Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-07
BEE KEEPING IN ENGLAND.
Profit in the Industry-Improve-
ments in Collecting Honey.

From the London Mail.
1t is generally acknowledged that bee
keeping is one of the most lucrative OF
British rural industries. Although In
some seasons the return OF surplus honey
is not so good as one would wish, IN con-
sequence of bad weather at the period OF
the comparatively short honey flow. yet
IN an average of years the return OF
.,cney per hive is such as to warrant the
sinking Of a moderate amount OF capital
in the industry with the reasonable like
lihood of a good rate Of interest being
obtained.
The pitfaIl to be guarded against In es-
timating the amount of profit likely to
accrue from bee keeping is that of reck-
oning by the rule of three on the basis OF
the returns obtained from two or three
hives. If a net profit of Ell per stock
can be made on each of these. 1t is fall
lacy to suppose that s10O per annum
could be made on 100 stocks; yet some
enthusiastic amateurs are inclined to take
this optimistic view of the matter. 1t
must be recollected that when only few
hives are kept the surplus honey can
generally be sold at a high price to
friends and acquaintances. whereas when
d
the wages bill sometimes amount to an
appreciate sum. but the surplus honey
has to be disposed OF at wholesale prices.
which are from % to 40 per cent lower
than those obtained when the honey Is
sold retail.
Still. bee farming can be made to pay
we'll in Great Britain when the bee keeper
has had the requisite experience, and pro-
vided the district selected is one specially
suitable for the industry-that Is to say,
one which possesses an abundance OF
ctar-producing plants and trees.
During the past thirty-four years the
British Bee Keepers Association has
done much to spread knowledge of the
advantages OF modern bee keeping over
the old-fashioned method Of keeping bees
in straw skeps and then destroying the
industrious little workers in the autumn
by sulphur fumes in order to obtain the
honey, At its best this pressed honey,
which was often contaminated with juices
Of crushed larvae and other impurities.
was not to be compared with the delicious
comb honey now obtainable in sections.
or with the extracted honey taken from
shallow frame supers that are always
above the brood nest. The work Of the
association is mainly educative. and every
year large number OF persons are
awarded certificates of proficiency in api-
culture. the highest of the three classes,
the firsts. being a much-coveted honor.
Practically all the bee keeping associa-
tions in England are affiliated with this
association. the honorary secretaries of
the former being entitled to a seat on the
council Of the parent association. The
good work which it carries out Is limited
solely by the funds at its command.
Many a cottager depends upon the sur
plus honey obtained from his bees, when
they are kept upon modern methods, to
pay a goodly portion of his rent. and
there are countless persons In Great Brit
ain who are unaware of the fact that
they could do the same without much
hard work. and with a thorough enjoy
ment which Is known only to bee
keeper.