CONCLUSION. 34) 



it stands at the head of all the duties of the aiDiiuiii j. 

 E\en the grand secret of successful resistance to tJio 

 worms " KEEP YOUR BEES STRONG " is Subordinate to thin. 

 With proper and persevering application of the above 

 motto, you cannot fail to realize all reasonable expecta- 

 tions. Avoid over-anxiety for a rapid increase ;_ be 

 satisfied with one good swarm from a stock annually — 

 your chances of future success are better than with a 

 sudden increase of numbers. You will probably be 

 obliged to discard some extravagant ideas of profits from 

 the apiary. Yet you will find one stock trebling, per- 

 haps quadrupling its price or value, in products, while 

 one beside it does nothing. In particularly favorable 

 seasons your stocks collectively will yield a profit of one 

 or two hundred per cent, — in others hardly make a return 

 for trouble. T have known the proceeds of a single co- 

 lony in one season to amount to $35.00 ; and an apiary 

 of ninety stocks to produce over $900, some of which 

 added not a farthing to the amount. A bee-keeper in an 

 adjoining county reports a profit of $1,800 from one 

 hundred and thirty hives in a single season. The proper 

 estimate can be made only after a number of years, when, 

 if they have been judiciously managed, and your anti- 

 cipations have not been too extravagant, you will be fully 

 satisfied. 



I do not wish to induce any one to begin bee-keeping, 

 and relinquish it in disgust and disappointment. But I 

 would encourage all suitable persons to try their skill in 

 bee-management. I say suitable persons, because there 

 are many, very many, not qualified for the charge. 



The careless, inattentive man who leaves his bees un- 

 noticed from October till May, is the one who will be 

 likely to complain of want of success. 



Whoever cannot find time to give his bees the needed 

 care, but can spend an hour a day in gossiping at the 



