36 



each of whom keeps in his yard two or three swarms of bees under 

 the conditions mentioned, and receive from each of them each year 

 from 20 to 60 pounds of honey. 



It is advisable for one not familiar with the business, who con- 

 templates starting in with bee keeping, to at first start in a small 

 way with only one or two swarms, and then with a variety of bees 

 that is quiet and easily handled. For this purpose Italians are 

 preferable to the common black bees. The latter are more restless 

 and easily angered when they are disturbed. With a good bee 

 smoker and a veil one need have but little fear of stings, provided 

 quiet, good-tempered bees are kept. 



With one or two swarms to begin with the natural increase will 

 build up the apiary quickly. By working with a few at the begin- 

 ning one gets the experience needed to successfully manage a large 

 number of swarms with little difficulty. 



The cost of starting an apiary is comparatively small. The fol- 

 lowing list of articles, with average price of each, includes all 

 things required : — 



Swarm of bees in hive complete, . . . $7 00 

 Extra hive with foundation comb, including 

 super for surplus honey, 



Bee smoker, 



Veil, 



Porter bee escape, for clearing supers of bees, 



Freight, 



Incidentals, . . • . 



Total, $15 20 



This is the outfit required for producing comb honey. If ex- 

 tracted honey is desired it would be necessary to add an extractor, 

 costing from $8 to $10, according to size and pattern. 



Brood frames, with full foundation comb, are recommended. 

 In case these are not used the combs will be built so irregularly 

 that it will be found impossible to remove the frames without 

 seriously breaking the combs, to the detriment of the brood and 

 to the annoyance of the manipulator. Where full foundation 

 sheets are used they are built out in large, flat, regular combs that 

 allow of the removal of a frame from the brood chamber without 

 disturbing or breaking other sheets of comb. Another distinct 

 advantage of using full sheets of foundation is that more worker 

 comb and less drone comb is built. As the drone bees do not add 

 to the working capacity of a hive it is advisable to prevent their 

 production as much as possible. This can only be done by fur- 



