PROFITS OF BEE KEEPING.
TWENTY-FIVE years ago, and even at the present time, by the ordinary
methods of bee keeping, if a profit of five dollars from one hive of
bees in one season was gained it was considered "good luck." You know
there is no system in the ordinary methods of bee keeping. It is either
"good luck" or "bad luck;"--all "luck" and "chance," anyway.
In one year they get five dollars profit from a stock of bees; the next
honey season they get nothing, and the bees all die in the winter; or
perhaps they will survive that winter, and the next season swarm, and
fly away to the woods; or perhaps refuse to swarm, and remain idly
clustered on the front of the hive throughout the entire honey season,
and die from want of food before the winter is half gone.
Bee keeping by the ordinary methods is a very precarious and uncertain
occupation. The profits are small at best, and losses large and
frequent.
With my Controllable Hive and common sense system of bee management
(as described in this work,) founded on correct and scientific
principles, bee keeping is reduced to a science. There is no "luck,"
no "guess-work," no "chance" about it. There can be no loss in bee
keeping without a cause; there can be no gain without a _full and
correct_ understanding of the natural habits and requirements of bees.
A _correct knowledge_ of the subject insures success.
I will now present a few statements, exhibiting the practical results
which follow the use of my Controllable Hive and new system of bee
management, and showing the great contrast in profits and general
success in the care of bees.
In the season of 1870, one of my hives of native bees yielded two
hundred and fifty-three pounds of surplus honey, in glass boxes, from
the 20th of May to the 1st of July. In 1875 _one hive yielded three
hundred and eighty pounds of surplus honey in glass boxes during the
season_. This was the largest yield I ever had, and shows what is
possible by liberal feeding with a thrifty stock of bees, giving them
every facility, with a view of securing the largest possible amount of
surplus box honey. In this case, I selected, in early spring, the very
best stock I could find, and pushed it as hard as possible throughout
the entire spring, summer and early fall. My success exceeded even my
most sanguine expectations. As it may serve to aid others in producing
large yields of honey, I will describe minutely the method pursued to
secure this large and extraordinary yield.
Very early in the spring I selected the most populous stock in my
possession. It was ruled by a young and exceedingly prolific Hybrid
queen, a mixture of Italian and Native blood. I commenced early in
the spring to feed this stock lightly but _regularly_, every day at
evening. I fed about one-half pound of feed per day, until a few days
before the flowers were in bloom profusely! This was done to encourage
breeding. Very early in the spring they were fed com and rye meal, as
directed in this work.
For a few days before the flowers were blooming profusely, I fed
liberally--in fact, gave them all I could possibly induce them to take
up; the object being to get the store comb in the body of the hive,
not occupied with brood, completely filled with honey. The glass boxes,
twenty-six in number (with the Feeder,) each holding about four and
one-half pounds of honey, were arranged in connection with the hive
(sides and top,) several weeks prior to the appearance of the flowers,
that the bees might become accustomed to them, and the more readily
enter them, and commence work. When I ceased feeding (which was on the
appearance of the flowers yielding a good supply of honey,) the boxes
were filled with bees, and comb-building had commenced. The hive was at
this time filled to overflowing with bees, and the combs had brood in
all stages of growth, from the egg to the perfect bee. I had taken the
precaution to cut out nearly all the drone comb, and fit in its place
worker comb, so I had but very few drones to consume the honey. I had
also arranged so as to have no increase by swarming, but to have all
the bees employed storing surplus honey in the boxes throughout the
season.
As fast as the boxes were filled, they were removed, and empty ones
substituted in their place. I never saw bees work with such determined
industry, early and late, and in all kinds of weather. When honey
failed at the end of the season, there was a set of boxes on the hive
partially filled. I immediately gave the bees feed until these too were
finished. I found, on weighing the product of this hive in the fall,
that they had given me a fraction over three hundred and eighty pounds
of surplus honey in boxes. This honey I sold at thirty-five cents a
pound, a little over one hundred and thirty-three dollars, for surplus
honey sold from this one stock. Reader, go thou and do likewise.
I had one stock of bees which occupied the same stand, winter and
summer, for six years, and during that time they swarmed but once, and
from it I sold every year over fifty dollars' worth of surplus honey
in glass boxes. A neighbor several times offered me fifty dollars for
this stock, early in the spring before the bees commenced their labors.
In 1874 I purchased a swarm of bees in an old box hive. They had not
paid their owner a dollar in profit for years. Some seasons they would
swarm and fly away to the woods; in other seasons they would remain
clustered on the front of the hive through the entire season, refusing
to swarm, or enter the two small boxes covered with a cap on top of the
hive. I transferred the bees from this hive to the Controllable Hive,
and they gave me a profit of over forty dollars the first year.
I sold my honey in 1874 for from thirty-three to thirty-five dollars
per hundred gross weight--that is, no tare deducted for weight of the
box. The boxes weigh each about one pound, empty, and when well filled
with honey about four and one-half pounds, gross.
The present season (1880.) one stock in a Controllable Hive, in
the month of June, without being fed or having extra care, yielded
seventy-two pounds of surplus honey in glass boxes. Another, treated
in the same manner, yielded over eighty pounds surplus, in the same
time. Another new swarm, since the first week in June, filled the brood
frames with honey, and produced thirty-eight pounds of surplus in glass
boxes, (filling eight boxes as full as they could be crowded,) and gave
me a large swarm the last week in June.
