PEARCE METHOD OF BEE-KEEPING 



39 



Then again, the plum trees are gross feeders and the drop- 

 pings from the chickens is a great help in keeping up the 

 tenuity of the orchard and where a large flock can be kept, 

 tnis amounts to considerable, as the chemists tell us the 

 droppmgs from eight hens is equal to one cow, and if much 

 poultry IS kept they will keep the orchard entirely free from 

 weeds, so nothing will have to be expended for cultivation, 

 therefore the avails from the plum orchard can be had with 

 little or no expense, and we find plums one year with another, 

 one of the surest and most profitable crops. 



If the ground is kept thus clean by the poultry it 

 would be well to divide the grounds with a netting and sow 

 down one-half of it at a time to oats to furnish green feed . 

 for the poultry and to draw out any strong odor from the 

 ground. 



A word about the varieties of plums to plant. With my 

 present knowledge! think I should plant half each of Lom- 

 bard and October Purple. I know that the Lombard is all 

 right and from what I have learned of the October Purple 

 it is in every way reliable. They could be set 12 to 16 feet 

 apart. If other fruits are to be planted they could be set 

 outside of the poultry enclosure. But apples might also be 

 in the chicken yard. 



Now that we have learned with our improved method of 

 bee keeping, we can just as well keep our bees and our 

 poultry together in the same houses and same yards with no 

 loss to either. This will greatly increase the profits and 

 reduce the expenses as the poultry houses are the big item 

 of expense, and if we can utilize them for the bees also that 

 will yield as much or more profit than the poultry it surely 

 should be profitable. 



With these three pursuits carefully arranged on a three 

 to five acre lot or more extensive farm, I feel sure a larger 

 revenue can be realized from it than from any other rural 

 pursuit I have any knowledge of. 



I would try to locate on a good line of communication 

 with a good market near one of our interurban roads if 

 possible. I would want a good elevation on account of the 

 fruit. The soil should be medium, not too heavy or too light. 

 Care should be exercised in avoiding mistakes in laying out 

 the grounds, and putting up the buildings, if none are on 

 the ground or re-arranging buildings if any are on the place, 

 and the selection and planting the fruits which should be 

 started as soon as possible to attain a growth for shade and 



in building the poultry and bee house, I would build it 

 12 feet wide and as long as you need for the fiock and no 

 higher than you need, say 7 feet. I would face it to the 

 east as all of your windows and openings are supposed to 

 be on that side and will be away from the direction of our 

 prevailing severe storms and the west side against which 



