SSS ES = a a re Se tae Ole Te ee & Honeybees and honey production in the Un UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BULLETIN No. 685 Contribution from the Bureau of Crop Estimates LEON M. ESTABROOK, Chief shington, D. C. Vv June 20, 1918 HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION IN THE aa UNITED STATES. By S. A. Jongs, Chief, Field Service, Bureau of Crop Estimates. CONTENTS. Page. Page. | Map indicating distribution of colonies Form of honey produced .............. 27 . of bees in the United States......... 2 | Color of honey .......-......--.-200-545 30 Extent of industry .........--..-.--2--- 4| Market ...............---.- digge - 382 * Dependability of tables ............-... 5 | Supply and prices............ ood 35 « Colonies of bees in the United States... 8 | Sources of pollen and nectar .. --- 48 _ Increase by swarming ......-/.......-. 10 | Nectar sources for surplus honey . . ---. 53 ’ Wintering bees ........---0-.---220-00+ 11 | Geographical distribution and charac- TOBSeS oes romt a ahita SUM atiouees 15| teristics of important honeys........ 54 Yields of honey per colony ......----.- 22 | Production of 1917............-...----- 58 , Total production of honey ............. 25 | Conditions and prospects for 1918...... 59 | ers honeybee is the primary conservationist. Supple- menting its extremely important service of promoting the pollination of important food and feed crops, it elaborates from the nectar of the plants thus benefited one of the most delicious, nutritious and readily digestible of all foods. The fact that the most important work of the honey bee is not | the production of honey, but the carrying of pollen from # flower to flower, thus assisting in the fertilization of plants ' and assuring their fruitfulness, is not always appreciated. Growers of early cucumbers under glass find it necessary to ) install hives of bees in their hothouses to insure their crop. & A rainy, cold spell during fruit bloom, keeping bees from |: flying,’results in little fruit that season. Many people are # not aware that they are thus dependent largely upon these | busy and sometimes intrusive insects for the fruitfulness of their orchards and gardens. The work of the bees is | important not only to the produemon of tree fruits, but to 36093°—18—Bull. 685—1 2 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. full seed or fruit production of a number of forages and grains, berries, and vining plants such as the squash and its rela- tives, not to mention many ornamental plants and trees. Many other varieties of bees than the honey producing kind and a multitude of other insects assist in the work of trans- ferring pollen from plant to plant, but the honeybee is probably the most important single agent, certainly so in the case of fruit trees. MAP INDICATING DISTRIBUTION OF BEES. The map printed herewith, showing the distribution of bees in the United States according to the 1910 census, indicates within reasonable limits where bees are most numerous, but some features require a brief explana- tion. The map shows only bees owned and reported by farmers, omitting the great number of colonies kept in towns or in outapiaries by professional beekeepers, thus making a relatively heavy showing in the more purely rural portions of the country. The large number of bees indicated in the Southeastern States and particularly in the Appalachian section, while reflecting an undoubted fact, carries an impression stronger than the facts warrant, partially because the territory is predominantly rural, but more because in that region the colonies are, to a greater extent than elsewhere, kept in small boxes, kegs, and similar receptacles which limit the size of the colony and cause heavy swarming. This latter fact tended to further exaggeration because at the time the census was taken swarming was well advanced in the South though hardly begun in the North. The great importance of beekeeping in the sage and orange sections of southwestern California, the alfalfa and sweet- clover sections of other Western States, the clover belt of the North Central and Northeastern States, in the cotton, horse-mint, and desert plant sections of Texas and in the belt of tupelo and mixed bloom of the coastal plains adjoin- ing the south Atlantic and Gulf coast, are all readily ob- servable. The great development in certain regions subsequent to the census, as in the Imperial Valley of California (the southeastern section of the State), in southern Idaho (Twin Falls region), and elsewhere, is, of course, not indicated. HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. ‘SALVLS GALINA AHL NI AYNLIND 33a 4O ALISNSG ODNIMOHS dV 10 ‘Sb 's [eee vee 4 \av read SSS 856 | Ayre Peece | 02h ase be ‘S9tly BOE EE ASYM Ce eee ALA 606 7e OVO? 182 Db) WAL Vicrahd AN LEE PST 4 $6192 Bed) BES SE Sim O22 2 Ze Ble SLs HA) 850 10/ AG SEBISST 7 Oe SL o709 886509 Wy, SES aim 2b2 oS OHO EVES Wow SER BE “pzy| 184 26 B74 EES *O&/ we Ele pl eIWWO SER SL 2S 4£0/ pee XBL 82/687 aw 765 ee v7 ELS°Or7 vAM LEZ ES Swi S00 tor vA segs IN oe 2g loss’o 4 | xeo's| BSL Ee ow See Sean Ee? “FIG EIS EOF OW VELA we \S2O'09/ mor pees OF Cn 2299S NMA r 1229'95 _| [gee {OST wi iy, S2/MO7O2 PF FTLeLeS 325-7 Be ene ad eb, | sete S7/NO709-£279\| Boop HH ° Sono ee me ZZ, ALIAS AAI SSISBN, i ( acd FHL SOLED = ° S/INOTO-S Reece : se! “Ee e 9 = aw a = ~ a ae BAR 5 iste S. a ema fete pee Ses ae . ¥ poo). Ad "Ook = oe : wif a, fen fe “8. «ar: : 5 ABS x q ON . - © mlely: oes ¥ ? “ a i © RODE a é se +f - V2 Be, ‘O16! SNSN3O SaLvLs- GaLliNn ff. \ et . — SS 4 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. EXTENT OF INDUSTRY. The importance of the honey industry in the United States is realized by few, even of those who have given some atten- tion to the subject, owing to the fact that the census figures, which are naturally looked to for information, report only concerning the bees belonging to farmers, whereas a large and increasing proportion of the honeybees of the country, producing a still larger proportion of the honey crop, belong to beekeepers other than farmers and are located in villages and towns, or, by permission of the farmer or landowner, are kept in out-of-the-way places on farms or hidden in the recesses of the hills, away from frequented roads where they would be readily observed. Surveys of the beekeeping in- dustry in Massachusetts and Indiana indicate that the census included hardly more than half the actual number of colonies of bees in those States and checks on honey production show similar deficiencies in other States. The census reports indicate for 1910 a total of 3,445,006 colonies, which, if accepted as representing the number on farms, though it is certain that not all such were recorded, may be taken to indicate in the hands of farmers and all others certainly not less than 5,000,000 colonies, more prob- ably 6,000,000, and possibly more. Leading commercial honey authorities estimate the number to be much higher. The production of honey in 1909, according to the same authority, was approximately 55,000,000 pounds. That this is far below the facts is certain. The average yields indi- cated by the census reports are about 16 pounds in 1909 and about 15 pounds in 1900, whereas the average yields as reported to the Bureau of Crop Estimates by honey pro- ducers are about 40 pounds per colony. Only a little over half the farms reporting bees gave any figures on honey production to the census enumerators. The proportion that actually produced no honey is unknown, but the actual yields per colony on farms must have been considerably higher than