Generally, one hive per acre for apples (there are other, competing blooms
at that time and apple is not usually the most attractive). Don't figure on
a honey crop (although I did get one last year), but use it as a spring
build-up crop instead.

Other crops can require more or fewer hives, but one per acre is a good rule
of thumb.  I was just sent an excerpt that dealt with training bees to
low-yield crops and the Moscow study claimed that flax required 30 colonies
per acre (increasing seed yield 600 percent), while "trained" bees required
only 4 or 5 per acre (training consisting of feeding a flower-infused sugar
syrup each morning).

Karen

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kathy E Cox

> > >> I am curious. I have not been able to find an answer to how  many
hives
> >> per acre is enough. The 22 acre area I'm speaking of is an  apple
orchard.

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