THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



299 



physically. Good health and enjoy- 

 ment of life, and our friends' enjoy- 

 ment of us, demand that we round out 

 our lives by usingr all our powers; and 

 in so doing: we better fit ourselves to 

 make a success of our chosen line of 

 business as well as help to better the 

 condition of others. 



While it is true that to specialize 

 maiies our chances of business success 

 much better, there are other reasons 

 why we should do so. The fact is, we 

 are almost compelled to do so, because 

 of the trend of all lines to combine; 

 and because it is a fact that the g-reat 

 producing fields are not consuming ones, 

 and to g-et the product to those who 

 want it there must be larg-e quantities 

 massed for shipment, to induce buyers 

 to g-o to these points after it, and the 

 transportation companies to provide 

 means for properly handling it. If we 

 would not be at the mercy of all theg-o- 

 betweens, we must produce largely and 

 get as near the consumer as possible 

 the same as the manufacturer of such 

 things as we n2ed. 



Co-operation of small producers may 

 and can accomplish the elimination of 

 some of these difificulties, and it is the 

 most humane and rightous way; we 

 ought to do it that way; but even with 

 co-operation bringing together the 

 small producers into a systematic and 

 reasonable way of both buying and 

 selling, when one grows in knowledge 

 and ability to produce more and better, 

 the most reasonable thing to do is to 

 spread, use your ability to produce; 

 but do not make use of your power to 

 pull down others. 



This is a long prelude, but when we 

 understand why we are to do a thing, 

 it will be easier to understand /w7v to 

 do it. And, too, it is a fact, that when 

 one enlarges and puts out apiaries 

 here and there, he has many things to 

 learn, and different methods to prac- 

 tice from that employed in a little 

 home-apiary run in connection with 

 some other busniess. And there can 



be no set rule to govern in the locating 

 of these out-yards; the topography of 

 country, pasturage, obtaining of sites, 

 and the getting to and from, all have 

 to be considered— there will be scarcely 

 any two fields alike. 



It is evident to me that the character 

 of weather-conditions, and lay of 

 country, have much to do with the 

 flight of bees; I feel suremy bees range 

 over two to four miles from the yard; 

 I have trustworthy evidence that bees' 

 in this country have done excellent 

 work going four miles. I make it a 

 rule to put yards from two to four 

 miles apart, getting them in good 

 territory, and in protected places for 

 yard-location. When I find a part of 

 the country in which I wish a yard, I 

 try to find a spot easy of access by 

 wagon, where a team can be driven 

 close to the bees, yet far enough from 

 the farmer's house, barns, roads or 

 fields, where teams will be used, so 

 there will be no inconvenience to him 

 in his affairs. I take entire charge of 

 the bees at all times, so far as man- 

 agement and care goes, asking nothing 

 of the farmer, save that he will en- 

 deavor to let me know it he sees any- 

 thing wrong, and, for the privilege of 

 getting in and out, and the use of the 

 spot of ground, I give from 50 to 100 

 pounds of honey annually; sometimes 

 in a poor year, only 50 pounds— 

 the quantity is gauged by the profit- 

 ableness of the season rather than by 

 the size of the yard. It would prob- 

 ably be better to have a fixed amount 

 for use of the ground, and keep few or 

 many bees as you like, regardless of 

 the crop. 



THK HOME-YAKD A CENTRAL DEPOT. 



As to the number of colonies in the 

 home-yard before starting an out-yard, 

 that brings up the question of over- 

 stocking, a thing we cannot possibly 

 settle by any rule. Then, too, there 

 is the question of a suitable place for 

 the bees at home, and other considera- 

 tions. I live in town where I have my 



