BEES ON SHARES 
115 
tween the brothers for years. The fruit¬ 
grower brought suit against the beekeeper, 
and the case was tried on Dec. 17, 18, and 
19, 1899, at Goshen. There was no lack of 
legal talent on either side. The case was a 
very hard-fought one from beginning to 
end. Among some thirty odd witnesses ex¬ 
amined, the Government expert, Frank 
Benton, then of the United States De¬ 
partment of Agriculture, Washington, D. 
C., gave his testimony to the effect that 
bees never puncture sound fruit; that it is 
practically impossible for them to do so, 
owing to the fact that they have no cutting 
jaws like those found in the wasp and other 
insects of that character. He also showed 
that wasps and birds will, under some con¬ 
ditions, puncture fruit; that these minute 
holes they make will, during a dearth of 
honey, be visited by bees. Other expert 
testimony was offered, nearly all of which 
exonerated the bees. After all the evidence 
was in and the arguments were made, the 
jury returned a verdict for tke defendant. 
For further particulars regarding this, 
the reader is referred to the publishers of 
this work. 
In case trouble arises, the owner of the 
bees will do well to -read Bees as a Nui¬ 
sance, and also the other subject found in 
its alphabetical order, Laws Relating to 
Bees. 
BEES, CROSS. —See Anger of Bees. 
BEES, CROSSES OF.— See Hybrids. 
BEES, HANDLING.— See A B C of 
Beekeeping, Manipulation of Colonies, 
and Honey Exhibits. 
BEES ON SHARES.— In some locali¬ 
ties, notably in California, Colorado, and 
the great West, bees are often kept on 
shares. While this method of doing busi¬ 
ness has often been conducted quite suc¬ 
cessfully and satisfactorily to both parties, 
yet many disputes have arisen, perhaps 
because there was a lack of contract; or, 
if there was one, there was nothing in it 
to cover the point in dispute. 
The following form of contract was very 
carefully drawn by an attorney, and it is 
hoped it will meet every condition. 
ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT. 
This agreement, made and entered into at 
-, this day - of -, 19—, by and 
between —*— of - , party of the first part, 
and hereinafter called the owner, and •——, 
of-, party of the second part, and here¬ 
inafter called the employee, 
Witnesseth: First, that said owner has 
agreed, and in consideration of the cove¬ 
nants and agreements herein contained and 
to be performed by said employee, does here¬ 
by agree to provide a good location for 
keeping bees, at or near -, and furnish 
and put thereon, on or before the - day 
of -, 19 — , not less than - colonies 
of healthy bees, and then and thereafter at 
such times as needed during the continu¬ 
ance of this contract, to provide and fur¬ 
nish, at his own cost and expense, all hives, 
tools, implements, machinery, and build¬ 
ings necessary to enable said employee to 
carry on successfully the business of pro¬ 
ducing and securing honey and wax from 
said bees; and further to pay one-half of 
the cost and expense of all sections, cans, 
bottles, shipping cases, and packages that 
may be required to put the honey and wax 
into marketable shape; and in case it shall 
be necessary to feed said bees, to provide 
and furnish feeders and sugar for making 
the syrup; and said owner further agrees 
to give and deliver on the said premises, 
to said employee, as and for his compensa¬ 
tion for labor done and provided by him 
in caring for said bees and securing honey 
and wax, the full one-half of all marketable 
honey and wax produced and secured from 
said bees. 
Second: In consideration of the above 
covenants and agreements, the said - , 
employee, hereby agrees to enter the em¬ 
ploy of said owner on said - day of —— , 
19—, and at once care for said bees in a 
proper manner; do, perform, and provide all 
labor necessary to carry on successfully the 
business of producing and securing honey 
and wax ready for market; pay one-half the 
cost and expense of all sections, cans, bot¬ 
tles, shipping cases, and packages that may 
be required to put the honey and wax into 
marketable shape; feed the bees, when nec¬ 
essary that they shall be fed, and deliver on 
the premises to the said owner the full one- 
half of the marketable honey and wax 
produced and secured from said bees, and 
to accept the remaining half as and for his 
full compensation for labor done and pro¬ 
vided by him in the care of said bees and 
the production and securing of honey and 
wax. . 
Provided, and it is mutually agreed and 
understood by and between the parties 
hereto, that said employee shall double up 
all of said hives at the close of the season 
or leave them reasonably strong and well 
supplied with stores and prepared for win¬ 
ter; and if any of said colonies of bees are 
lost thru the carelessness or negligence of 
said employee, said owner may recover 
from said employee as damages an amount 
not greater than one-half what it would 
cost to replace said bees and queens; all 
