92 



OBSERVATIONS BY APIARISTS. 



any special effort to care for the bees, to make money from them. I 

 have sold many colonies in the years gone by. We sell some honey, 

 and have all we want for ourselves. There is no good reason why 

 every family should not have a full supply of honey all the year 

 round. All that is necessary is to get the start in bees ; furnish them 

 a home, and protect them. They seem to be willing to work for any 

 one, and board themselves." 



ROBERT DOUGLAS, Long Island, Phillips county. "I had six hives, 

 grade Italians, last spring, and by natural swarming I saved thirteen, 

 making nineteen swarms at present. From fourteen hives I have 

 taken 800 pounds of section honey, which is worth at home ten cents 

 per pound. My year's profit might be reckoned thus : 



Dr. 



6 hives bees, at $5 $30 00 



Supplies 25 00 



Labor 20 00 



To balance (profit) 81 00 



Total.. ..$15600 



800 pounds of honey, at lOc. . . $80 00 

 19 hives bees, at $4 7600 



Total. . . . . $156 00 



ED. HOFFMEISTER, Norton, Norton county. "My experience shows 

 alfalfa to be a very good honey plant. Bee-keeping is quite profitable 

 if a person tries to make it so. It is some expense to begin, but I 

 have always made expenses and good interest on my money." 



R. W. SMITH, Delphos, Ottawa county; twenty-two stands; Ital- 

 ians. "My bees gather their honey from alfalfa watered by rain, and 

 have made forty pounds of honey to the stand. Alfalfa honey is su- 

 perior to white clover or buckwheat honey. I lost several valuable 

 swarms by wintering them in the cellar. Chaff hives are preferable. 

 I use foundation comb for starting. Bees sometimes put comb in 

 crosswise, and the starter prevents this. There is money, good health 

 and honey in the bee business." 



W. D. JONES, Neodesha, Wilson county. "I think alfalfa is equal 

 to white clover or buckwheat." 



M. A. BUTTS, Hiawatha, Brown county. "My honey has been 

 mostly secured from white and alsike clover, basswood, buckwheat, 

 and wild flowers. I consider alsike superior to white clover as a honey 

 plant. My experience leads me to the conclusion that bees, with 

 proper care and attention, will pay in this country. It is important 

 to protect bees well in winter and have them strong in spring." 



JACOB SWOYER, Winchester, Jefferson county; twenty stands; 

 Italian. " Buckwheat, white clover and smartweed are the principal 

 honey plants here. I have had no experience with alfalfa. Like 

 white clover best when the season is not too wet. I do not allow my 

 colonies to swarm much, about twice in three years. I prefer one 

 strong colony to a dozen weak ones. In 1896 I had hives which made 