those indicated by these imperfect returns to the census enumerators. The honey producers’ reports are more nearly representative of the commercial producer, who often, and probably as a rule, is not a farmer, and it may be safely assumed that the average production per colony of bees not belonging to farmers is considerably HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 5 higher than of those belonging to farmers. If the most _, probable figure mentioned, 6,000,000 colonies, be accepted as representing all colonies of bees in the United States and the average yield be considered as 25 pounds, which appears conservative, this would account for a total production of 150,000,000 pounds of honey. An inquiry of leading manufacturers of beekeepers’ sup- plies concerning sales of 1-pound sections, with a conserva- tive allowance for those produced by small firms and indi- viduals, indicates for the season of 1917 a total of about 55,000,000 such sections, and for 1916 and 1915 about 53,000,000 and 45,000,000 sections, respectively. If we accept the common assumption of 1 pound per section, and allow 5 per cent for wastage of empty sections, this would indicate a production of about 52,000,000 pounds of comb honey in 1917. Reports to the Bureau of Crop Estimates from a list of over 5,000 honey producers indicate that the proportion of comb honey in 1-pound sections to all honey obtained from the bees is about 38 per cent. While this figure reflects the facts for the men reporting to the bureau, it is known to be too high if applied to all honey produced, especially in many Southeastern States, where a true return for all beekeepers would show much higher figures for “chunk” honey and lower for comb as well as extracted. A figure for the United States of 33 per cent of comb would be nearer the truth. If this figure be applied to the indi- cated production of comb honey, it would point to a total production of about 158,000,000 pounds. Commercial honey handlers consider that the proportion of comb honey is much lower, which, if true, would mean a corresponding increase in the indicated total production. The leading commercial authorities in the United States on honeybees and honey production estimate that the total production is considerably in excess of 200,000,000 pounds. DEPENDABILITY OF TABLES. In presenting the material appearing in the following tables it should be stated that so much of these data as are drawn from the reports to the Bureau of Crop Estimates by its list of honey producers are of varying degrees of de- pendability, according to whether the cooperation in the 6 BULLETIN 685, U. 8S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, different States has been full or incomplete. For most of the States data are fairly complete, and for the important producing States of California, Texas, Colorado, all of the North Central group except North Dakota and most of the Central Atlantic and North Atlantic groups they are good, particularly for the years 1916 and 1917. From the States of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon responses have been relatively few and the figures given are therefore to be accepted with reserve. TaBLEe I.—Honeybees in the United States. Number of colonies : ' of bees on farms | Spring count of colonies, year stated, in per (United States cent of previous year. (Report May 1.) census). 1914 com- ae pared | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 June 1, | Apr.15, | the | pared | pared | pared | pared | pared 1900, fo10. | usual |rith | with | with | with | with Tn uore.| 1913. | 1914. | 1915. | 1916. | 1917. vious years, Per Per | Per | Per | Per Per Number, | Number. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. Main ewes cate seitivicicies 10, 857 7,592 98 99 100 107 106 85 New Hampshire...... 5, 520 4, 644 94 96 103 100 115 85 Vermont..........---- 12, 836 10, 215 98 98 96 115 105 75 Massachusetts........- 8,381 7,464 | 95 96 101 115 106 70 Rhode Island......... 1,681 1, 267 99 99 100 105 105 95 Connecticut......-..-. 11, 438 9,445 85 92 110 85 112 75 New York..... ickersaies 187, 208 156, 360 102 103 90 109 110 80 New Jersey.........-. 14, 118 10, 484 100 103 98 90 106 73 Pennsylvania........- 161,670 124, 815 95 98 96 100 110 65 Delaware..........--- 10, 187 6, 410 100 101 98 103 95 85 Maryland.........-.-- 28,013 23, 156 96 100 102 97 108 70 District of Columbia. . 59 TEE de ctaaccainet nis oS Naina aes NCebeandalodlleneacaiate tal @asaiaiony Virginia ss cccesiccisins 139, 064 104, 005 98 100 106 100 100 77 West Virginia......... 111, 417 110, 673 99 101 95 102 100 73 North Carolina........ 244, 539 189,178 101 103 102 94 96 8s South Carolina........ 93, 958 75,422 100 100 101 100 100 115 Georgia.........------ 187,919 130, 549 95 98 100 98 110 120 Florida .:0:. cenicccceun. 39, 753 38, 895 101 103 100 100 96 115 ONO sean ose cccees ee 151, 391 98, 242 105 108 98 98 108 65 AN GIONS 5 iia roscoe 117, 148 80, 938 110 115 90 102 112 70 bis) (ee eee 179,953 155, 846 97 100 92 105 118 80 HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION, q Tasie I,—Honeybees in the United States—Continued. Number of colonies of bees on farms | Spring count of colonies, year stated, in per (United States cent of previous year, (Report May hy census). 1914 State, ire Par | i914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 com- | com- | com-| com- | com- sue Pe ane pared | pared | pared | pared | pared number with | with | with | with | with re- 1913. | 1914, | 1915, | 1916. | 1917. lous years. Per Per | Per | Per | Per Per Number. | Number. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. Michigan..........-... 100, 397 115, 274 101 103 104 98 106 | ’ 80 Wisconsin...........-. 106, 090 95, 638 100 105 103 101 103 96 Minnesota.........-..- 45,877 56, 677 100 105 102 115 96 108 TOW ecsccegecoesneess 138, 811 160, 025 105 115 94 117 105 85 MISSOUNE oc escieieisrciesinns 205, 110 203, 569 90 93 86 115 112 83 North Dakota......... 279 495 110 105 105 120 125 120 South Dakota......... 2, 063 6, 565 105 115 105 120 95 95 Nebraska......-...... 52,143 45, 625 95 97 92 150 112 93 Kansas... 2 aut} Jo i ee poried | y43U01 *soTHofoo peysTamy worjoojoid J9yUIA VIX G Jo] Jo Zoya H |ysaguory| jensa -UlZeq ye AUooOa Jad puey Uo Aamo -uoysajoud pun ‘figddns poof ‘quawauyfuoo saqury, ‘saaqghauoy— |] FAV, 13 HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. *eMMIOITRO JO SuoTjoes Suonpoid Aeuoy uTeUr ey} UT woT]9070Id ON ¢ 8°9S OT 6° a4 er 06 16 6 SE ore gee gee 6°1E ST gg pens “esBI0AV ‘SO iat ae a aac ec i a Fiat a oo FE ¥e 68 fag a3 ¢° (0 ee (page oe *-eTHIOsITEO ce ge 1g 9% LL o's ve 98 Tr 28 oT ¥9 ce eh 68 LE Ts ba A ““oyepl OF 06 Ge OF oT Owe) | lp ncn eeas ees “"BpBAON, oF FE bP 6F 5 aa Base | Ree reas “qe 8% 98 re ee v 9°¢ -"emOZIIy 68 rE 9e 98 3° £9 “oorxey] MONT 98 98 09 he 18 & % 9% ce Te 98 ce 88 08 kd 0g ¥€ 08 66 4 9€ ce UT sg ge ee or te FT 69 se ge 9¢ ee oT Lg or ge Ge ce eT *9 Le 8& 16 1g L% Ose perenne “"*“ejoHBd qnog pe (eee ee ee assrstaystacsiait late eis etarsteis| winio eis sisiateess ** BOB WON 68 Le 9% €& oT WO) er a “***"TMOssTAL 68 i 8% ce a4 GQ pres ereees Totes esse MOT ee 8e ge 9e e's 9'L Pg re ene aes "7" "BI OSOUUTAL ee ce FE Te re (Vs) cai aca UISMOOST MA, ce se 6z 6% ze On frceeecteteetetee *-UeSTOTAL 14 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. finement is less as one proceeds southward, and limited to a few days at a time in the far Southern States, the winter consumption of stores increases rather than diminishes going southward, probably owing to greater winter activity of the bees. Little winter protection is provided for bees where not absolutely needed. Practically none is given in the Southern States, and but little in the middle tier, but in the far Northern States it is the general rule to pack or cellar the bees. Favorable methods of packing and the extent to which used in the different States are indicated in the table. TaBLe IV.