THE OUTLOOK 17 



Judging from the incomes of those who are depending upon 

 bee-keeping for a livelihood, it seems safe to say that a man who 

 will become thoroughly proficient and attend properly to his busi- 

 ness can make from twelve hundred to three thousand dollars 

 per year from the bees that he can care for personally. Some 

 do better than that, many do not do as well, but so many exclusive 

 bee-keepers come within this range that it is a conservative one. 

 If the ambitious reader proves to be the exceptional man, he may 

 hope to increase his income much beyond the higher figure by 

 skilful organization and large apiaries widely scattered. 



After gathering the average results from a number of bee- 

 keepers who have kept bees for many years, it seems safe to place 

 the average return in the average locality at five dollars per 

 colony in the hands of expert bee-keepers. So much depends upon 

 a suitable locality that it is important that one who is taking up 

 bee-keeping as a business should choose a locality above the 

 average if possible. 



The Outlook. — There are always a few timid souls wjio cry 

 over-production, who feel that the honey business will shortly 

 be overdone. The last census clearly shows that there are a less 

 number of bee-keepers in the United States than there were ten 

 years ago, although there has not been a corresponding decrease 

 in the number of bees. This indicates that the bee-keepers are 

 becoming specialists. When it is remembered that there has 

 been a constant increase in population, one need have little fear of 

 over-production of honey while the number of bee-keepers is 

 decreasing, especially not until we reach the time when there 

 is a marked increase in the production of honey. While at times 

 there may be a temporary glut in some markets because of im- 

 proper distribution, the bee-keeper in taking up the business need 

 have little fear of seeing the production of honey overdone for 



many years to come. 



QUESTIONS 



1. What type of person is most likely to be a successful bee-keeper? 



2. Note some of the advantages of bee-keeping as a business. 



3. Compare the returns of bee-keeping to otlier occupations requiring equal 



capital. 



4. What is the outlook for the business? 



