110 HA^DY BOOK OF BEES. 



about £4 per hive ; in 1865, about £3 ; in 1866, about 

 £■2; ia 1867, nothing; in 1868, between £3 and £i ; 

 and in 1869, about £3. Our own profits altogether from 

 1870 to 1874* from bee-keeping are upwards of £220, 

 after deducting an annual expenditure of 10s. per hive. 

 But years unfavourable for honey - coUecting may be 

 expected ; and when they come, our bees -wLll require 

 attention and feeding. We do not care much how bees 

 are fed, so that they get enough. 



As large hives, well populated, gather more honey in 

 fine weather than small ones, it should be borne in mind 

 that they consume more in rainy weather. Strong hives 

 lo«e 1 lb. in weight during the night in summer, and no 

 one can tell how much food is consumed during the day 

 when the bees are at work. In a large hive there are 

 probably upwards of 50,000 bees, and about the same 

 number in embryo in their cells. Both bees and brood 

 need food, and a great deal of it. He is the best bee- 

 master who feeds his stock liberally and judiciously in 

 rainy summer.?, for he wiH receive a return for all his 

 attention and liberality. If bees be well fed they remain 

 strong and healthy — the hum of prosperity and content- 

 ment is kept up — breeding goes on — thousands are added 

 to the community ; and if fine weather come, they will 

 gather twice or thrice as much honey as those that have 

 been barely kept alive. Bees that are kept on the point 

 of starvation instinctively cast out their young, and wisely 

 refuse to set eggs. Theii combs become empty of brood ; 

 their numbers decrease ; their bankruptcy blights them 

 for a month, if not for a whole season. We speak of 

 stock-hives in the months of April, May, and June. 



Look at swarms lately hived. Every natural swarm 

 can live three days on the food it takes from the mother 

 hive. The bees of artificial swarms, being hurried out of 



* Four of these five seasons were considered unfavourable. 



