Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1910-07-09
Bees.

There is money In bee keeping if it is
managed properly. Bee keeping is being
carried on with both profit and pleasure
by many thousands of people in all parts
of the United States, and while, as rule
it is not the sole occupation of those who
pursue it, there are many places where
an+sx perienced bee keeper can make
good living by devoting his entire time
| and attention to this line of work.
The average annual honey yield per
colony for the entire country should be
from 25 to 80 pounds of comb honey ou
40 to so pounds of extracted honey.
The money return to be obtained from
this crop depends entirely on the market
and the methods of selling the honey.
If sold direct to the consumer, extracted
honey brings from 10 to 20 cents per
pound. and comb honey from Is to 25
cents per section. If sold to dealers, the
price varies from 6to10 cents for extracted
honey and from 10 to Is cents for comb
honey. All OF those estimates depend
largely on the quality and neatness of
the product. From the gross return must
be deducted from 90 cents to. 81 per
colony for the expenses other than labor,
including foundation. sections, occasional
new frames and hives. and other in
cidentals. not, however, providing for
increase.
These figures, however, are based on
system of good management. Bee keep
ing to be profitable requires hard work.
knowledge and experience. Much study
is required to insure success. 1t is un wise.
therefore. for the average individual to
undertake extensive bee keeping without
considerable previous experience. on Il
small scale, since there are SO many
more details which go to make up sue
cess in the work. Learn the ways of bees,
how to handle them, and what kind Of
equipment is best. Then begin on a
small scale, make the bees pay for them
selves and for all additional apparatus,
as well as some profit, and let the bust
ness grow gradually.
Above all it should be emphasized
that the only way to make bee keeping
profitable business is to produce only
first-class article. We can not control
what the bees bring to the hive to any
great extent, but by proper manipulation
we can get them to produce fancy comb
honey, or il extracted honey is produced
it can be carefully cared for and neatly
packed to appeal to the fancy trade. Too
many bee keepers. in fact the majority.
pay too little attention to making their
goods attractive. They shonld recognize
the fact that of two jars of honey, one
is an ordinary fruit jar or tin can with
a poorly printed label, and the other in
a neat glass jar OF artistic design with
pleasing, attractive label, the latter viii
bring double or more the extra cost of
the better package. 1t is perhaps un-
fortunate but nevertheless a fact that
honey sells largely on appearance, and
a progressive bee keeper will appeal as
strongly as possible to the eye of his
customer.
Much Information along these and
other hnes in bee keeping can be found
in new publication of the Department
Of Agriculture. Farmers Bulletin 397.
entitled. sBees" The aim of this work is
to give briefly the information needed
by persons engaged in the keeping of
bees, and to answer inquiries that are
received from correspondents
Of the Department 1t discusses the 10.
cation, equipment, and stocking OF the
apiary, the habits of bees and their
the production of honey
and wax. wintering, and diseases and in
juriee. 1t also gives such general infor-
nation as how to obtain and introduce
queens, lava affecting bee keeping, and
journals and books on the subject This
publication can be obtained free as long
As the supply lasts. by applying to the
Secretary of Agriculture, Washington,
D. c.: it may also be secured from Sena-
;ors, Representatives and Delegates in
Congress; and the Superintendent of
Documents will sell it at cents per
,opy.