{ 9 ) 
CHAPTER II. 
ON THE PROSPERITY AND DECLINE OF AN 
APIARY CONDUCTED ON THE OLD SYSTEM, 
AND THE MEANS OF REMEDYING DEFECTS 
IN THAT SYSTEM. 
In speaking of bees, there is a French proverb, 
“ On a vite beaucoup et vite pen ; ” that is to 
say, that the prosperity of an apiary closely 
precedes its ruin. This we can easily under- 
stand, seeing, as we do, the Avay in which bee- 
keeping is carried on in many localities. To 
begin with, a swarm in good condition will give 
one or two swarms the following year ; thus, 
for a certain time, an apiary of from fifteen 
to twenty hives will be kept well stocked. 
For some years the swarms are sold. There 
comes a bad year — there are no swarms ; the 
hives get old, swarming ceases, and mortality 
soon makes a clean sweep of this apiary, hitherto 
in prosperous condition. 
