PRODUCTIVE BEE-KEEPING 



CHAPTER I 

 BEE-KEEPING A FASCINATING PURSUIT 



While this book is written for the purpose of encouraging 

 honey production as a business enterprise, and, accordingly, 

 deals with the subject in a very practical manner, the reader 

 is asked to allow the suggestion here at the beginning, that there 

 is much of poetry, as well as hard work in making a living from 

 the apiary, 



Honey-Bees as Pets. — ]v[o, this is not a joke, for bees really 

 do make nice pets. They are always interesting, and have this 

 advantage over most other pets : they can be left to look out for 

 themselves without inconvenience during their owner's absence. 

 While there are comparatively few who keep bees as a sole source 

 of livelihood, there are many thousands who keep a few colonies 

 for a diversion, as a side line, or for the fun of the thing. Yes, 

 it is safe to say that nearly every really successful bee-keeper 

 comes to feel a strong affection for the busy little insects, and 

 to regard his bees as pets (Fig. 1). 



To nature lovers, the pleasure of association with the bees 

 outweighs the pleasures to be bought with the cash realized from 

 the sale of the honey ; hence they cannot refrain from growing 

 very enthusiastic about bee-keeping as a business, and some- 

 times the enthusiasts are accused of painting the picture with 

 too much bright color. Perhaps some such feeling is essential 

 to the pursuit, and the lack of it may account for the failure of 

 some, who are not lacking in industry or patience, two very 

 essential requirements. 



Getting Acquainted. — If one will make pets of the bees, he 

 must first proceed to get acquainted with them. They are 

 notional little creatures, and one must know what to expect 



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