OVEESTOOKING. 395 



land, orchards, and forests, be so overstocked with bees, that 

 these may no longer find adequate sustenance, and yield a 

 remunerating surplus of their products?" 



This question was debated with considerable animation. 

 The Rev. Mr. Kleine, (nine-tenths of the correspondents of 

 the Bee-Journal are clergymen,) President of the section, 

 gave it as his opinion that " it was hardly conceivable that 

 such a country could be overstocked with bees." Counsel- 

 lor Herwig, and the Rev. Mr. Wilkens, on the contrary, 

 maintained that " it might be overstocked." In reply, As- 

 sessor Heyne remarked that " whatever might be supposed 

 possible as an extreme case, it was certain that as regards 

 the kingdom of Hanover, it could not be even remotely ap- 

 prehended that too many Apiaries would ever be established ; 

 and that consequently the greatest possible multiplication of 

 colonies might safely be aimed at and encouraged. At the 

 same lime, he advised a proper distribution of Apiaries. 



I might easily furnish you with more matter of this sort, 

 and designate a considerable number of Apiaries in various 

 parts of Germany, containing from twenty-five to five hund- 

 red colonies. But the question would still recur, do not 

 these Apiaries occupy comparatively isolated positions .' and 

 at this distance from the scene, it would obviously be impos- 

 sible to give a perfectly satisfactory answer. 



According to the statistical tables of the kingdom of Han- 

 over, the annual production of bees-wax in the province of 

 Lunenburg, is 300,000 lbs., about one half of which is ex- 

 ported ; and assuming one pound of wax as the yield of 

 each hive, we must suppose that 300,000 hives are annually 

 " hrimstoned " in the province ; and assuming further, in 

 view of casualties, local influences, unfavorable seasons, &c., 

 that only one half of the whole number of colonies main- 

 tained, produce a swarm each, every year, it would require a 



