THE APIARY, 85 



of labor, as large an average profit as from $5,000 invested 

 in farming lands, at 1100, or more, per acre. This 

 pursuit, therefore, offers evident inducements to persons 

 of moderate means. 



Just what annual percentage from a stated investment 

 may be reasonably anticipated, it is impossible to de- 

 termine, as the seasons are far from being uniform. I 

 shall not encourage beginners to expect an average of 

 lOOVo upon their investments. Some have represented 

 the prospect as much more alluring than this, but in 

 many cases the returns are likely to prove much less 

 satisfactory. The results attained by the majority of our 

 bee-keepers prove that even my estimate is much too 

 high. Nevertheless, I know of no substantial business 

 that will pay as well for the capital invested, as this of 

 bee-keeping. 



OVEE-STOCKING. 



What number of stocks can be kept in one place ? 

 is a question often asked. I shall differ more in opinion 

 with some of our best authors in this, than on most other 

 points. Mr. Langstroth expresses himself, very confi- 

 dently, that over-stocking has never happened in this 

 country, and that there is no prospect of it. He gives us, 

 on the authority of Mr. Wagner, the number of stocks to 

 the square mile in many sections of Europe. I will give 

 one or two items. In the Kingdom of Hanover, 141 

 stocks are estimated to the square mile. In the 

 Province of Attica, in Greece, containing 45 square miles, 

 20,000 hives are kept. A Province in Holland contains 

 3,000 colonies per square mile. 



This is, certainly, very good authority for his convic- 

 tion, but careful observation and somewhat extended ex- 

 perience will not justify me in accepting Mr. Lang- 

 stroth's conclusions. 



I have eri'^«a-o'orfl'i tp convince myself that, the large 



