that they would bear a microscopic ex- 

 amination, for I never looked at them 

 so closely; but looking at them as we 

 ordinarily look at a queen, I could see 

 no difference and I reared several 

 queens from each of them. These 

 queens I received from Mr. Henry Alley. 



It was well along in September when 

 I saw Mr. Moon's article, and I thought 

 it was rather late in the season to apply, 

 as we find it quite difficult to rear 

 queens here in October. If he will 

 make his offer earlier in the season, we 

 will try and accommodate him, for we 

 know we have such queens ; and fur- 

 thermore a daughter of one of these 

 queens has this fall reared three exact 

 duplicates of herself, (i.e.) examined 

 ordinarily, not microscopically. 



Hartford, N. Y., Oct, 9, 1879, 



For the American Bee Journal. 



How to Secure the Largest Income. 



DR. C. C. MILLER. 



Of a given number of bee-keepers 

 only a small number can pursue special- 

 ties. All cannot publish bee papers, 

 manufacture supplies, or rear queens, 

 and make a living at it. I have given 

 up all other business and devote my 

 entire time to the apiary. I have no 

 patent hive to sell, neither bees nor 

 queens, nor any thing but the one item, 

 honey. As a representative, therefore, 

 of the mass of bee-keepers, I ask the 

 question, how to secure the largest in- 

 come ? not because I think I can answer 

 it, but because I honestly and anxiously 

 desire light upon it, such as may be 

 brought out by discussion. I am well 

 aware that the question is a very com- 

 prehensive one, and may really embrace 

 the entire subject of bee-keeping ; but 

 aside from the topics discussed in the 

 books, there are several points upon 

 which light may be thrown by the ex- 

 perience of the veterans in the business. 

 Some of these points I may be allowed 

 to suggest : Prominently comes up the 

 question, "Shall I devote my entire 

 time to the apiary, or shall I attend to 

 some other business in connection there- 

 with ?" For many years I kept a few 

 bees, devoting part of my leisure time 

 thereto, and found it very pleasant, but 

 after the number of colonies increased 

 to 100 or 200 it was not so satisfactory, 

 and for the last year or two I have given 

 up all other business to solve the prob- 

 lem whether my bees would furnish me 

 with bread and butter— a problem not 

 yet fully solved. 



Mr. Palmer, I suppose, will tell us to 

 raise small fruits, and possibly that 

 may work well in connection with 



apiarian pursuits ; but my experience 

 with a few acres makes me afraid that 

 gathering the crop would come just at 

 the bee-keeper's busiest time. 



Mr. Gastman will tell us to teach, but 

 the man who spends 9 or 10 months of 

 the year in the school-room, unless he 

 has a constitution of iron, has no busi- 

 ness with more than enough bees to 

 serve as a recreation. Whilst inclined 

 to the opinion that apistical pursuits 

 had better be followed singly, the ques- 

 tion is an open one and I am ready for 

 light. 



Is there any limit to which increase of 

 colonies can be profitably carried V 



What is the limit of colonies in one 

 apiary ? 



Shall I attempt to keep more than one 

 apiary V 



The general teaching has been that 

 about 100 colonies are enough for one 

 location. Undoubtedly the pasturage 

 has much or all to do with this question. 

 I have some 200 colonies in my apiary, 

 and I am really uncertain whether less 

 would be better or whether double the 

 number could not find enough pasturage 

 on the same ground. 



Will it pay to raise crops especially 

 for honey ? 



I have sowed a good many pounds of 

 alsike, with poor results so far ; but the 

 seasons may have been unfavorable for 

 growth. I am of the opinion that if I 

 had this year sowed several acres of 

 buckwheat I should have been the 

 gainer by it, for although buckwheat 

 honey brings a low price, it conies at a 

 time when it can be laid up for winter 

 stores, and if any surplus is taken it is 

 so much clear gain; provided, no other 

 plants are yielding honey at the same 

 time. Melilot, catnip, &c, have their 

 advocates ; but can any one, from actual 

 experiment, give us proof that either of 

 these can be profitably planted by the 

 acre. 



Passing by the questions as to 

 whether honey shall be in the comb or 

 extracted, foundation used or not, and 

 if used, whether only for starters or full 

 size of surplus box, I come to the im- 

 portant and somewhat perplexing mat- 

 ter as to the disposal of the honey. 

 Much good advice has been given as to 

 developing the home market to which I 

 give a hearty assent, but I am sure it is 

 not to the interest of every large pro- 

 ducer to depend entirely upon his home 

 market. So long as I can get nearly or 

 quite double as much for my honey in 

 New York or Chicago as I can in the 

 markets near home, I shall not spend 

 much time in the business of develop- 

 ment. I believe it is to the interest of 

 bee-keepers that honey shall become a 



