aTom Cosman snip followed by > my comments
How do you arrive at this conclusion? The labour cost of harvest may be 
the same but other labour costs, ie. inspections, splitting, treatment 
are certainly higher with double the colonies. Queen costs to maintain 
twice the number of colonies are higher. Feed and treatment costs will 
be double.

>Well first it takes a lot more effort to pull honey from a hive 6 feet tall than one 2 foot tall... so you first point is inaccurate.

>The same SIMPLE analysis applies to your list (inspection, splitting, etc).  Of course you can do any of these things the easy or the hard way and without a doubt one way requires more time and effort than the other.

>Let not forget the cost (and risk) of that 10 foot step ladder some folks seem to need to carry around in their truck to 'work' hives.

>The accurate answer to how the two approachers might be = or different is the cost of one queen (for me about $4 if I consider all direct and indirect cost) + one top and bottom board (about $5 for both).

>It does amaze me when something is not working how some people they will cling to their habits and refuse to at least try something different....

Gene in Central Texas...

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