—Honeybees: Losses by disease and in wintering. Summer losses of colonies from disease. Winter losses of colonies from all causes. State. 1915 1916 1917 1914-15 | 1915-16 | 1916-17 | 1917-18 Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent, Maine........-.-..- 5.0 1.2 Te | esaseceees 9.5 5.8 21 New Hampshire... 0 2.0 ToS: aot Sees 12.0 17.5 25 Vermont........... 2.0 2.0 -3 11.0 9.0 15.2 18 Massachusetts... ... 1.0 4.0 2 13.7 23.0 12.1 41 Rhode Island. ..... 1.0 0.3 OF iSetacssiaide 19.0 2.3 2 Connecticut........ 0.2 10.0 4.7 16.0 22.0 5.9 31 New York.. 0.9 3.0 1.8 19.8 15.0 8.2 23 New Jersey... 5.0 3.5 1.6 6.1 25.8 10.6 30 Pennsylvania...... 4.0 3.0 2.1 15.7 17.1 11.8 40 Delaware.......... 0 1.5 ne Concer 14.0 17.3 20 Maryland.......... 0.8 0.5 2.1 11.4 19.0 6.3 4l Virginia... . 2.3 1.0 3.7 11.2 19.2 10.7 38 West VirglOii cca cn owwnccwe 3.0 1.1 5.7 14.7 8.8 31 North Carolina, 0 2.2 5.1 17.0 15.5 17 South Carolina. .... 0.4 0 2.5 13.1 11.2 13.5 lL 0 1.5 14.7 10.1 4.5 4 4.5 2.2 8.4 11.7 5.0 4 3.5 2 16.1 16.6 10.7 34 2.0 4.1 10.8 17.4 9.7 27 1.3 5.6 11.3 10.7 6.7 21 3.8 2.7 10.7 16.0 10.2 22 6.0 2.5 5.4 14.4 10.0 13 1.5 2.2 16.5 10.0 12.6 14 4.0 2.7 13.0 10.8 10.6 18 1.0 1 31.0 12.6 7.9 17 0 O Teseeerseanie 8.0 5.3 5 2.0 2.5 7.8 15.7 13.5 14 2.0 2.7 15.8 16.1 12.5 21 1.0 2.6 7.4 11.9 8.1 12 4.0 1.9 9.5 10.9 14.0 35 HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 15 TasLe 1V.—Honeybees: Losses by disease and in wintering—Continued. BULEN EE TossGs Of oblonee Winter losses of colonies from all causes. State. 1915 1916 1917 1914-15 | 1915-16 | 1916-17 | 1917-18 Per cent.| Per cent. | Per cent.| Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. 1.0 1.6 8.9 20.9 5.9 24 0 33 17.3 11.7 7.6 6 0 5.3 23. 2 7.9 71 7 0 3 7.7 10.4 14.5 4 1.0 8 71 8.0 6.0 24 0.5 5 15.4 1.4 7.5 13 0.5 1.6 25.0 15.7 13.2 9 0.3 9 ig emer 24.1 22.7 14 0.3 4 19.1 5.7 20.0 8 2.0 4 10.5 11.2 14.3 8 1.0 2.6 9.2 4.8 9.0 8 3.0 11 2.0 71 3.9 6 3.0 14 10.5 11.0 30.4 6 2.0 5 5.0 1.9 14.7 7 1.5 1.2 5.9 10.5 46.6 5 3.0 3.2 19.8 17.8 9.0 6 3.0 74 3.9 20. 4 20.0 8 5.0 6.4 5.0 8.5 10.0 ll United States. 1.5 2.3 3.5 12.6 13.3 10.1 18.7 LOSSES. The losses of bees by disease, principally foulbrood, during the summer, range from practically nothing to almost 10 per cent in some States, though the latter figures are exceptional and may be due to mistaking starvation for disease. The losses to bees in wintering are severe, ranging for the United States as a whole from 10 to almost 15 per cent, and rising in some States to almost 50 per cent in the winter of 1916-17. Details for three years are shown in Table IV. The losses for the winter of 1917-18, owing to an early and exceedingly severe winter, are reported at 18.7 per cent, more than a half greater than the average of the three preceeding winters, and the heaviest-in a long period of years. 16 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. TaBLE V.—Honeybees: Winter losses, causes and percentages of. " Causes and percentages of winter losses. ; Cold, exposure Moths and Btate. Quteling "| Starvation. smothering. ° ants. 1914~}1915-/1916-] 1914~ | 1915- |1916-|1914-| 1915 1916- |1914-/1915-1916— 15 | 16 | 17 15 16 17 | 15 16 17 15 | 16} 17 Pets PhP ct) Poet) Patt P al Pye Peete: Pet Pet. Pat P et, Maine............00005 0.3 | 0.6 |...... 5.0] 1.6 |..... B52] Wed: [eeeciceoces 0.3 New Hampshire. .....].....].....].....[....0- 81306 cous 2.0 SE eee eee hoc Vermont.... -5| .9! 04] 47/48/01] 2.6) 5.0 ]-..2.). 02... Massachusetts,........|..... Dil eB mercears 154/40) 2.1] 5.0} 23 ]..-2.)....f 2. Rhode Island.........).....].....)-.-..[....06 1 dl Ean arene Ot Qe losenlatewadeeins Connecticut...........|..... 1.8] .4/160) 7.0] 1.3 ]..... LOLOi VP est centers 4 New York. ........... 1.2] 2.0] 2.1 -6) 10.1] 21] .1] 2.0 New Jersey........... 2.2) 5.0) 2.1 J... 11.9 | 2.8 J..... 3.5 Pennsylvania......... 2.2] .5,1.6] 12] 7.5]3.3/1.7] 3.0 DelWAIG x2 seeciaunisilevacs 5.0] 2.4 |...... 620 ETF lasso sicrecone Maryland............. -3/3.0] .9) 47] 1L2/1.8]..... 6 ~7) .2) 1.5 6 Virginia............... 15) .8)10/ 1.8]13.3/30] .1] 18 -1] .6/15 4 West Virginia........./..... 15] .8 fo... BS | H2EF bases Tid.) 823 leeeax -5 5 North Carolina........ 4] 04) 9} 26] 114] 67)..... 2.0} 2.7/1.7] 2.0} 1.1 South Carolina........ 5.7/1.5) .7) 3.3) 55/99)..... 125" lessee 3.7] .5] 2.3 Georgia. .............. 2.8/1.5]3.0) 10.7) 314 |.....).00.. 75 BING oc aise ssh emtacn 2.3 | 2.0} 1.2 [...... 2.0 | 2.1 |..... +2]. Ohi0 soc ccc scene cee. 8122) 2.1 |... 6.7] .9/ 2.6] 2.0 Indiana............... -9/2.0)24] 14/102] .9122] 10 Tiinois........... eee] 21) 12} 1.8 -5} 45/13/25] 1.6 MI COT goed oca sens, 2.9120)/1.4] 2.6] 100]/28]16] 1.5 6.6 | 3.4 1} 1.2 2.6/4.5 |..... 2.6 4.5/1.7 |... 1.5 2:2) b61 43 | 17 4.0/1.8 Jo... 5.0] 5.4/3.0] 3.0 5 38/15/26) 35] 5.9 ]..... o 2 lees 6.3/3.0] .1 11 Be | eee #8: Pomreiee 6.0/1.0} .7) LO} sa] cal wil... MennosseO, oc cnweeecss, 1.4) .6) .8/ 3.7/126/3.8] .3] 15 -5] .3] 1.2 -3 Alabama.............. 871.0) 591105) $.0 75.8 lew, sl osieieie -1) 3.0 5 Mississippi............ +7] 64] 7) AL4] 24) 43, 4/213] 3.0 [..... Louisiana............. 21) .2)15) 56) 1.8/3.8]. 00/000, Bs Pare 5.6 | 2.0 Texas..............26. 15/15/28! 31] 32) 241...., uk Ed .@UL61 42 HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. iy TABLE V.—Honeybees: Winter losses, causes and percentages of —Continued. Causes and percentages of winter losses. Queen lost or Cold, exposure Moths and State, iling, Starvation. smothering. ” ants, 1914~1915-/1916-| 1914- | 1915-}1916-}1914-] 1915~| 1916~ |1914-/1915-1916- 15} 16 | 17 | 35 16} 17 | 16 | 16 17 | 15 | 16 | 17 P.ct,|P.ct|P.ct,| P.ct.| P.ct,|P.ct,|P.ct.| P.ct,| P.ct.|P.ct|P.ct|P.ct, Oklahoma............/ 1.0]0.2]1.0] LO] 5.6] 36/24] 20] 0.7]..... 3.0) 0.7 1.1] 25.0] 80] 88 }..... re sl ae a ee 3.0 -9 LO ]......f .bf L3 fo... 22,1 | 15.8 |..... ey ee -5/174] LO] .4]..... Te PBA a sax chewsaaa woes 2.0 eh) 20d) oT ET Bey Bee ecco 1.6 j...... 2] 22 )..... -6/ 19 }..... 11 1 69 lessee 5.0 | 2.3 |..... sie stared Sisters Sees ecieehe clase, ait lateateee 1.3) <8) 1.0] 4.0 | 19.9 jo.se.[occccleencs Boealeces ileal tines ec oeenl ipsa TAO Ba aseallewnles Costes 9 -2] 4.0] .4] .2 8 -2) 4.01) 3.5 [16.9 6 J...... 2.0] 1.2 |..... 2.5 Ll] 10) 2.4 ]..... U.S. average...) 1.5/1.8 /1.7] 3.2] 60/27] .9] L7] 241 .8] 11 mr Causes and percentages of winter losses. Foul brood and Poor honey, Late and weak State. other diseases. dysentery. swarms. 1914-| 1915- | 1916-| 1914~ | 1915- | 1916~- | 1914~ | 1915- | 1916- 15 16 17 15 16 17 15 16 17 Maine........ webrominiemeuedtnnavstaen — Now Hampstlrtincccncncus cccwncan Vermont o3..6 scessccie jessie seck Massachusetts. ...........-2-.200- Rhode Island............. ibis ainitalhetatSional|alsteiaiesa!l eRe cio slow ste.a'| wnialorsinl|Stimiesciai| omiecieS[seawiaallemenoe Connectlont.4 ss osaccccwssneeses ce) eacees 3.0 Oe Oa ncnertn) ceric) mesrteicr tocerert5) acres 1.7 Now. Workycsscnseusciesescsnesess | eeecedleesces 1] 94 3 Bt Bk eciciers 1.1 New Jersey....--...-..0-e-e-ceeee 0.1] 2.0 .6 Bb Saace EE Debulosacds siete! Pennsylvania seeccs ccs vevenseeets|secees 3.0] 32] 1.8 4] 13] 27 66: lesieess: DO AWALG scsictescicienie weve encicniter secre sai dentate Vowel Sein anil ascii loes/eiaislleoeainil eeeees| 13 al 14 lyeeaes! 