118 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



more of the bee papers. Let him try 

 to take just as much honey as possible, 

 and not spend any time in trying only 

 to increase his stoclc, and if he finds he 

 likes tlie business, can take a profit- 

 able amount of honey, and can winter 

 successfully, then let him buy as many 

 bees as he"^ thinks he wants to keep, 

 and "go it." Bees for business can be 

 bought cheaper than they can be raised. 



3. I would advise his buying only 

 one good full stock, for a start, from 

 some one whom he can trust to have it 

 in the best condition. After his judg- 

 ment is cultivated, he can buy wher- 

 ever he can get the best bargain, and 

 transfer if necessary. 



4. I prefer a light, single walled, 

 eight-frame hive, with movable bottom 

 board, one which can most easily be 

 carried into a winter depository. I 

 want them made so that one can be set 

 on top of another and fit snugly with- 

 out a rabbet, to admit of tiering up at 

 pleasure. 



5. I prefer the L. frame because it is 

 fast becoming a standard and bees in 

 that frame are salable, and it is as good 

 for all purposes of taking honey and 

 wintering as any other. 



ANSWERS BY L. C. ROOT. 



1. I know of no business that will 

 pay better financially compared with 

 the capital invested. 



2. I would advise starting in a mod- 

 erate way. Experience will be the best 

 teacher. 



3. I would advise the beginner to 

 purchase his bees in the spring after 

 the weather is well settled, and to buy 

 the best swarms he can in some good 

 movable comb hive. 



The best are cheapest. 



4. All things considered I prefer the 

 closed end standing frame hive. 



5. We • use a frame 10X15 in. in- 

 side and consider it a good size. 



Mohawk, New York. 



ANSWKKS BY GEO. W. HOUSE. 



1. Beekeeping when made a special- 

 ty makes as good a showing as other 

 pursuits and as compared with farming, 

 stock raising, poultry business, etc., I 

 find it leads tliem all. I had rather 

 have 100 colonies of t)ees in a good lo- 

 cation, than 100 acres of land, as finan- 

 cially speaking, and a much lighter 

 business. Much depends upon manage- 

 ment. 



2. To buy at first a few colonies, 

 give all the time he can to their study 

 and management until he is competent 

 of making a specialty, or can devote 

 his whole" time and thought to the bus- 

 iness. It would be best to spend one 

 whole season with an apiarist who 

 thoroughly understands the business. 

 All novices should become thoroughly 

 conversant with bee literature. 



3. I should advise purchasing only 

 in such hives as one wishes to adopt, 

 and always purchase full colonies. 

 They are much the cheapest in the end. 

 Transferring in the hands of a novice 

 generally proves disastrous. 



4. For answer to this question see 

 my article in "Alley's Handy Book," 

 have not the time or space to answer 

 here. 



5. The most simple hive having 

 movable frames, is the most practi- 

 cable and best. Use either the Gallup 

 or Langstroth frames, depending upon 

 the locality. They prove the best 

 everything considered. 



Fayetteville, N. Y. . 



ANSWERS BY P. H. ELWOOD. 



1. I think that the same amount of 

 energy and limited ability that I have 

 employed in the bee business would 

 have brought me more dollars and ceuts 

 and less stings in some other vocation. 

 I also think it easily proven that bee- 

 keeping is conducted at a loss rather 

 than at a profit by a majority of bee- \ 

 keepers, in the production of comb 

 honey. After deducting the expenses 

 from the receipts (when that can be 

 done) the remainder shows an inade- 

 quate salary for the beekeeper. When 

 conducted with some other business the 

 latter very often supports the bees even 

 when the beekeeper supposes his bees 

 are a source of income. Those of us 

 who are widely acquainted with bee- 

 men know that, as a class, they are 

 barely securing the comforts of life for 

 themselves and families with hardly any 

 of the luxuries, and that they are making 



a wholly inadequate provision for that 

 "rainy day" that comes in the history 

 of almost every family. It might be 

 profitable for beekeepers to consider 

 why such a state of things exists. 



2. If I thought him likely to make 

 the business a success, I should advise 

 that he thoroughly learn the business 

 first by employ^nent vi'ith some practi- 

 cal beekeeper. If that is not possible 

 I should advise him to procure a few 



