and its Economic Management. 9 



often be unnecessary. Having charged the cost of bottles 

 and tins, the same is added to the selling price of the extracted 

 honey, as showing the more correct estimate. 



Number of Colonies. 



In reference to the foregoing estimates, it will be seen that 

 it is proposed to keep the number of colonies but little over 

 one hundred, increasing the first year to 125 ; the. second 

 season to 150. It is then understood that 25 stocks are to be 

 sold ; when the remaining 25 over and above the 100 will 

 provide against all accidents, such as weak colonies, loss of 

 queens, etc., during' the winter; thus- ensuring that the 

 number shall not fall below 100. This is as far as any one 

 person should attempt to extend until he is very certain he 

 can manage more. With that number no assistance is 

 required, but when greater extensions are decided upon,, the 

 apiarist should get some intelligent lad, and take care in 

 teaching him to become an expert assistant. It is surprising 

 how quickly a youngster takes to the various manipulations, 

 and in this line he will, more often than not, be of more 

 service than a man at much higher wages. 



" Where the apiarist is capable of making up most of Ms 

 own appliances, his time will be mostly occupied during the 

 winter, and then timber will stand in the place of many of the 

 articles enumerated, making a considerable reduction in cost. 

 The owner's labor in the apiary has, of course, not been esti- 

 mated, as that can only be valued by. the balance of profit 

 shown at the end of the season : the laborer is worthy of his 

 hire (profit.) ; 



The Average yields per Hive 



for both comb and extracted honey, taking a series of years, 

 have been placed very low, but in a fairly- good district the 

 beekeeper should have no trouble in exceeding those figures, 

 if there are not more than a total of 150 colonies standing in 