1.0 1.6/ 14 3 1.9 32s | insaisie! 1.0 7 1.1 4 5 8 me 4 i ledcctee 36993°—18—Bull. 685——3 18 BULLETIN 685, U. 8S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Taste V.—Honeybees: Winter losses, causes and percentages of—Continued. Causes and percentages of winter losses. Foul brood and Poor honey, Late and weak State. other diseases, dysentery. swarms, 1914-| 1915-] 1916-| 1914~| 1915-| 1916-| 1914~| 1915-| 1916- 15 16 17 15 16 17 15 16 17 GeOr glaveween nies eee ieee eee eek Ploridaucssiscscerscsnesscics saagen OHIO) joie: cscecieciscennnaseseainses MNGia NG wale new acuneesecee sever 210 VE \e) (cae ee Michigans epBaenl veeeeee ees sepa, coo *" emOzIIy +717 OOTXOpT MONT 388 BULLETIN 685, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. business the untrained and indifferent beekeeper, who is unable to successfully combat them, opens the field to the man capable of overcoming them, who is usually also a deeper student of the entire subject of bees and of their care and protection, better informed on sources of nectar, dates of flow, etc., and is therefore able to handle the bees with a view to maximum honey production. But as honey becomes a main crop, and its sale the main source of income, closer attention is drawn to cost of production. Modern equip- ment must’ be purchased and the product prepared in an attractive manner. The commercial producer is not able to sell his product for less than the actual expense of pro- duction and continue in the business, as is the practice with many who produce honey in a desultory way. The present exceptional demand, due to the shortage of sugar arising from war conditions, has raised the price of honey to a figure unheard of during the present.generation and may be expected to result in some increase in bee- keeping, although the general high range of prices, which affects all products that the honey producer himself must purchase, to a considerable extent offsets this increase in the price of his own product. If the importance of honey as a food, particularly valuable to children and to those with delicate digestions in lieu of the less readily digestible sugars, candies, and confections, and its high merit for use in preparing savory cakes and other foods, as well as in giving palatability to humble articles of fare, should be properly realized and a demand established at permanently adequate prices, a very great increase in the country’s supply of this delicious food product might be realized through the inducement thus afforded to competent persons to engage in honey production on a commercial scale. The usual prices received by producers at their local markets in the month of September, being the rate for small wholesale lots and including many retail quotations, as reported to the Bureau of Crop Estimates by a list of local dealers, are shown in Table XIII, and are fairly representa- tive of the average range of prices shown by the reports for other months of the year. The small effect upon these HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 39 prices of the varying production of honey in different years is noteworthy, as is the sudden increase in the present year, which had its beginning in the latter part of 1916. In con- nection with these, wholesale figures are also shown, being those quoted by the special list of honey producers, of prices received in 1917 for honey in quantities of 1 ton or over, the extracted in barrels or 5-gallon tin cans and comb in cases of twenty-four 1-pound sections. These last figures probably contain some quotations for quantities of less than 1 ton, but are believed to fairly represent the strictly wholesale prices for delivery at local shipping points. The narrow margin between the former figures, which verge closely upon the average price when sold by producers at retail, and the wholesale price, is striking, reflecting the slowness with which most honey producers, disposing of and often retailing their products in local communities, take note of the prevailing wholesale prices in the main markets, many still adhering to their traditional retail figure when practically the same price might be obtained wholesale for their entire product. TaBLe XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods. Clovers. i ‘ Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End. State. Alfalfa. White and Alsike. | Sweet (Melilotus). Malne sce. ceccendoasue shee sed Geeneee ote apa June 18| Aug. 1] July 20] Aug. 20 New Hampshire.........-....).-..222 2-2 [eee e eee eee June 15} July 20 |......-...).-.-..... Vermontixccceciascdeain dscecisclaseccnse-e| Sete seee Dune 134) Jaly 16sec yeloecgs ces Massachusettsoceo.esescacececg|scewentenn|eeeeeenwee June 10 | July 15 | July 10 | Aug. 25 Rhodo Wslan is. 22<,4)-:sccoeememerl oe geeoun| ste cnessie JUDE 10 | DULY? 1B | cccais c,d dlases onde Connecticut:.i2:;<.c.ccudecuosee. learatarence pesteeetes June 7] July 8] July 8j Aug. 25 INOW VOR oc you eee esc cane ea ereeenilommniintey June 15} July 15| July 12] Aug 21 New Jersey oe. neheadnnesscoceel accaiuiees | ameesieenes June -8 | Tully WO beac dens cease ‘Pennsyl Vania. os escseas ae este eee sara ecwierttesstenn June 6| July 15 }........--]-..-.-... Delaware Maryland Witeinin.csecvesuannuns weed West Virginia. 40 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. TaBLe XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and closing of blooming periods—Continued. State. Clovers. Alfalfa. White and Alsike. | Sweet (Melilotus). Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End. Georgia Florida North Dakota................. South Dakota Nebraska.............. Tennessee..........222--00225. Alabama.........22....02..022 Mississippi...............2.... Louisiana........2.....00..... Wyoming - Colorado w..iascs carscosueecs HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUOTION. 41 TABLE XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods—Continued. Trees.) State. Deciduaue fruit rees.? Basswood (linden). Gums. Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. | End. Connecticut New York.. North Dakoteccscispecxerexsxe South Dakota... Nebraska. ......-..--+-----++- Pexge:o occracecsintenswaenccas Apts 16 | Apry 28 |scsssseec|ereeecconsfeneseneotefereantnes 1 Black mangrove (Avicennia), Florida, June 20 to J uly 25. Cabbage palmetto (Saba), Florida, June 13 to July 15. Saw palmetto (Serenoa), Florida, May 10 to June 15. Orange: California, Mar. 22 to May 5; Florida, February to March. Maple: January in south Florida, February in Gulf Coast States, March south of latitude of Maryland and April north of it, and into the first half of May in the northern tier of States. 3 Principally apple; Georgia, peach, Mar. 1 to Apr. 1. 3 Tupelo on the Gulf coast blooms in March, and other gums mostly in April. 42 BULLETIN 685, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Taste XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen, average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods—Continued. State. Trees. Deciduous fruit , trees. Basswood (linden). Gums Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End. New Mexico.............-.-.-- Apr. 10:| Apres 28 eio.oc.sa5 seeialieraine cpeeeiortral Scop awielSi lee everest APIZON As oe ods decades aioe! Mai 10.) cAI. VO Noes co cela ween ol ccned second | vexaaiecs a Utah vecceen corauseraseestas Appr. :20 | May 10: | siesta eie asi ctteraesisrets ora econaiatataeisire eiciercraccrstts INGV Ada ied sr iawenrwess se See Gathncedes Satie | toute wlaiaaisl Raieisiaieehuael ines leis ehatsial a aise de cie old ae eceelaiaa Tdaho sive seceie4 zoe sosamosetes May -8:) May 80 bewss eecanclecsssseced |: cone esd eeene cae Washington...........