Texas Beekeeping. 17 



labor when large apiaries are to be managed, since the work and 

 running expenses increase as the number of these becomes larger. 



HOW MANY COLONIES FOR A LIVING ? 



This question has been asked many times, and is a hard one to an- 

 swer. While some persons are possessed of superior executive ability 

 and can manage 1,000 colonies, or more, of bees profitably, the major- 

 ity do not succeed with more than a few hundred. Assuming that 

 the questioner has carefully begun with only a few colonies and has 

 grown into the business so he understands it thoroughly, he ought to 

 have no difficulty in managing 500 colonies in several apiaries. Of 

 course, it will be necessary to employ extra help during the main part 

 of the season ; but, by doing so, more can be accomplished than by the 

 beekeeper working single-handed. 



The average yield per colony would perhaps hardly be as high ; but, 

 during a normally favorable year, the figures used above ($6 worth 

 of honey and wax per colony) should not be too high. In less favora- 

 ble seasons the output would be less, as a matter of course. 



Allowing $5 per colony, the total yield of 500 colonies would be 

 $2,500. Less the 25 per cent for operation and other expenses, the 

 net income from them would be about $1,875. While these figures are 

 only estimated, they will serve, at least, as a guide in determining, 

 approximately, the possible income from any number of colonies. Due 

 allowance should be made for the favorableness, or the unfavorable- 

 ness, of the year, however, and proper consideration given to the lo- 

 cation and the forage where the bees are situated, and last, but not 

 least, the kind of care and attention the bees receive on the part of 

 their owner. All these are factors that determine whether the bee 

 business is profitable or not. 



WHO MAT KEEP BEES 1 



Bees may be kept in many places and by many persons and in the 

 city as well as in the country. They may be kept either in a small 

 way, or on a more extensive scale, for both pleasure and profit. Any 

 person who possesses the interest, energy, ability and will-power to 

 apply himself earnestly and intelligently to the pursuit may adopt 

 beekeeping and be rewarded not only by the direct profits made, but 

 in the pleasure, the enthusiasm and the fascination that attaches to 

 it and the better health from outdoor exercise it affords. 



FARM BEEKEEPING. 



It is but natural that beekeeping prevails to the greatest extent on 

 farms ; at the same time there are a great many farms that have no 

 colonies of bees, for the reason, perhaps, that the value of keeping 

 them has been overlooked, or, it may be, fear of handling them or, 

 even, having them on the place. The fact is, that it is not nearly so 

 iifficult a task to keep at least a few colonies of them on every farm 



