CONOLUSIOJST. 373 



worth more than all others that can be given ; it is at 

 the head of the class of duties ; all others begin here. 

 Even the grand secret of successfully combating the 

 worms, — KEEP YOUR BEES STRONG, must take its rise 

 at this point. With the above motto acted upon, 

 carried out fully, and with perseverance, you cannot 

 well fail to realize all reasonable expectations. Avoid 

 over-anxiety for a rapid increase in stocks ; try and 

 be satisfied with one good swarm from a stock annu- 

 ally, your chances are better than with more ; do not 

 anticipate the golden harvest too soon. You will 

 probably be necessitated to djscatrd some of the ex- 

 travagant.xe^oxi& of profits from the apiary. Yet you 

 will find one stock trebling,- perhaps .quadrupling its 

 price or value in products, while the one beside it 

 does nothing. In some seasons, particularly favorable 

 your stocks collectively will yield a return of one or 

 two hundred per cent.^^in others, hardly make a re- 

 . turn for trouble. The proper estimate can be made 

 only after a number of years, when, if they have been 

 judiciously managed, and your ideas have not been 

 too extravagant, you will be fully satisfied. I have 

 known a single stock in one season to produce more 

 than twenty dollars in swarms and honey, and ninety 

 stocks to produce over nine hundred dollars, when a 

 few of the number added not a farthing to the amount. 

 I do not wish to nold out inducements for any one to 

 commence bee-keeping, and end it in disgust and dis- 

 appointment. But -I would encourage all suitable 

 persons- to try their skill in bee management. I say 

 suitable persons, becatise there are many, very many, 