-.------ Apres 15] May 15: basic ccsjouseliceisaresitee| emus uetata|s aero OTERO sos ce ces shee csabaioeis Apr. 16 PIUNS: U6 osnerecee | Ss ecieculdeass ast] panded canes's California. ...........-..2----- Beds QE: :Agnts 18) less ceonatslaxeeheer nse eatans sovistd eee es den Trees. State. Holly (Ilez opaca). ae Persimmon. Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End. MAING: (stein crite sa esiccn ses awe seinen a [hen oiee sate |i caiesoeelbs Sasmeace lus dacedieuns omodecegs New: Hampshire ie co 5 niece sited esp connreltta rarer ciatatdsl teaueliinan waline on akcon ss Pee a tene cece os Vermont..........- Massachusetts, Rhode Island................- Connecticut New York..... New Jersey.....-.- Pennsylvania. ... Delaware...........--..--2---- Georgia. .... sbotituis icles Sucralevavaccinynravs D BIOTIdGs eae ee. vied ss seteedions HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 43 TABLE XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods—Continued. State. Trees. Holly (Ilex opaca). sri Persimmon. Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. | End. North Dakota South Dakota June 10 May 22 California...................-- June: 80) | Ave? 220: asco cciicesl| sss seimemeatsssjacesaulloinadencen Trees—Continued. Shrubs.1 Sourwood. Tulip poplar Gallberry State, (Oxydendrum). (Liriodendron). (Ilez glabra). Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin, End. MBING sis jasecceaiacamacenicimnce oe tamara desis fied Saisie oa eho Saas | Mere Gadne| Momeni ke Eteed alee De SUS oo) cs aso ec geet paren orlene ey seweskes ay eee assole RueE mE Vermont ind sczists ae tistesstevers Sterseaisic| easosees Gale 2G aN stnS lus aeseee.siSe'leebyacenti nese Seca ree Aiea eeieeiaierns MESSE csc conic lesan dee nem lea ya Sales? ed See Oh AAR ae meee aaa een ull a cet Rhode Island tes 25 sae sees semnacenice Matec assim cee Se allan obese | painctowenwe liane series 1 Mesquite (Prosopis): Texas, first flow Apr. 15 to May 15, second flow June 15 to July 15; New Mexico, single flow May 6 to July 1; Arizona, single flow Apr. 15 to May 18; Nevada, singleflow Apr.20to June1. Catsclaw (Acacia greggii), Texas, Apr. 20 to May 16. Guajilla (Havardia), Texas, Apr. 20 to May 25. Sage (Ramona), California, Mar. 1 to July 1 (mostly April, May, and June). Wild buckwheat (Eriogonum), California, June 10 to Aug. 1. Gall- berry (Ilex glabra): Florida, Mar. 25 to May 5; Georgia, Apr. 27 to May 28; North Carolina, May 20 to June 13. ‘44 BULLETIN 685, U. 8S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUBE. -Tasiz XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming pertods—Continued. Btate. Trees—Continued. Shrubs. Sourwood Tull lar Gallberry (Oxydendrum). (Griaeadron), (Ilex glabra). Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End. Connecticut..........-------++ New York........-------.-+++ New Jersey.....-..---------+- Pennsylvania Delaware...........-.----+--+- Georgia Florida HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 45 TasLe XIV.—Principal plants Jurnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods—Continued. Shrubs—Contd. Miscellaneous.! Raspberry (Rubus State. Sumac (Rhus). strigosus and Buckwheat. other species). Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End. July 20} Aug. 15 Aug. 1| Sept. 1 Aug. 1] Sept. 1 Aug. 1] Aug. 25 Connecticut.............2-.... New York wsicescccceewssvawes New Jersey......... Pennsylvania Delaware............2...0e0 eee j North Carolina... . baie South Carolina................ North Dakota... South Dakota. Rentnck ys cacsesseenacictacnceonseeseeeertsi hehe er ee che cere oeeneeseue 1 Cotton, principally July and August throughout the cotton belt. Horsemint ( Monarda), Texas, May 10toJune 27. Pennyroyal ( Hedeoma), Florida, November to February. Part- tidge pea ( Chamaecriste fasciculata), Florida, July to September. Spanish needle (Bidens, Coreopsis), North Central States, late August tolate September. Fire weed or willow herb (Ch ion angustifolium): Idaho, July 15 to Aug. 30; Michigan, July 15 to Sept. 15; Minnesota, Aug. 15 to Sept. 20; Oregon, July 1 to Oct. 1; Washington, July 1 to Aug. 30; Wis- consin, Aug. 15 to Sept.20, Dandelion, during May in most Northern and Western States. 46 BULLETIN 685, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Taste XIV.—Principal planis furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods—Continned. Shrubs—Contd. Miscellaneous. Raspberry (Rubus State. Sumac (Rhus). strigosus and Buckwheat. other species). : Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. | End. TONNGSS60 as 5:58 ais sesicsidsce fa] soee tees vel eede eae Meera eeeeestes ces eee eee HAT Be On Bi pcs ce etees rete steecinisce. da aed ee Stave ots aesitclers woe eal s Mennaeeeesl ater eiieva tlle tee GS Ste] ee aieESY 5 BLISS DI vis cies ccccinamtimninnd tlw nicieaetiallnined yaGteelid Aekeeaelbeiaceee se eae GANS eoeRess DT Gtiisiana on sci saceonnieesee se ee Peserese sects ee oe Hes a oe ee [teense oe as Stee SES eRes State. Miscellaneous—Continued. Fall flowers.1 Heartsease or heart-weed ( Polygo- num persicaria). Begin. End. Begin. End. New Hampshire VOIMON ti iorsz.cciewecei a sticiguitis Hecizresineseictisgianingesitde CONMECHHOUE sc. icicsicce-toceitecieeeapanatadeeeadrats Sai New VOrkacscvcngess wert cementite ceusentteascey ING We JOLSOY os wisteinsocttetacyreilceatieminy Mista anion eueais PONS VIVANIS on cere ceteeus meee eae cee Delaware 1 Fall flowers, principally goldenrod and aster, former about a week earlier than latter, HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 47 Tasie XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming pertods—Continued. State. Miscellaneous—Continued. Heartsease or heart-weed (polygo- num persicaria). Fall flowers. End. Begin. End. North Dakota cs isscisgosccaactce cesta neesiscetemiastecay South Dakotawcc..iors ccpcrowieieelccmceneeesicseminniaeansaeieass Nebraska =. oxcese ses coove veeeeee eee ceeein Kansas..... fafetn oe isiten bert seictsslepruetsissaneractneilas cece A WON TUCK Ys is, casio See eie SoG ne nee maisiseeedascuusaawed New Mexico Arizona 48 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRIOULTURE. SOURCES OF POLLEN AND NECTAR. The honeybee derives its supplies from the. successive bloom of a great variety of trees, shrubs, and cultivated and wild plants and flowers, of which the family of the Legumi- nose is by far the most important. Many plants that are not sources of surplus honey are of great importance in the economy of the hives, furnishing the necessary supplies of pollen and nectar to enable the colony to increase the num- ber of bees and thus build up its strength in the spring and to carry it through the winter or through periods of light honey flow during thesummer. The average dates of bloom of the most important plants in the different States are shown in Table XIV. The dates given are only rough approximations, being merely the averages of the dates reported from the different States, and the bloom may be earlier or later in portions of patticular States, especially those of large area or great diversity of climate. TaBLE XV.—Sources of surplus honey. Clovers. Trees eC 3 a a |3 g = oy 3 5 =. S (Ss ate. & e OL: ~ = Hale a3| a |~e/3s A 8 See | — | sel es rleiclsl/2/2/& [8°] & |3s| 88 gleiPleielelaje |2 ie la a d n FQ mq |x & |a 2 P.ct.| P. ct.| P.ct.| P.ct.| P.ct.| P. ct.) P. ct.) P.ct.| P. ct.| P. ct.| P. ct. MAING is sscieceersscicinne| ieasstoie 6.0] 1.0} 53.3) O02) S.O}...... Bed! leovsosleageactancgen New Hampshire.....|......]..----|....