When box honey brings from thirty-three to thirty-five cents a pound,
_gross weight_, my usual yearly average is a little over fifty dollars
clean profit from the sale of box honey, from each stock of bees I
keep. I intend to keep about twelve stocks each season. I sometimes
have a much greater number; yet it is my purpose to keep only this
number each season, for the production of surplus honey, swarms, etc.
My average yield of surplus box honey is about two hundred pounds
(perhaps a trifle less) from each hive of bees that I keep, during each
season, _when swarming is prevented and each stock liberally fed_.
I will here give the testimony of a few of the many, who have adopted
the plan of bee management recommended in this work. I should give
the name and post-office address of each, were it not for the fact
that they would receive so many letters of inquiry, as to make it very
disagreeable to them. _I have the original and complete letters in my
possession, and such letters I am prepared to show at any time._ My
object in presenting this testimony here, is to show that the system of
bee management recommended herein is not only successful with me, but
with all intelligent bee keepers, as well.
A gentleman from Vermont writes me, under date of September 15, 1879,
as follows: "I take this opportunity of informing you of the experience
I have had with the bee hive received from you. About the 10th of May I
transferred a swarm of bees from a box hive to the Controllable Hive.
I transferred all the brood combs, and about eight or ten pounds of
honey. I fed them until flowers were plenty, which encouraged them to
build rapidly. About the 25th of May I put in surplus boxes on the
sides, which they soon entered, and went to work. The middle of June I
put boxes on top, as the bees showed symptoms of swarming. By the 10th
of July the side boxes were nearly all filled, and the bees were at
work in the top boxes. July 15th I took off sixteen of the twenty side
boxes, well filled and capped, and placed empty ones in their places.
August 5th, I took six of the ten boxes off the top, well filled. Then
the dry weather set in, and the bees came to a stand-still (thinking
the honey season over,) but the basswood revived it for a short time,
enabling them to fill up the boxes pretty full. I obtained in all from
this swarm twenty-eight boxes, weighing one hundred and ten pounds. I
shall have ten hives made this winter for use the coming spring."
A gentleman writes from New York, under date of April 2d, 1879: "I have
received your hive, which meets my ideas of what a bee hive should be.
It contains all that is required in a bee hive, or in other words it
is just the thing I have been wanting. I have been using the Quinby
hive, so called, but I am now going to keep bees in earnest on your
plan. I have the fullest confidence of success with your hive and plan
of management. Your plan for wintering is a good one, on scientific
principles, and the arrangement for feeding, and surplus honey, can't
be beat."
A gentleman writes from New Hampshire, under date of April 26th, 1879:
"I have tested your hive, and my bees have done first-rate. I believe
the hive is just what it is represented. One strong reason why I think
so much of your hive is, there were not a dozen bees died in the
hive last winter, while three of my first swarms in other hives all
died--some of them with fifty pounds of honey in the hive. I have lost
some winters as many as fifteen or twenty swarms. I have now tested
your hive to my satisfaction, and I do not believe bees will die in it,
if your instructions for wintering are carried out. I think your hive
is what every bee keeper should have to make a success of bee keeping."
A gentleman writes from Missouri, under date of May 1st, 1879: "Your
bee hive I like very much. I put in the swarm last season. They did
much better than any swarm I had in the American hive. I took away
more surplus honey than from any of the others. I can recommend the
Controllable Hive to all bee keepers. This spring I have put up
fourteen more Controllable Hives, and shall use no other hive in
future."
A lady bought a swarm of Italian bees of me in 1874, and from that one
stock she increased to over twenty the third season, besides obtaining
over one hundred pounds of nice surplus honey from the swarm I sent
her in the first season.
Here I desire to be clearly understood. I do not wish to hold out
inducements which will never be realized, for the purpose of causing
any one to commence bee keeping with unreasonable expectations of
profit. There is labor and care required to bring success in any
enterprise; and usually the greater the care and labor bestowed on any
business, the greater the reward in profits. Bees give ample return for
each little care and attention bestowed upon them; and if neglected and
permitted to go uncared for, there is corresponding loss. I believe
that bee keeping on correct and scientific principles should be
encouraged, until bees enough are kept to collect the honey now allowed
to go to waste, and which, if collected, would add millions of dollars
to the wealth of the country.
The statements of large yields of honey here presented, show what it
is possible to do; yet no reasonable person would commence bee keeping
with the expectation of realizing, on each of a dozen or more stocks
kept, the large yields above specified. Some stocks will pay a much
greater profit than others. And it is only under the most favorable
circumstances, with our very best stocks, that we secure the results
here named, such as three hundred and eighty pounds of box honey from
one stock in a season This serves to illustrate what may be derived
(but not what we may reasonably expect) from each stock, where a dozen
or more stocks are kept. Two hundred pounds from each stock on the
average is about right. And this last is only secured with good care
and attention, perseverance and labor, judiciously applied to the work.
The question is often asked: "How many stocks of bees can be kept in
one place on your plan?" This depends on the number of honey-yielding
plants and flowers. Some localities furnish a much greater number than
others. In some localities, fifty stocks would do well, and pay yearly
a handsome profit; in others, it would not be profitable to keep half
as many. I am in a place said to be very unfavorable to bee keeping. I
find twelve stocks about the right number for me to maintain. Bees will
go seven miles or more to collect honey, but the shorter the distance,
the more honey will be collected, in a season; consequently the greater
profit will follow.
It can only be learned by practical test how many stocks of bees may be
profitably kept in any locality. Commence with a few, and increase the
number moderately, until you find you have as many as you wish to keep,
or as many as the locality will support, with good profit, when managed
judiciously.
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