30 
that will become new queens, nor until her prin- 
cipal laying of eggs, producing drones, is over. 
Bees usually swarm from the 10th of May to 
the middle of July ; early swarms are of the most 
value. A swarm of bees in May, in the Sell-pro- 
tecting Hive, is worth, to the possessor, at least fifty 
dollars, the interest of which is at 6 per cent, 
three dollars. Now, suppose the hive to yield, 
the first season, thirty pounds of surplus honey, 
which is always of virgin whiteness, worth in our 
market twenty-five cents the pound, which is seven 
dollars and fifty cents. Suppose the hive to cost 
one dollar and fifty cents, which is the actual cost, 
if well made, of good materials. We have now 
a balance of three dollars, after deducting interest 
and cost of hive. The estimate of surplus honey 
is very low : I have already taken thirty-five 
pounds each, (the first oi August.) from many of 
my May swarms. We have left a balance of 
three dollars, to pay the trouble of hiving, winter- 
ing, &c. Suppose our stock of bees to send out 
a swarm, on the 20th of May^iext ; our stock is 
now doubled, or worth 100 dollars. It is reason- 
able to expect second swarms enough to defray 
subsequent expenses. We may now calculate our 
stock of bees to double every subsequent season, 
as well as the surplus honey. Let us calculate 
this increase of property for five years. On the 
first of October, the first year, we have two stocks 
of bees, worth one hundred dollars, or fifty dol- 
lars each, besides sixty pounds of surplus, or 
drawer honey ; and by this ratio at the end of five 
years we have thirty -two stocks of bees, according 
to the former estimate worth 1600 dollars, besides 
30 pounds of surplus honey from each hive, each 
season, amounting to 1860 pounds of virgin honey ; 
allowing 20 cents a pound to be the wholesale 
