110 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKP. 



Benjamin Paine's apiary and orchard at Roswi 



Reprinted from the March 15th issne for 1907. 



with the members of the Legislature from 

 his district to secure the passage of this bill, 

 after which the meeting adjourned. 



It is hoped during the coming year a 

 large number of beekeepers in the State will 

 become members of the State Beekeepers' 



Association, and that when we meet again 

 next January during Farmers' Week we 

 will have a strong, live, and com^Dact organ- 

 ization, and a meeting that will be full of 

 interest and instruction to all, from begin- 

 ner to expert. 



A LARGE FRUIT-GROWER WHO IS ALSO AN EXTENSIVE BEEKEEPER 



BY BENJAMIN PAINE 



[Remembering the picture of the apiarv in an orchard which we published in our March 15th issue 

 for 1907, we wrote Mr. Paine, asking him to tell something of his experience during the six years that 

 liave elapsed. It transpired, however, that he had moved from the former location to another one near 

 bv — but his article, which follows, gives the particulars. The engraving referred to is reproduced here- 

 with. — -Ed. ] 



Finding I could not combine farming 

 with beekeejDing without hiring a great deal 

 of help (and that took all the profit), I sold 

 the forty acres that I lived on, at the time 

 the accompanying picture was taken, for 

 $205 an acre, and bought ten acres about a 

 mile from the original home. I built a new 

 home, and planned near it my bee-yard. I 

 planted 98 cherry trees between the house 

 and honey-house. They are from 10 to 12 

 feet high now, at 3 years old, and this year 

 some had five gallons of cherries on them. 



The bees, however, did not do as well, and 

 for five years I kept getting less and less 

 honey. After investigating this I found 

 there were too many bees in my locality — ■ 

 nr)0 colonies in all in a circle oi: three miles 

 fu-Qund me, so I could see it was time for me 

 to do something or lose out. I scattered 

 my bees out in different yards from three to 

 ten miles from home. 



I had about 200 colonies last spring. 

 They increased to 400 colonies, and I got 

 $600 worth of comb honey and 14,000 lbs. 

 of extracted honey. I put about 12,000 

 pounds of this in five-pound paj^er bags, 

 and I got 7 to 7^/2 cts. a pound for it. There 

 is more and more call each year for honey 

 l»ut up in this way. I had orders for tons 

 that I could not fill this year. 



Seven to twelve years ago when I was 

 nearly the only one that kept any amount 

 of bees I could count on $10.00 to the colo- 

 ny, spring count. Now since others have 

 crowded in, if I get $3.00 to $4.00 a colony 

 I do well. However, by spreading them out 

 T did some better last year, although it takes 

 more time and expense to care for them. 

 My wife and I and my son tended them this 

 year, so the expense was not very great. I 

 have an extraeting-wagon with power to 

 run the extractor. 



