54 A Modern Bee-Farm 



experience found loo average colonies store a surplus from 

 10 acres of an average yielding plant, and should consider 

 20 or 25 acres would give full occupation at each time the 

 crop is flowering, for that number of stocks with which to 

 commence the season. But we have to prepare for the whole 

 season, say from June ist to September ist ; and, providiiig 

 we plant such crops as will flower twice in the same year, we 

 shall require in all at least 75 acres per year for each 100 

 colonies, in addition to the usual resources of the district. 

 Without considering the latter, we have then, at the lowest 

 estimate, allowing for bad weather at times, a return of 

 something like ;£'20o worth of honey for the 75 acres ; it 

 being considered that Clover, Sanfoin, &c., produce 10 lbs. of 

 honey per acre each fine day. 



A crop of this kind remains in its prime about fourteen 

 days, so without considering the time " coming on " and 

 " going off " ; this estimate is based upon only seven days' 

 gathering of five pounds per acre upon each first and second 

 crop. 



It should be remembered that the honey is obtained at no 

 expense to the crop of hay, unless the same be allowed to 

 stand too long before being mown. Even for the sake of the 

 bees, most crops should not stand until the greater part of the 

 heads die off, as such ripening process destroys the chance of 

 a second crop. As a rule, those 



Plants should be Grown that are Useful for Hay, 



after the bees have had their gathering. There are only two 

 kinds that I can recommend for bees which are scarcely 

 suitable for cattle, and those are MeHlot clover {Melilotus alba) 

 and Borage. There may be many others that give much honey, 

 but there is this about them — they require constant care and 

 attention to keep the ground clean, therefore for honey alone 

 such plants are quite out of the question. The two named, 

 however, can take care of themselves ; they outgrow everything 

 else, yield large quantities of the best of honey, and require only 