-- BZ20 | AEB 4 arein'e aie aveiassiens | ersisie een eraieraiese [aeidiaiorall eres Vermont 2occeescsess| sorceclcvand|saegse 40.8 |...-.. Ba pressieiace Se te | sae telloeees| ec sess Massachusetts.......|..---. 43s Mie fe lm bE 3 ae Ue ee ee ee eee Rhode Island.......)......|.--.--[..---- LOO *jasaisrs 2 I iateveiens [sists ar | crarssasctall craikecses all Saniarerd seer as Connecticut.........}..---. V2) vaya 20.3} 44] 3.6 ]...... ny 2 ee eer ee (eens New York.........-.]...-.. 1.6] 2.1 | 30.2 -6) 99 )...... wd licwrssisiel ataieria ag saa New Jersey..........]..---- W122) ASS ATaS: [esses isceeeleenices SB race si pae ais oid 15 Pennsylvania......./...... Dili Women 13.1 AB OT evernatcicl Sicigesiciall caine aialooearer un oens Delawares...55..s22cc|cnssce|es saselesance 48.0] 2.0] 2.0}...... 260: iciosen'l sic 5.0 Maryland...........|...... 3.1] 1.9] 26.0 48) 220 fewer. B21 ssacsssel save is 15.6 1, iy 2) 101: Riemer ceeen ens Coes ener] (eras 26.7) 1.2] 3.0]....-. 3.4] 14] 12.2 7.8 West Virginia.......]......)......)-...-- 26.8 | 1.1] 10.7 |...... A Beer 3.5] 10.3 North Carolina. .....|......)..-.--./-....- 6.0} 10} 5.0) 60] 20] 1.2] 10.0 8.5 South Carolina......}......[.-22..b0.0-. 1 BAO ceatsreiatell g./ 8 9 a ac nel re 3 4 Bs |S EEE ee 3 o ie $3 ot 8 we ge) E le |e] ase a |e 18 | 8 &é 16/5 |a|]6 6/a/8|6 P.ct.| P.ct.| P.ct.| P.ct.| P. ct.) P.ct.| P.ct.| P. ct.| P. ct.) P. ct. Maine scan occessiev cacene sage been ee| eeu esis [e ected avers [zeae ed eee Beds lstsa.niets 0.6 New Hampshire. ..........|------[e.- eee} ee eee (Bi A eee (eee eee 9 Rees eee Vermont........--.--2-+--+ . OG [eetecelsaseae Massachusetts.............[------[ 45 ]-...--[ .8f.....-1 65] 26) 9.0 ]......f le. Hhode Island’. 25. jsccise ce. lesctencl eine sechscescs| QO essen seunleseecs (EO! | ccsicca| eaten Connecticut Now York... s22seec2s0065 New Jersey............2--- Pennsylvania DIRE WOI sc 5 ocssaxnueaadeus BE [19:01 ee ee ee PI OPI Biase seeisois dace lee cae North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska.......... DOR AS ess tcists uni siarerdtencrmrmmn sears BO Meanie 2.21 25,3 loo... ot el meer 24.5 9.7 \Including in Florida 5 per cent black mangrove (Avicennia), 15 per cent saw palmetto (Serenoa), 8 per cent cabbage palmetto (Sabai), and 10 per cent orange. California, 17 per cent orange. Including mesquite (Prosopis), 13 per cent in Texas, 13 per cent in New Mexico, and 43 per cent in Arizona; sage (Ramona), 22 per cent in California; catsclaw (Acacia greggii), 8 per cent in Texas, 1 per cent in New Mexico and Arizona; guajilla (Havardia), 4 per cent in Texas; wild buckwheat ( Eriogonum), 11.2 per cent in California, HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 51 TaBLeE XV.—Sources of surplus honey—Continued. ; Trees— Continued, Shrubs, Berries, | Cultivated plants, 8 23 as| |* ae aA Re State, S g.|% hag v ps a Eg : 3 sto RSa 2 a “ ges). | . 3 |8 # ss| ¢ |B | gs] g Belg [3 : ssh) 3/5) 2 | 4 o/15 |a15 o | a |-38: |e P. ct.| P. ct.| P.ct.| P. ct.) P. ct.) P. ct.) P. ct.| P. ct.| P. et.) P. ct. United States average.| 3.1) 3.8] 1.6 7) 7.4 6 -6] 29] 4.0 17 Miscellaneous. Blends. eg [a-| [3 ge Se Ea E ise .[as re State. CNRS oh] 8 [od g feeses| |2E| 8 [BE Besege|s le |e le |g B |S jess es] & 2 |e | 8 3s |Sbajguj 2 1s . i} a eISee se |s |2 |g ie | és P; ct.| P. ct.) P Maine 2:62:00 ccisskeeecapiercmicjeret's OS | 12.9 Joceeee New Hampshire.........--------- 5.9 | 13.6 ]....-- Vermont.....--....-02- 2-202 e eee fee eee SB eaces Massachusetts...-...--.-----+-++-/e-eee-* BaD oensic Rhode Island........--------+-++ 5.0 | 15.0 |...--- Connecticut ..u sec. cncccnncssat ee 8.0 | 17.8 few New York: ss 2sssessseseecaeesse = 4] 21 New Jersey.....---+--0-++-200000+ 5.0} 4.5] 4.2 Pennsylvania......-..---+-+--++5 2.5 | 11.5 Delaware.....-.-..0--eeeeeeeeeeee 4,0 | 10.0 1 Including horsemint (_Monardo), 14 per cent in Texas; fireweed ( Chamaenerion angusti, folium), 1 per cent in Maine, 3 per cent in Minnesota, 22 per cent in Washington, 5 per cent in Oregon, trace in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Idaho; partridge pea ( Chamaecrista fasciculata), 10 per cent in Georgia, 7 per cent in Florida; wild vetches, 15 per cent in South Carolina. #Principall alsike and white clover, but mostly white and sweet clover in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. , i 8 Including other blends with clover; 3 per cent in New York, 11 per cent in New Jersey, 3 per cent in Pennsylvania, 12 per cent in si i 4 per cent in Virginia, and 20 per cent in North Carolina. “Mostly aster and goldenrod. 52 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Taste XV.—Sources of surplus honey—Continued. Miscellaneous, Blends, ab a .-4 ‘ s8 /8s| [2 4 ES oe a Pan * wn State, _ [peal ss we| 5 [us 2 a2) #8 ae| & | 88 3| 4 3| 2 B {a egeigel gia°| sie | ¢ $13 lgeaas| 2 /§ | 2 /é | 8 < & iA a Oo }< a 15 ° P. ct,| P. ct.) P, ct.| P. ct,| P. ct.| P.ct.| P.ct.| P. ct GO Or gla isaseetroecan teeters IOV soso oases cxceniiseweaceansae Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota. .. New Mexico..........-......2..-- ATIZON Dest oa ceee se sceeeezeaceeees HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 53 NECTAR SOURCES FOR SURPLUS HONEY. The principal sources of surplus honey, that is, honey which is removed from the hive by the beekeeper for his own disposition, in contradistinction to that consumed by the bees, are shown in Table XV. It is to be observed that the clovers, including alfalfa and sweet clover, belonging to the great family of the Legu- minose, are the most important source of the country’s honey, these alone furnishing 34.9 per cent of the entire supply, besides the larger component (probably 8 per cent) of the 13.3 per cent additional of blended, or mixed honey. Of the clovers, the most important is the small, low growing white clover of the lawns and fields, credited with 19.6 per cent of the total supply. Next in importance is alfalfa, furnishing 7.7 per cent, and its near relative, sweet clover, furnishing 6.2 per cent. Alsike, 1.4 per cent, has probably been reported in some cases as white clover, blooming at the same time and producing the same type of honey. Red clover is mentioned occasionally, as in dry seasons when the corolla tubes are short enough for the bees to reach the nectar, its profuse secretion is utilized. This and crimson clover, a source of nectar in a few southeastern States, are included under white clover, as are all reports of clover simply, without further designation, as the honey from all these excepting sweet clover and alfalfa, is almost identical, and in common practice is handled as white clover honey. Among the trees, the heaviest producer is the basswood, credited with 3.5 per cent pure, and with white clover as a blend amounting to 4.0 per cent additional. The tulip poplar furnishes 2.8 per cent, and the sourwood 1.6 per cent, the last, however, often being given credit for honey actually derived from other sources. The tupelo and other gums, 3.1 per cent, and the holly, 1.1 per cent, are bountiful producers in limited Southern areas. For heavy yields the orange and other citrus trees are notable, and orange honey, 2 per cent, is of importance commercially. No other tree is credited with as much as 1 per cent of the total, although in many sections black locust is important in an occasional season. Among tree shrubs and bushes, the mountain sages, 2.3 per cent, 54 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the mesquite, 2 per cent, wild buckwheat, 1.1 per cent, and catsclaw, 0.8 per cent, are extremely important in the regions of their growth. These are all plants of the semi- arid regions. Gallberry, a type of shrub holly, furnishes 1.6 per cent, and sumac 0.7 per cent. Of berries, the wild raspberry is locally important, blackberry and huckleberry being less so. Of cultivated plants, cotton is most important, furnishing 4.0 per cent of the total supply. Buckwheat is a heavy producer. It contributes 2.9 per cent. Of the weeds, goldenrod heads the list, producing 2.1 per cent, its growth being very widespread. Heartsease or heartweed, 2 per cent, and Spanish needle, 1.3 per cent, are important in the Central West, and wild aster, 1.4 per cent, has a very wide distribution. