Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-22
Reekeepino on Poultry Farm.

although n moor year, and many around
mo had scarcely a swarm, and no
e,,rnlus honey. three colonies increased
20 eavcp and gave me forty pounds Of
surplus honey.
During the season of 1901 the seven
colonies gave me nearly 800 pounds of
surplus honey, and increased to fifteen
colonies. My best colony that year
gave me 1G5 pounds of surplus from the
first swarm, and sixty-fiVe pounds from
the old colony itself, making a total
Weld of 40 pounds Of comb honey. /
cold FIVE colonies and began with ten
last Spring. which increased to
eiebteen and of that number 1 had
fourteen left. the others having been
sold. The honey yield this year was
only about half what it was in 1861, the
ton colonies of last springs count CIV
ing n Weld of only about 600 pounds of
eurnIre So far l have not lost
colony in any way, with the exception
of two SwarrnS which lett LOT the WOODS
without proper warming
With the success have had from the
outset YOU will not be surprised that l
am quite favorably impressed with pee
keeping as an adjunct to poultry rails
ing and fruit growing. Perhaps the
one thing which most strongly in
fIuences people to engage in Bookkeeping
is their liking for honey, and with us
the supply Of honey for our own table
was the first consideration.
Teckeeping is particularly adapted as
an adjunct to poultry farming, owing
to the fact that the heaviest part OF the
work among the bees comes at time
when the poultry work is compare
lively light On most practical poultry
farms the Matching season closes with
Nav. and the work during the remain
der of the season is comparatively light,
while the work with the bees is most
exacting from the last of May, through
June and July. If@the poultry keeper
chooses to bend most of his energies to
obtaining fall and winter eggs, which
are the most productive of profit, ne is
free to give them his entire attention,
as the bees require; but little OF his time
at these seasons.
The labor of both beekeeping and
poultry raising is comparatively light
work. and to one not overly strong, and
who feels the need of an open air life.
there are few occupations which are
more attractive and fascinating, and
certainly few which require so little
capital to be invested, and yet are cap
able of furnishing one with good liv-
ing, if not something besides. In keep
ing either bees or poultry it is essential
that people apply themselves closely to
the work Although not heavy nor
particularly taxing on ones strength
they require constant and systematic
to hacf rac11tc
Perhaps one much disinclined to stay
at home closely would not find them
congenial employment, owing to this
particular feature. This, however,
would prove no objection to home life
and rural surroundings. In fact. such
would find it pleasure to stay at home
and give these interests the care and
attention they require.
My farm consists of only ten acres
and is devoted q the breeding and rails
ing of pure bred white Plymouth Rocks
for breeding purposes. My busiest
times are during the fall and winter,
with the selling and shipping of breed
ing fowls, and during the spring with
the sales and shipments of eggs TO!
Matching purposes. Thus YOU will see
when other work is not as pressing.
have quite an orchard of plum trees
well started on the farm to furnish
shade for the chickens and incidentally
fruit for table and for sale.
Bookkeeping has been taken UP as q
side line and has be N found to inter
fcrc little with regular poultry work
The chickens are allowed to run
among the hives to the mutual benefit
l believe, of both bees and chickens
From the fact that tn poultry frequent
the II, ighbcrhood of. the bechives Sc
much, and | seem to have so little
trouble from the bee moth, judge they
catch many of the milers, and | an
quite sure they catch q great many
drones, although manifcsting Il whole.
some fear of the workers. In man,
ways poultry and bees seem to be
adapted 20 occupying the same ground
The combination of poultry, fruit ant
bees seems to be Il unique one eaci
contributing to the we'll being of tn,
other Shade is one of the essentials
on a poultry farm and nothing furnish
cs any more desirable shade for poultr,
than an orchard Of plum or apple trees
While either makes 4 most deSira bl,
location for the apiary. especially :
plum orchard. The trees. being of low
growth. prevent swarms clustering to,
far out of reach. In case of it's bein.
necessary to remove the branch OF
which the swarm clusters plum tree
are much less liable to injury from Thu
unreasonable pruning
1t is generally known that fowls arr
of no small benefit to the fruit trees
not only by consuming many insec
enemies of the fruit, but by increasin,
the fertility of the soil over which the,
run, Fruit growers generally, l be
lieve recognize the value of bees fo
fcriilizing the fruit blossoms and in
creasing their chances of liberal Yields
of fruit, so it will be readily concede,
that the production of honey, fruit. an,
poultry products can be prottabiy an,
economically combined.
would not care to engage in the chi,
ture of small fruits and Bookkeeping TO
gether, especially the raising of straw
berries. for the heaviest work of pick
ing and marketing the strawberry Gro,
~, OF s,,t H.