THE PROFITS OF BEE-KEEPING.
Methods of Honey-taking--Straw Caps--Bell-Glasses--Sections--
Frames--Extractors--Run Honey--Average Returns of Hives.
In our introduction, reference was made to the money-returns likely
to be derived from bee-keeping by persons of ordinary good sense, who
learn to manage their hives according to modern methods. Some few facts
relating to this point may be advantageously added.
With the different straw-skeps in use, three methods of honey-taking
may be adopted, without killing the bees. Among cottagers the usual
plan is to put on to the stock-hive a "cap" or smaller straw-hive, and
to remove this when full. Others, more wisely, induce their bees to
work in bell-glasses of various sizes and these, when nicely filled,
are very saleable, at a shilling or fifteen pence per lb. A third plan
is to fit a certain number of the "sections" described in Chapter XVII.
into a box or crate, and to place these on a strong stock. In the
height of a good season, from 12 lbs. to 15 lbs. of the purest honey
ought to be gathered in three or four weeks, by any of these methods.
With the bar-frame hives, either bell-glasses, or "sections," may be
still more advantageously filled; because, by judicious examination
and treatment of the stocks, these may be strengthened and helped, so
as to be in the most favourable condition for storing honey in large
quantities. It is no uncommon thing for 40 lbs. or 50 lbs. to be taken
in "sections" from a single flourishing hive; and, in an ordinary
season, the average amount from each stock ought not to be less than 20
lbs. Much, however, will depend on the control exercised over swarming.
Of course the more numerous the population is kept, the greater will be
the quantity of stores secured. If colony after colony is allowed to
be sent off, the less will be the strength of the parent-community for
food-gathering. Still, one swarm and 20 lbs. of honey in the season is
not an unreasonable amount to expect from a really good hive.
Again, from the modern wooden hives, frames of well-filled and sealed
comb may be taken, and after this has been cut out, the frames may
be put back into their places, having been first supplied with
"foundation," to give help and direction to the bees in working out new
combs for refilling. One such frame of sealed honey should weigh 5 lbs.
or 6 lbs.
Another plan, yielding by far the largest results, is to throw out the
honey from the combs as they are filled. By means of "extractors," of
which there are several kinds, the operation is very easy. The sealed
cells of one side must be uncapped, and the frame then subjected
to rapid rotation, which will cause the liquid to fly out through
centrifugal tendency. Having cleared one side, the other must be
operated upon in the same manner, and then the emptied combs should
be put back into the hive, in the same order as that in which they
have been taken out. In this way very large quantities of honey may be
obtained; for the bees, having no fresh comb to make, throw all their
energies into repairing and refilling the cells from which their stores
have been extracted. The liquid from the unsealed portions of the comb
is apt to be thin, and is then called "unripe." It requires to have
some of its water evaporated, either by exposure to the air or to heat.
If this precaution is neglected, this dilute honey is liable to ferment
and turn sour. The bees never seal any in the cells till it is of the
proper consistency for keeping. It is curious they should know when it
is in suitable condition for covering up from the air.
Marvellous accounts are received from time to time of the quantities
of honey obtained by bee-keepers who make free use of the "extractor."
Single hives have been known to yield in one season over 80 lbs.
in weight. The most satisfactory results are, probably, secured by
a selection of one of the various methods of honey-taking to which
we have alluded. The nature of the hive; the strength of the stock;
the prevention of swarming, or its permission; the supply of food
required for the honeyless part of the year,--all have to be taken into
consideration in deciding upon the method of removing honey, and the
amount which shall be abstracted.
For ordinary home use, run honey is most serviceable. As it can be
sold, moreover, at only a less price than that in sections or frames,
there is this further inducement for its consumption rather than its
sale. Ordinarily, not more than tenpence or a shilling a pound, at
most, can be obtained for it; while sealed honey in sections, or in
frames, is worth considerably more.
We need hardly say that the weather is a most important factor in
the success or failure of bee-keeping, in any particular year.
Apiculturists, like agriculturists, are subject to many and great
alternations of hope and fear. The brightest prospects of a bountiful
honey-harvest are often blighted by rainy or ungenial days in May and
June; and if these are succeeded by a cloudy, cold July, the bees will
not only not store any more honey than they will themselves require,
but may very possibly need liberal supplies of syrup in the autumn to
carry them through the winter.
Speaking in general terms of the profit to be made by amateur
bee-keepers, we may safely say that, in a series of years, the average
returns ought to be sufficient to pay the expenses of maintenance, and
to yield, in addition, swarms and honey to the value of, at least,
1_l._ per hive. Such results will, of course, not be attained without
patient and careful attention to the apiary; but such attention will
be further rewarded by the pleasures derivable from a knowledge of
the habits of the wonderful insects; from the successful pursuit of
a rational and inexpensive hobby; from the ability to interest and
instruct other people in this department of natural history; and
lastly, but not least, from enlarged conceptions of the attributes of
the Creator, whose almighty power and wisdom are proclaimed alike by
"sun and moon, and stars of light; mountains and all hills; fruitful
trees and all cedars; beasts and all cattle; creeping things and flying
fowl."
THE END.
LONDON: K. CLAY, SONS, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS.
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Transcriber Note
Minor typos corrected. In order to accommodate placement of some Figures,
paragraphs were split at logical break points.