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF IMPORTANT HONEYS. HONEYS OF THE WHITE CLOVER BELT. The white clover belt, marking the principal range of the wild growth of this lowly but beneficent plant, wherein it invades the grasslands, yielding nitrogen to the soil, food to the grazing stock, nectar to the bee, and beauty to the eye, includes all of the States from Maine southward to Virginia and the Allegheny and Piedmont sections of the southestern States, and all of the territory westward to the beginning of the semiarid plains beyond the one hun- dredth meridian of west longitude. White clover is also becoming important in some western irrigated sections and in the limestone and alluvial soils of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The white clover belt is the most impor- tant honey-producing region, because it furnishes not only the leading commercial type, but all told more than half of the total honey crop of the entire country. The limpid whiteness, heavy body, and distinct but delicate and delicious flavor of white clover, worthy of the dainty clustered blossom whose aroma it bears, long ago established it as a standard of excellence. It should not be asserted that this is the best honey, but if it is said of a honey that it is ‘‘as good as white clover,” it is considered sufficient praise. HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 55 The basswood (linden, Linn.) tree, found native in our for- ests and planted extensively as an ornamental and shade tree, which furnishes a honey of fine quality when well ripened, and of superlative quality in its frequent blend with white clover, grows in much the same region as the latter, except that it does not extend so far to the south- ward, being found native south of the latitude of Pennsyl- vania only as a rule at the higher levels and as far south as North Carolina only in the northern coves of the mountains. Other principal types of honey produced in the white clover belt are, in relative order of total production, as follows: Buckwheat, a dark honey of rather strong flavor, much esteemed by those familiar with it, but having practically no market as a table honey outside of the buckwheat- growing sections of New York and other Northern States and the Appalachian region. Goldenrod, from a very widespread plant, a highly fla- vored honey with a beautiful golden color, rated as one of the finest of fall honeys, but too rich for many who prefer delicate flavors. Heartsease honey, from the weed, not the violet, of that name, important in the central corn States, and to a lesser extent in the States east. When produced pure, it is a white or light amber honey of handsome appearance, but of a flavor that wins it no favor outside. of the area of its production. Where a constituent of mixed honeys and in not too great * proportion it is not objectionable, but rather pleasing. Aster, the almost universal fall honey, obtained from the common roadside wild aster, a strong amber or dark honey rarely used except for cooking. Spanish needle, a light golden honey with a distinctive flavor, a very good type and considered superior by many, obtained in considerable quantities during late August and throughout September from the heavy growth of this weed in swamps and along the water courses, in much the same territory as heartsease. Black locust, a very good light honey from the familiar leguminous tree so favorably known as the source of durable fence posts, which, during the month of May and often too 56 BULLETIN 685, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. early for bees to obtain full benefit of its bounty, stands a great cluster of fragrant, snowy bloom for from 10 days to a fortnight, said to yield when weather conditions are favor- able, though usually only at intervals of several years, a large amount of honey. Sumac, broadly distributed, an amber or dark product, with a strong and fruity flavor which is tempting to many. Apple, and other tree fruit bloom, light amber honey of a very fine flavor when well ripened by the bees. Raspberry, a white and extremely finely flavored honey produced in considerable quantities in northern Michigan, and less freely elsewhere along the northern border, from the wild raspberry, which covers large areas of cut-over timberlands. Milkweed, highly esteemed and produced in considerable quantities in limited localities in Michigan and other States where this well-known wayside plant grows in abundance. Blueberry and huckleberry, a dark honey carrying the flavor of the fruit and greatly prized in the favored localities where obtainable. WESTERN HONEYS. Alfalfa, the second most important source of honey, known of ancient days as the ‘‘best fodder” and rapidly gaining-in this country the respect and place due its worth, yields nectar freely in the region of its principal growth, be- yond one hundredth meridian of west longitude and through- out the western Mountain and Pacific Coast States. It is occasionally reported as yielding nectar in some eastern ~ sections. This is usually a white honey except in the south- western tier of States, where it darkens to amber, with a distinctive spicy or minty flavor, but with a tendency to granulate (crystallize and become semisolid). Owing to its high quality and extremely heavy production throughout the western irrigated regions, it is an important honey commercially. Sweet clover, a native legume and a very close relative of alfalfa, which in the early stages of growth it resembles closely, is of next importance, the honey being similar in appearance, but of a superior flavor, and with a lesser tend- ency to granulate. The plant grows wild in dense masses HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 57 throughout all of the western Mountain and Plateau States and the central and northern plains, along irrigation ditches and in waste lands, wherever moisture is sufficient. It is also common in all of the Central States eastward to the Atlantic coast, bordering the steam and wagon roads, and is an important. honey plant in many sections there and in the black lands of Alabama and Mississippi, especially where cultivated as a forage plant. The mountain sages of California produce a type of honey of much importance commercially and by common consent one of the finest of all in color (white), density, and flavor. The sage honeys possess, in addition to other virtues, the important one of not granulating readily. Honeys from the desert plants other than sage are as a rule good; many are excellent and rarely are they of poor quality. Orange honey ranks high among the commercial honeys, being produced in large quantities in California, and to a less extent in Florida, Arizona, and a few of the Gulf Coast States. When produced under favorable atmospheric con- ditions, as a rule, it is of fine appearance, body, and flavor, and is ranked as one of the very best. Other sources of favored western honeys are few, but among them fireweed, which follows fires on cut-over lands in western Washington and Oregon, as well as in the northern fringe of the Eastern States, is unexcelled. Vine maple is important in Oregon. California, the leading honey State, owes its preeminence to four principal sources of supply—the alfalfa of the valley sections, the wild sage and the wild buckwheat shrub of the southern hills and mountains, and the citrus groves. Of the Texas crop, second in importance, roughly two- fifths is produced in south Texas from the wild horsemint and from the mesquite, catsclaw, guajilla, and other desert trees and shrubs, a scant fifth in the western section of the State beyond the Pecos River from alfalfa and desert plants, and most of the remaining two-fifths in the black waxy soil belt and the prairies of central Texas, principally from cotton, though a considerable quantity is from horsemint and some from mesquite. Rattan, huckleberry, and holly supplement cotton and horsemint in the eastern part of the State. 