and its Economic Management. 15 



By purchasing as I advise there are plenty of young 

 bees to fall back upon ; you get only good stocks which 

 have stood the ordeal of winter ; there is no further risk, 

 and the whole season is before you. These statements 

 are based upon hard facts and experience, and the reader 

 will do well to be guided thereby. 



So far we have considered one branch of bee-keeping 

 only, but another thing is the 



Sale of Bees and Queens. 



This is most profitable, more certain, and the returns 

 quicker than when producing honey ; but, at the same 

 time, special qualifications are necessary to enable a man 

 to conduct a queen-rearing business successfully, and un- 

 less he finds himself peculiarly adapted to the under- 

 taking, he had better confine himself to honey, as continued 

 application, constant care and thought, are required in a 

 much higher degree, to enable one to carry on this 

 interesting work. It should also be understood that 

 where bees and queens are raised for sale, the apiarist will 

 have to be satisfied with but a limited quantity of honej^ ; 

 in fact, if his demand is large, in some seasons instead of 

 a surplus, a considerable amount of sugar will be required 

 for winter store, while his stock is seriously handicapped 

 during prolonged spells of bad weather, when many virgin 

 queens are on hand. It will take some years to gain a 

 connection, and in the meantime your advertisements 

 must be frequent, but limited in extent and cost. 



Do not attempt much in the way of selling bees and 

 queens until you have a substantial stock of at least one 

 hundred hives to draw upon, or you will never obtain 

 much benefit from them if you are depending largely 

 upon this source of income. 



