Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-10-02
BEE-KEEPINe BY FARMERS.

There are two reasons why farmers
should keep bees first because their occu.
pancy Of land places them in the right loca-
tion to improve the whole honey field; and
second, because their occupancy of the field
entities them to its harvests. Can it be
made proGtable2 1t would hardly be prof
table to make it a principal business; as an
incidental business it may afford them a
large return for very moderate outlay and
trifing expense. -Four hives Of sufficient size
with surplus honey receptacles for 400
pounds OF honey, would cost say S25; four
swarms of bees would, at Eve dollars each,
cost s20-making m outlay Of S45. The
first year they would give, in good field and
season, l2S pounds of surplus, more or less,
according to the season, amounting, at 30
cents per podnd, to S3S.40. The second
season would yield 500 pounds, or $3.50
amounting in the two seasons to SlS8.40.
This gives more than four times the cost in
two seasons; aud the average for many sea-
Sons may equal this, with no additional ex-
pense save the supply Of new honey boxes
annually. L give the above figures from the
results of actual experiment, having received
NuO hNNEtE1 kiNtu ahONt lIOnl lUuT ulNtb tut
first and second seasons, they being the first
two seasons in which placed swarms in the
Eureka hives, and the honey was so white
aud nice that it brought me 30 cents per
pound.
Let me advise my farmer friends how to
proceed in this matter. Get from one to
four hives according to your honey field
and faith; take them to bec.keeper, who
will place good 6rst swarm in each hive;
and remove them home. Or if the seller is
pleased to let them stand till fall place
boxes on them and let them stand till then.
At the proper time in the fall remove the
boxes and take all home. With hives so
constructed as to prevent the disposition to
swarm, and the number limited to the
capacity of the field, have no doubt they
would sometimes do better than this, as
have had 300 pounds from one hive in one
season. On this there is little to do but to
place aud remove the boxes in the proper
time If the hive is so constructed as to
give ample room in the breeding and winter
ing apartment, feeding is rendered unneccs-
sary. proper means are used to give
room in the surplus boxes for all the colony
the whole season, before any preparation is
made for swarming. aud the hives are eff.
fectually shaded from the sun, no watching
for swarms will be required; and no time
necessarily devoted to them but to put on
the surplus boxes in season, and remove
them when full and this may even be done
by neighbor accustomed to the business, if
one is apprehensive of danger in perform
ing these, or any other operations about the
hive.
When feel assured in my mind that
millions Of dollars worth Of honey is lost
every year, of which the farmers Of the
country might avail themselves, and for their
expenses and trouble get two, three or four
hundred per cent. in clear profit, | can
hardly be satisfied that this state Of things
should be continued, or such triaing efforts
be made for securing such an advantage,
both to the farmers and the public. think
this interest is sufficiently important to de-
serve the consideration OF all our agricultur-
al journals; and is worthy of place in the
agricultural departments of all the newspa-
pers published aud circulated for the benefit
and instruction OF the public generally.
AT my advanced age, | can expect TO live
to witness but little more advancement in
the prosperity Of my country. My memory
carries me back almost to the presidency of
Washington. What advances | have wit
messed in her population and prosperity |
can but desire her future prosperity; and
this must depend much upon the prosperity
and success Of farmers, who form the great
body Of our cOnmunity.-Jdsper Hazen,
Woodstock, in Country Gentleman