FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 23 



TOO RAPID INCREASE. 



I began the season of 1870 with eigfht colonies, in- 

 creased to ig, and extracted about 400 pounds of honey. 

 This warmed up my zeal considerably. In the winter I 

 lost three colonies, so I commenced the season of 1871 

 with 16 colonies, took 408 pounds of honey, and, the sea- 

 son beingf favorable, I increased without much difficulty 

 until I reached thirty or forty, and I thought it would 

 be a nice thing to have an even fifty, so I reached about 



feL; '.„, ... Jl. 



Fig. 6. — Beddon Slat Honey-Board. 



that number, for so many of them were weak, that I am 

 not sure exactly how many it would be fair to call them. 



