Making a Start in Bee-keeping 



Bees, and the requisite knowledge for their management, are the 

 two most important factors in making a start in the business. The 

 latter ought to be secured first; or, at least, its acquisition should keep 

 pace with any increase in numbers of the former. As in any business, 

 so with bee-keeping, it pays well to lay broad and deep the foundations 

 of an education in that line of work. So many men fail in difl^erent 

 kinds of business because they start in with only a narrow or superficial 

 knowledge of their chosen profession. The time may come when bee 

 culture will be taught at the agricultural colleges, the same as dairying 

 is now taught ; but at present the nearest approach to a college course 

 is that of working with some experienced successful bee-keeper. This 

 is the quickest way of learning bee-keeping ; and, if the teacher is com- 

 petent, it is a very desirable method. The beginner is not always able 

 to choose wisely in selecting an instructor, hence it is well to supplement 

 such instruction by a course of reading, and thus be able to make com- 

 parisons and discuss the instructor's methods in the light of those 

 employed by others. In fact, I am inclined to think that a thorough 

 course of reading is the most desirable first step that can be taken by a 

 prospective bee-keeper. One after the other^ I would read the leading 

 standard text-books. Having done this, the next step is to subscribe for 

 the best bee journals. At this stage a season with an expert bee-keeper 

 would be of great value, when the previous reading will enable the 

 apprentice to use his mind intelligently, and see the reason of things 

 instead of being simply an imitator, following blindly in the footsteps 

 of his preceptor. Probably nine-tenths of the men who now keep bees 

 never served an apprenticeship. Many have become interested in bees 

 from the capture of a stray swarm. Neighboring bee-keepers would be 

 visited, books or papers borrowed or bought, improved hives and methods 

 adopted, and, as the bees increased, so did the enthusiasm and interest, 

 until, finally, the bees received more time and attention than did the 

 regular business. Thus did bee-keeping eventually become a specialty 

 or the sole business. 



When a man has decided to embark in bee-keeping as a business, 

 he should in some manner learn the business thoroughly before invest- 



