« 



too, provided that so many are not put 

 there as to overstock the field. Begin- 

 ners should bear in mind that it is just 

 as easy to overpasture a region with 

 bees as it is with cattle, and that if oth- 

 er persons are keeping many bees near 

 by, it will be well to enter upon the in- 

 dustry very cautiously or not at all- 

 The average New England rural dis- 

 tricts will profitably support about 50 

 colonies within a radius of one and one- 

 half miles. Many of the poorer parts 

 will not support a third of that number, 

 and in some of the better ones twice as 

 many will thrive. Before entering on 

 this industry, or if started, then before 

 extending, try and learn how many col- 

 onies of bees there are kept within a 

 radius, of say, two miles; then ascer- 

 tain if the bees there are yielding fair 

 honey returns to the owners, and if so, 

 one may safely add a few to the num- 

 ber. This advice is for those who wish 

 to keep from two to ten colonies. If 

 it is mtended to go into it art a larger 

 scale and the home field is foui.-d to !>e 

 pretty well occupied, the only thing to 

 do is to find some other location. 



In villages and the suburb- o*^ cities 

 it is often impossible to learn whether 

 or not any bees are kept there, and -a- 

 der such circumstances a start may bo 

 made with one or two colonies, and if 

 it is found that the district yields suffi- 

 cient nectar, the number can be in- 

 creased. 

 Providence, R. I., Nov. 9, 1901- 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER January. 



Don't Discourage the Farmer. 



(By A. E. Willicutt.) 



I 



Where he falls short 'tis Nature's fault 



alone; 

 Where he succeeds the merit's all his 



own. — ^Churchill 



"There is no brighter horison m all 

 the world than that we ourselves look 

 upon over the rim of the mountain. 

 There is no gladder moment in all the 

 future than that which passes before us 

 in the splendid presence." ' ij 



NOTICE there are a few bee-keep- 

 ers who seem to think that farmers 

 and others who cannot give their 

 entire time to bee-culture, should not 

 be encouraged to keep even a few col- 

 onies. It is claimed they greatly dam- 

 age trie honey market with their few 

 pounds of poor honey. Now, it has 

 been my experience that most people 

 who buy honey for table use, will pass 

 by poor grades, and pay a fancy price 

 for a lancy article. 



In this locality those who give their 

 bees but little care, do not produce 

 enough honey to injure a very small 

 market. If ihey produce enough for 

 family use they do very well. 



Are not these troubles more imagi- 

 nary than real? 



Did our large producers, specialists 

 and noted queen-breeders, like "Jonah's 

 gourd," spring up in a single night, or 

 did they, like the rest of us, start with 

 a few colonies, and work their way up- 

 ward? 



Did the reader ever see. or hear of 

 a horse that wasn't a colt, before it was 

 a horse? I never did. 



Did not some of our most successful 

 apiarists commence bee-keeping in 

 ."^ome back farm yard, with only one or 

 two colonies? 



If I am not in error, nearly all of our 

 most experienced bee-keepers advise 

 beginners to commence with only a few 

 colonies, and those in connection with 

 some other business, adding more bees 

 as their experience increases. It isn't 

 all those who study to become lawyers, 

 doctors and teachers that make a suc- 

 cess of it. Neither do all those who en- 

 gage in bee-keeping make specialists; 

 but there are some who do surely as- 

 cend the ladder of success. For this, 

 if fiT no other reason, should we not 



