SOUTHERN BEE CULTURE 17 



THE BEGINNER AND THE BEGINNING IN BEE CULTURE. 



Who is the beginner in bee culture? There are many people interested 

 in bees and are buying bee-literature, and reading and studying bee culture 

 in view of some time establishing and operating an apiary when they get 

 better located in life. There are many who are keeping bees in old-style box 

 hives, but who are interested in their bees, and are entertaining the thought 

 of establishing a modern apiary. There are some who already have their 

 bees in modern hives; but there is a mountain of doubts rolled up between 

 them and their apiary, and they are in a quandary whether to continue to 

 cultivate them or not. Then there are many who are deeply interested in 

 their bees, but somehow never get around to give them attention. And there 

 are also some who are enthusiastic over their little industrious objects, and 

 have modern apiaries established, and are endeavoring to cultivate their^ees. 



Evidently I have classified 'the beginner in bee culture somewhere, and 

 we will next consider the beginning. Of course, we must have foundation 

 stock or a starting of bees — see "Buying Bees," in order that we may properly 

 apply what we read, and see the actual results so we may practice as we 

 learn. The greatest essential in learning a new line of business is applying 

 the methods of work already outlined, and not by experimenting. In other 

 words, apply what some one else has learned, and follow instructions as 

 close as possible, and not go down to the bottom and begin by experimenting, 

 and suffer the great loss that is usually sustained by experimenting, and dur- 

 ing the time sustain a whole lot of unpleasant and unsatisfactory experiences. 



If I have a beginner student in bee culture who starts off to experiment- 

 ing I lose hope of him, and nine times out of ten he will fail. But if I have 

 one who is studious, and who follows instructions, I have great hope of him, 

 and nine times out of ten he is sure to succeed. 



If any one takes up a new line of business he is sure to make some mis- 

 takes and to have some unpleasant experiences and unsatisfactory results. 

 So it is with bee-keeping, even when we have followed directions or in- 

 structions as closely as we can. 



My experimenting with bees has cost me enough to establish an apiary, 

 the returns of which would be between 200 and 500 gallons of honey a year ; 

 and, besides, I came near, two or three times during the struggle, giving up 

 the idea of being an extensive bee-keeper. 



Dear beginner, study some book of information or give yourself a blank 

 to some progressive bee-keeper, and follow instructions closely, and let some 

 other bee-keeper do the experimenting, and you benefit thereby. Buy or keep 

 but few bees at first, and invest no more capital in them than necessary, and 

 soon you will attain a success with your bees that will put to shame the 

 old-style box-hive bee-keeper who has kept bees all his days. Elsewhere in 

 this book you will fine the needed instructions to guide you on to success 

 from the right starting-point. 



