts to belong to the party having them in charge. 

 The above terms have been most common, and 

 properly apply where bees are managed on the old 

 system, viz : keeping them in ordinary straw or box 

 hives, letting them swarm as the means of increase, 

 and killing the bees to get their honey. 



If the bees are in good condition at the time of 

 letting, the first year will be in favor of the party 

 taking them, the second year the advantages would 

 be about equal, and the third year in favor of the 

 party letting them. Consequently, two years would 



