92 A Modern Bee-Farm 



understands the management of bees, after defraying 

 the expense of employing an expert either occasionally, 

 or permanently where the number nears one hundred, 

 there will be a considerable profit on an apiary so 

 favourably situated, while the immense benefit conferred 

 upon the fruit crops will be entirely gratuitous. 



Any neighbouring bee-keeper should be encouraged, 

 and in many cases expense may be saved by arranging 

 with such apiarist to place a few of his hives in some 

 sheltered spot on the premises, where the bees will be 

 close at hand during the critical period of fruit bloom. 



The Author's Orchard 



consists of some four acres, with standard Bramley's 

 Seedlings, set out at twenty-seven feet apart. Between 

 these again are dwarf trees grafted on Paradise stock ; 

 the varieties being limited to Cox's Orange Pippin, 

 Bismark, and one or two others. In new orchard plant- 

 ing the great object is the production of large quantities 

 of apples or pears in limited variety, each variety being 

 carefully selected, and separated. These require little or 

 no expensive labour in gathering, but in growing small 

 fruits, much hired labour is necessary, while the market- 

 ing is often a risky business. 



Bee- Keeping Alone. 



I have had many applications from those who would 

 leave their present occupation, so that they may keep 

 bees only, as a source of income. There could be no 

 greater mistake in this country, than for an inexperienced 

 man to set aside everything and go in for honey-produc- 

 ing only. If he wants to go into the country, he must 

 have land ; then if he has land he must have stock ; and 

 in a small way his stock should be principally good milk- 



