Beekeeping as an Occupation 
19 
large highly col¬ 
ored flowers, and 
the cultivated 
varieties of the 
flower garden are 
of insignificant 
value. Bees fly 
for two or three 
miles for forage 
and may go even 
farther in emer¬ 
gency. In choos¬ 
ing a location, 
it is therefore 
necessary that 
in the range of flight there be an adequate supply of nectar- 
producing plants. The ideal location is obviously one in 
which the nectar 
supply is near 
so that it may 
be obtained 
without the loss 
of energy inci- 
dent to long 
flights. 
Fig. 16. — Apiary on shed roof, to economize space. 
Fig. 17. — Tropical apiary, Sail Sabastian, Porto 
Rico. 
Results to be ex¬ 
pected. 
The stories 
sometimes told 
of the crops that 
have been obtained from single colonies or of the rapidity with 
which the number of colonies may be increased are apt to mis¬ 
lead the beginner. While several hundred pounds of honey 
may at times be obtained from a single colony in a season, 
this is by no.means usual. In apiaries managed for comb- 
honey production, it is perhaps fair to estimate the average 
