30 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



poultry business in the most approved 

 fashion, and he is noted for his strict atten- 

 tion to the details of his business enter- 

 prises. Some years ago he launched into 

 the poultry business with a zeal born of a 

 determination to make it a financial success. 

 Eight thousand dollars was invested in a 

 strictly up-to-date plant. His best season 

 was some years ago when 25 cts. per dozen 

 was realized for his entire output of 3000 

 dozen eggs, and his gross receipts for the 

 same were, therefore, $750. As the plant 

 was run for eggs, the receipts for breeding 

 stock, eggs for hatching, and poultry for 

 table use, are inconsequential. From the 

 total gross income must be deducted cost of 

 feed, interest on investment, taxes, and other 

 lesser items, such as heat, egg-containers, 

 help, etc. 



Only superficial mathematical calculation 

 is required to show that there was little or 

 no real profit in poultry for this individual 

 out of the sum slightly in excess of $750. 

 Allowing for eggs for hatching, poultry for 

 breeding and for table use, must first be de- 

 ducted interest on investment, $480, and 

 taxes at the rate of over 20 per thousand, or 

 at least $160, making the sum of $640. Then 

 we have remaining very little for all the 

 other items of expense and profit. It is 

 needless to say the business has been aban- 

 doned and the plant gone to destruction. 



As the writer had an apiary of from 75 

 to 150 colonies of bees in one corner of the 

 plot of this ijoultry establishment for sev- 

 eral years, a fairly accurate comparison 

 may be made. The best season with the bees 

 was a crop of 8000 lbs., about 2500 of which 

 was comb, for which an average of 11 cts. 

 per pound, or $880, was realized. Expenses 

 consisted of rent of yard, $25 per year ; cost 

 of sections, foundation, cases, and help, in 

 all not to exceed $180, leaving for the sea- 

 son a profit of at least $700, and this on 

 an investment hardly in excess of $1100. 



I have in mind an apiary consisting of 

 about 65 colonies, spring count, at this time 

 increased to 118 colonies, situated 30 miles 

 from the owner's home. The honey from 

 this yard has been sold for a little over 

 $625 ; and. allowing $175 as the value of the 

 increase, it makes a total gross profit for 

 the apiary of $800. Allowing $150 for all 

 expenses, which would include interest on 

 an investment of $1000, there is left $650 

 as the net profit, or 65 per cent on the in- 

 vestment. Figures showing as much profit 

 for an apiary about a quarter of a mile 

 from the owner's home could be shown ; and 

 figures showing over 100 per cent for an 

 apiary about 15 miles from the owner's 

 home could also be produced. The hired- 

 help bill for operating these three apiaries 



did not exceed $20 except teaming and car- 

 penter work in the honey-house construc- 

 tion, and these are not exceptional eases. 



Except for a very few extreme specialists 

 who have, by expensive advertising and 

 years of persistent effort, succeeded in 

 working up a demand for eggs for hatching 

 at several dollars a dozen and birds at 

 scores of dollars each, where are the poul 

 try-men who can show the net profits from 

 their investments that the expert beekeeper 

 can from his? 



Out-apiaries need be visited only at inter- 

 vals, and are left for the winter months 

 without attention, and may be left for weeks 

 at a time during the summer months with- 

 out detriment ; but the poultry-man must 

 give his fowls daily attention, at least in the 

 matter of feed and the gathering of eggs. 

 Indeed, any success with poultry depends 

 upon the strict and critical attention of the 

 man behind the hen, and he must he in 

 evidence daily. 



Operating several out-apiaries by a man 

 living in a village or city where neither bees 

 nor poultry could be kept, is entirely prac- 

 ticable; but the keeping of one or several 

 poultry establishments successfully at such 

 long range is unthinkable. 



Extracted honey does not deteriorate ap- 

 preciably if kept one or several years, when 

 market conditions may warrant it; and even 

 comb honey may be successfully carried 

 over the winter if necessary; but the poul- 

 tryman must sell his eggs and dressed poul- 

 try when fresh, regardless of market con- 

 ditions. After all his " fuss and feathers " 

 with the plumaged tribe, the average poul- 

 try-keeper receives a net compensation for 

 his work and attention that would make the 

 beekeeper's occupation look like a failure. 

 I imagine the poultryman who finds the 

 close attention reqiiired in his business a bit 

 wearing would find restful recreation and 

 satisfactory profit in keeping bees provided 

 he has the natural adaptability for it; but 

 if the expert apiarist wishes to make more 

 money without the close daily attention re- 

 quired in the i^oultry business, and has a 

 few hundred dollars to invest, let him estab- 

 lish some out-apiaries and " keep more 

 bees." 



This is not to be taken as advising against 

 the keeping of a few chickens to provide 

 fresh eggs and poultry for the home table, 

 nor the keeping of poultry by the beekeeper 

 situated on the farm, where the details can 

 be attended to by hired help, and where more 

 or less cheap feed is available — nor the 

 keeping of poultry as a pastime, where the 

 pleasure of the occupation is the chief com- 

 pensation. 



Kenmore, N. Y. 



