284 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



whatever feed they may get, hives, &c. for swarms. 

 Very much, however, depends on the season and 

 yield of honey, and also upon the fact of feeding 

 them early in the season. 



In California, a good hive of bees will cost one 

 hundred dollars ; and if fed and skillfully managed, 

 can be increased to ten in one year, at a cost of per- 

 haps one hundred and fifty dollars for hives and feed; 

 which in turn can be sold for one hundred dollars 

 each, yielding, say seven hundred and fifty dollars on 

 the investment, less time and labor. If permitted 

 to make honey and swarm naturally, it will perhaps 

 cast off from two to four swarms, and make at least 

 one hundred pounds of surplus honey, which will 

 still be a nice profit. Such profits are too enormous 

 to continue long, yet the rearing of bees will pay 

 for years to come. 



In short, bee-keeping, with the requisite know- 

 ledge, can be made very profitable, almost any place 

 in the United States. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



HONEY BEE IN CHINA. 



Sackamejjto, Cal. June 15, 1859. 



W. C. Harbison, Esq : Dear Sir — At your request, 

 I have much pleasure in sending you a few items in 

 reference to the honey bee in China. I only regret 

 that my information on the subject is so meagre, 

 for, although I resided in different parts of China for 



