BEE PASTURAGE. 97 



HOW MANY STOCKS MAY BE KEPT. 



" "Wiiat iinmber of stocks can be kept in one place?" is 

 a question so often asked that it indicates an unusual in- 

 terest in the subject. I sliall differ more in opinion here, 

 with some of our best authors, than on most other points. 

 Mr. Langstroth expresses himself very confidently that 

 over-stocking has never happened in this country, and 

 that there is no prospect of it. He gives us, on the au- 

 thority 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 

 Atica, in Greece, containing 45 square mUes, 20,000 hives 

 are kept." " A Province in Holland contains 2000 colon- 

 ies per square mile." 



The honey yielded from the flowers in this section, 

 (Montgomery Co., KT. Y.,) in 1863 would have supported 

 but a small part of that number, through the season. As 

 it was, we had too few and too many. Let me explain. 

 From about the 15th to the 30th of June, clover yielded 

 honey, and the bees seemed to improve the time, indus- 

 triously storing the usual quantity. I presume that during 

 this period, thrice the number would have done equally 

 well. Those who have recommended keeping such large 

 numbers must have had such a yield as this in view. In 

 Europe, where so many are reported to be kept, it must 

 be thus throughout the season. But with us, after the 

 latter date, but few plants produced honey ; even Bass- 

 wood seemed to yield but little. A few plants, such as 

 catnip, motherwort, and silkweed, furnished enough to 

 have kept a, half dozen colonies in thriving condition, but 

 when this amount was divided among hundreds, there was 

 not enough to keep all alive. When buckwheat blossom- 

 ed, there was perhaps enough for half a dozen hives to the 

 square mile, and this number might have shown results 

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