Beekeeping in Wisconsin 



N. E. AND L. V. FRANCE* 



The Business of Beekkeeping 



For the amount of money invested and the labor involved, 

 beekeeping gives as much, or more profit than any other agri- 

 cultural pursuit. In this comparison, beekeepers, not "bee 

 owners" are considered with dairymen, not "cow owners" 

 and grain and stock farmers — not "soil diggers" and "stock 

 drivers." 



Among the minor agricultural industries of the state 

 none are more important than beekeeping. The 

 strength of this industry lies in the fact that a start can 

 be made on a small capital and when the work is prop- 

 erly conducted th6 returns are tremendous. Strange 

 as it may seem, only in one or two instances has this in- 

 dustry been exploited by capitalists, and yet those who 

 have gone so far as to develop an organized business in 

 the handling of bees, bee supplies and honey, report 

 that many millions of dollars are turned over each year 

 in this industry. 



It is now about 18 years since N. E. France began his 

 work as State Apiary Inspector and no greater tribute 

 can be given him than to record the fact that thousands 

 of the beekeepers of the state believe in him, and de- 

 pend upon him for guidance. All these years he has 

 worked steadily and unselfishly in the interests of Wis- 

 consin beekeeping and beekeepers. 



Much credit is also due his son, L. V. France, for valu- 

 able records now in the Department of Economic En- 

 tomology and which were secured and prepared under 

 the supervision of J. G. Sanders, formerly in charge of 

 this work at this Station. Fortunately, the Wisconsin 

 Experiment Station is now in a position to continue the 

 work already begun. Through the cooperation of the 

 state authorities and the beekeepers themselves much 

 good should be accomplished. — H. F. Wilson, Chief of 

 Department of Economic Entomology. 



The profits actually realized have been variously estimated 

 by Wisconsin beekeepers as ranging from a fair return on the 

 investment to as high as five dollars an hour for the time 



♦Through the courtesy of the Minnesota Experiment Station, Mr. L. V. France. 

 Instructor in Beekeeping in the University of Minnesota, was permitted to co- 

 operate with his father in the preparation of this text. Mr. France was assistant 

 in Entomology in the Wisconsin Experiment Station in 1914-15. 



