THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL 
167 
be placed, say four tons extracted honey, £100 — 
and, say BO doz. sections, £12. Total, £172. 
So that the account would show a cash balance 
of £52 at the end of the second year, but the 
Tftlue of stock and appliances on hand being 
equal to £250. 
Now, in this business, as in almost all others, 
the beekeeper may hold in at this, and need not 
increase to any extent, or may sell part increase 
to pay for having other part retained. Of course, 
if it is deemed necessary to still work for 
increase of stock, the profit may be so appropriated, 
but otherwise, with two or three seasons ex- 
perience of the district in which he lives, and its 
resources, a system of non-swarming may be 
pract ised, by the constant use of the extractor, 
or other measures. We may safely say that the 
matter of further outlay of any consequence is 
now at an end, or is met equally by sundry sales. 
The capital account may be fairly stated at value 
£300, and the yearly returns for labor, &c., £100 
to £150, according to season, with most likely a 
blank thrown in occasionally, so that if we 
estimate £1°0 per year we shall be somewhere 
near the mark. Now comes the question of 
labor. Supposing 100 stocks to be the limit of 
one person’s ability to manipulate, he w ill require 
constant attendance for at least six months of 
the year, and a good deal of necessary prepara- 
tion made during the winter evenings, otherwise 
he will be free to devote the remaining six 
months to any other pursuits his genius prompts. 
Now, I don’t think this is overstated, and fairly 
represents what one person may accomplish, 
having a good locality, £100 cash, available 
time, and common sense to back it all up, and 
while the work in part may be hard, lie will have 
the satisfaction of enjoying a feeling of indepen- 
dence and self-reliance, and keep bis liver plumb. 
Yours, L. T. Chambers. 
No. 59. — I have been carefully going over 
the figures given at page 119, under the heading 
of “Hives,” and note what you say of the diffi- 
culty of giving a satisfactory answer to the 
question, “ Wherein is a frame hive superior to a 
box hive ?” and it appears to me that t Imre are 
so many contingencies that any arrangement of 
figures can be of little value. As you state the 
case you would start the two beekeepers on very 
unequal terms — the one with the frame hives 
plus a good amount of experience, which must 
be purchased in some market — the owner of the 
box hive minus any knowledge of be s. 
No one can use the extractor, run also for 
section -honey, cut qucen-cells, and manipulate 
generally without some previous experience, 
which has cost money, and therefore is part capital. 
The return stated might be obtained on a good 
flow of honey without a very large amount of 
knowledge, but in that case the box man, if he 
knew anything about his business, would not be 
far behind. 1 am often met with the question 
as stated, and have always thought it wiser to 
abstain from giving comparative figures. 
Your article should, in this case, I think, be 
headed “ Extractor,” for therein lies the strength 
of the return. For beginners will see their way 
clear to spend 50s. on an extractor and knife; 
but if prepared to go so far have still to learn 
its management. I know* that when that is 
understood the increased honey return is equal 
to about 3 to 1, and the probabilities of swarm- 
ing lessened by its use ; but this experience must 
be bought, fn answer to the question I should 
simply say that, to the beginner, the frame hive 
offers (1st) the opportunity of becoming 
acquainted with what transpires inside the hive ; 
(2nd) the possibility of controlling and directing 
the work of the bees, and (3rd) the means of 
securing honey with less trouble and in better 
shape ; but, if I proposed to show a profit and 
loss account of the average beginner who really 
means business, and has a few pounds to spare, 
I would state it somewhere like this, as a first 
year’s result : 
Dr. 
To Bee Guide or Text Book 
... £0 
7 
6 
Subscription to Journal 
... 0 
0 
0 
Five Frame Hives ... 
... 2 
10 
0 
Comb Foundation ... 
... 0 
10 
0 
Supering and Sections 
... 1 
0 
0 
Extractor, &c. 
... 2 
10 
0 
Sundry Experiments 
1 
0 
0 
£8 
3 
6 
Cr. 
By 100-lbs. Honey at 6d. 
... £2 
10 
0 
1-doz. Medium Sections at 
10s. 0 
10 
0 
Balance ... 
... £5 
3 
6 
But his experience being worth fully £10 to 
him, although not a transferable asset, he is 
prepared to start in next season with appliances 
i and experience, to credit and to gain more year 
by year until they began to crystallise into gold 
coin. 
Do not let anyone be mislead by any statement 
that the frame hive is so much superior in the 
matter of yields; but emphasize the fact that 
apiculture is a business to be learned by constant 
application, and often attended by severe trials 
and losses. — Yours, L. T. Chambers. 
Corinella Apiary, 17th April 1888. 
©riomal Contributions. 
PREPARATIONS FOR WINTERING THE 
BEES. 
I H cold climates tlie good wintering of the bees 
is looked upon ns n masterpiece in apiculture. 
The Australian climate is not severe, and what 
applies in cold countries in regard of protecting 
the bees from too severe a cold, is not required 
here ; nevertheless, the result to next year 
depends a great deal on the wintering, and the 
beekeeper should do all iu his power to provide 
t 
