6o PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING 



is really nothing to prevent any bee-keeper making 

 and creating a market for their sale, providing 

 that he finds that it pays him best to do so. He 

 must, however, make one branch of the pursuit 

 particularly his own, the other branches being 

 looked upon as merely subsidiaries. As to which 

 particular branch he favours, this is largely a 

 matter of individual preference, tempered by the 

 quality of the district and the class of trade which 

 is to be catered for. 



In some good districts, where fine light honey 

 and good sections can "be produced in quantity, 

 it would probably pay the best to take that line. 

 In another district, that produces an abundance of 

 inferior honey, the apiarist should go in for the 

 selling of stocks, swarms, and queens. An early 

 honey district, too, is very good where swarms are 

 looked upon as a chief source of income. In 

 these districts, the swarms come off very early, 

 and make a price which is considerably in ad- 

 vance of those of a later date. In making his 

 plans the bee-keeper must never forget that he 

 cannot produce and sell both bees and honey in 

 quantity unless he has an exceptionally large 

 apiary. It must be one or the other in most 

 cases. 



If swarms are allowed to come off, if the best 

 colonies are sold, or if queen rearing is largely 

 indulged in, very little honey will be secured — 

 probably none unless heavy sugar feeding is 

 adopted to replace any that is taken away. 



