16 A. AND M. COLLEGE APIARY. 



would under average conditions amount to no less than 128 colonies at 

 the lowest calculation. Here, then, is. a loss of 111 colonies due to the 

 wax-moth, or a loss of 69.3 per cent., as compared to the original sixteen 

 colonies. The use of modern bee keeping methods and frame hives 

 disposes of the wax-moth. Further argument in favor of the frame 

 hive, or "patent gum/' and in favor of .intelligent, management is 

 unnecessary. The fact that any man or woman of average intelligence 

 can with a little study of literature easily available, and with a small 

 expenditure of money, install the proper apparatus and conduct bee keep- 

 Ing in a profitable way, is assurance that there is no possible excuse for 

 the continued existence of the box hive. With the latter the farmer con- 

 siders himself lucky if he gets an average of fifteen pounds of honey per 

 year from each colony. With frame hives the experienced and enlight- 

 ened bee keeper considers himself unlucky if he does not get an average 

 of at least forty pounds per colony. Yields of 120 pounds per colony 

 on an average are not unusual in certain localities, and individual col- 

 onies have produced as high as 600 pounds in a single year. It will thus 

 be seen that with antiquated methods the best results cannot be obtained. 

 With bees as with other farm stock, intelligent management and proper 

 accommodations must be provided in order to secure profitable returns. 

 This does not necessarily mean that a large amount of capital must be 

 invested. Ten dollars properly expended will provide everything neces- 

 sary for. one to begin intelligent bee keeping with the best of hives and 

 supplies. Nor is a previous knowledge of the industry necessary for the 

 beginner. The great majority of the successful bee keepers of today were 

 without instruction of any kind at the outset and by study of such liter- 

 ature as they could obtain, and more especially by a careful study of the 

 bees themselves and their habits, they have met with success and profit. 



Every farmer should have at least a few colonies of bees. Almost any 

 locality in the State of Texas will support a small number of colonies, 

 even though that locality may not be adapted to the industry on an exten- 

 sive scale. Many towns and cities afford a profitable location for a few 

 colonies. Only a small amount of room is needed for the hives, and the 

 cultivated and ornamental plants, as well as the flower gardens found in 

 the typical town or city, afford a no inconsiderable source of honey. 

 The keeping of bees also affords a pleasant recreation for the business or 

 professional man. The taste for honey and its value as a table delicacy 

 are known to all. As a sweet its purity cannot be approached by any 

 sugar or syrup. Honey is composed for the most part of two sugars, lev- 

 ulose and dextrose, which are considered as healthy as any other form 

 of sweet. The fact that honey comes direct from the bees, without being 

 exposed to the contamination incident to factories, transportation, etc., 

 shows its undoubted purity and cleanliness. 



FOOD VALUE OF HONEY. 



Relative to the healthfulness and food value of honey we take trom a 

 booklet entitled "Food Value of Honey," published by the A. I. Eoot Co., 

 of Medina, Ohio, the following : 



Dr. C. C. Miller says: "About sixty pounds of sugar on the average 

 is annually consumed by every man, woman and child in the United 

 States. It is only within the last generation that refined sugars have 



