360 A Modern Bee-Farm 



A Host Instructive Report 



of the doings of an Irish bee-keeper was given in the 

 British Bee Journal on March 22nd, 1894. The apiarist 

 it will be observed expends little labour over his apiary, 

 and feels assured that his uniform success has been 

 attained solely through the superior advantages possessed 

 by a large frame. After describing the apiary the corre- 

 spondent proceeds — "The hives were all Langstroth 

 make, with frames 16 x 10 ; * * * what struck me 

 as peculiar about these hives, was their size, solidity, and 

 fine finish. * * » I append an account of returns of 

 his apiary in the Canon's own words, from a letter I had 

 from him on the 15th of this month. He states — "My 

 unvarying success through all seasons for the past fifteen 

 years is remarkable ; as I have neither fed, nor stimulated, 

 or requeened, nor done anything to promote greater 

 activity among my bees, so I disclaim all credit for my 

 success, except that of providing room and material to 

 work upon. 1892 was generally a bad season, yet my 

 take of finished sections amounted to 1,792, and from 

 unfinished 3I cwt. of extracted. Notwithstanding the 

 great interruption of work by swarming, no less than forty 

 out of fifty-five that had made advance with section work 

 having swarmed again and again ; but the late harvest 

 made up lost way. Again, 1893 was a veiy broken 

 season, so much so that when you visited me I told you I 

 did not expect to exceed 1,400 finished sections; yet, 

 although the weather continued much of the same 

 character, I obtained over 1,800 finished and 5^ cwt. of 

 ■extracted ; all of the latter, and 1,728 of the former, I sold 

 to one firm in London at, I may say, a high price, and 

 with high praise as to the quality of both, so I have reason 

 to be satisfied with my results." This is not bad for an 

 octogenarian (considerably over a ton of honey last 



