From the Vintage Publication:
“The American Apiculturist.” (1885)
A Journal Devoted to Scientific and Practical Beekeeping.
IS BEEKEEPING PROFITABLE.
By T. F. Arundell.
My attention being called to the article headed, “Is Beekeeping Profitable” (page 64, March No.), I will answer it to the best of my ability.
The answers to questions 1 and 2 depend simply on the annual yield of honey per colony, and the success attained in wintering. Should a surplus of 100 lbs. or more be obtained from each colony (spring count), together with a moderate increase in bees and with little or no loss in wintering, success would be assured; but, should the average yearly surplus amount to no more than 40 or 50 lbs. coupled with severe losses in wintering, the business could not prove otherwise than a financial failure.
No. 3. In this section one man can properly manipulate at least 150 colonies and their increase, make the extra hives, and extract all the honey from them, excepting possibly, a very few days when honey is stored more rapidly than usual.
As to tools wearing out with use, I will say that I have extracted 40,000 lbs. (20 tons), in the last two summers with a four frame “Novice” geared extractor with no appreciable wear, and my honey knives are as good as when first bought. A well made hive should last a lifetime, so that the depreciation in value of utensils is more imaginary than real.
No. 4. Given a properly arranged hive and appropriate tools a man can extract from 120 to 140 lbs. per hour, say 1200 lbs. per day.
In four successive days last July I extracted and filled into cans 5,200 lbs. of honey, working about eight hours each day extracting and filling cans from the tanks mornings and evenings. Hives in my apiary average about 40 lbs. each extracting.
No. 5. In regard to the number of colonies an apiarist could oversee, it depends more on the talent and genius of the overseer than upon the number of colonies possessed. While one man can direct and control hundreds of employés, another cannot even manage his own labor to lead to the best results.
At some future time I would like to describe, in your Journal, the best and speediest methods of extracting honey in large apiaries as practised in this country.
Santa Paula, Cal.