58 BULLETIN 685, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. SOUTHEASTERN HONEYS. Tupelo gum honey is produced in large quantities from the tree of that name in the regions adjoining the east Gulf coast, principally in swampy sections and along the rivers, and while a honey of good flavor and fair color is in demand mainly because of its nongranulating properties for mixing with other honey. Other gum trees also are sources of honey, but, as a rule, the quality is inferior, and yields are not so heavy. Cotton honey is white and of fair flavor. It is produced freely in portions of the cotton region, particularly in Texas, though in some sections the plant yields little or no secretion, which, incidentally, is extra floral, the sweet secretion ap- pearing on the stem bracts below the flower and upon the under surface of the leaves. The tulip poplar tree, growing freely throughout the east- ern and southeastern United States, often to an immense size, furnishes an abundance of nectar early in the season, often before the colonies of bees are sufficiently built up to take full advantage of it. The honey is of reddish amber tint and of inferior though not unpleasant flavor and is rarely handled commercially except for cooking purposes. The Southern States produce several honeys of superior flavor which are consumed on the local market and rarely reach general commercial channels. Among these may be mentioned the sourwood of the Southern Appalachians, the gallberry of the South Atlantic and East Gulf coasts, the saw palmetto and mangrove of Florida, holly, persimmon, partridge pea, and titi. (Cliftonia.) PRODUCTION OF 1917. The yield of honey for the year just passed has been only fair, 40.3 pounds average, being much below last year’s fig- ure of 52.8 pounds, and slightly below the 42.3 pounds of 1915. The coolness of the season in most of the Central and Eastern States, with local droughts, and prior winterkilling of clover over considerable areas, coupled with periods of extreme heat in the Far West, were principally responsible for the relatively disappointing crops realized in 1917 in spite of earnest efforts on the part of beekeepers toward heavy production. HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 59 CONDITIONS AND PROSPECTS FOR 1918, The increase in number of colonies during the season over and above losses is 11.5 per cent, which will allow for an average winter loss without a material reduction of numbers below that of 1917. The condition of colonies at the begin- ning of winter was reported as 93.2 of normal, only slightly below the high condition of 95.5 in 1916, and in only four States did it fall below 90, although one of these is the impor- tant honey-producing State of Texas, where extreme and long-continued conditions of drought reduced the condition to 81. The supply of honey in the hives on November 1 was generally ample for ordinary winter requirements, but the severe winter in the central and eastern States threatens heavy losses and weak condition of a large proportion of the surviving colonies in the spring of 1918. The character of the season controls the yield in a broad sense, but a material increase in production of honey over what may otherwise be expected might be realized if bee- keepers generally could be aroused to the importance of the subject and would make special effort by giving attention to the bees in the fall and early spring to see that their stores are ample, by feeding if any shortage exists, by pro- tecting them so far as possible from the inclement winds and freezing temperatures of winter and early spring, by supply- ing ample room in the brood chamber for the expanding brood (not so early, however, as to lead to harm from undue expos- ure), by giving plenty of space at the proper time for storing surplus, and by the production of extracted honey. This last expedient, besides permitting a marked increase in production by most beekeepers and in most seasons over that of comb honey, by lessening the amount of comb build- ing and avoiding heavy swarming during the season of sur- plus production, also involves much less labor in caring for the bees. The May 1, 1918, report, received just as this bulletin goes to press, shows that the losses of colonies of bees during the past winter have been, for the United States as a whole, 18.7 per cent of the total number; in other words, almost one out of every five colonies has perished. As the reports to the 60 BULLETIN 685, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. bureau are in the main from the better class of beekeepers it is to be feared that the wastage has been even greater. Under the present circumstances, this loss assumes an aspect tragic not only to the multitude, almost a million, of indus- trious and interesting insect communities whose ardent haste and joyous hum have been stilled, but to their human erstwhile beneficiaries. The Nation can ill spare the 20 to 30 million pounds of honey which past experience permits us to assume as the potential production of these lost colonies. Roughly, a third of these losses are ascribed to freezing and another third to starvation, and it is sad to reflect that both of these causes might in large measure have been over- come by their proprietors and protectors. Sugar and labor shortage are partial, but only partial, excuse, as is the unusual winter, which came early, shortening the flow of nectar from the autumn flowers, and persisted with unex- ampled severity without the customary brief relaxations which in ordinary years permit of late cleansing flights by the hive-bound bees before the settled cold of midwinter. Lost or failing queens and small colonies resulting from brood diseases or late swarming are as usual the principal other reported causes of loss. The losses were most severe in the North Central and Northeastern States and extending as far southward as North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, and Kansas, ranging in some States as high as 41 per cent and in only a few cases falling below 15 per cent. The losses in the South and West have been less than usual, with the exception of Oklahoma and California, and notably Texas, in which State drought of two-year duration in important honey-producing sections created conditions that resulted last winter in 24 per cent of loss. This drought was happily ended by copious rains early in May. The number of working colonies remaining on May 1 is estimated at 88.7 per cent of the number on May 1, 1917. Material increases last year partly offset the heavy losses. Increases are shown over last year’s numbers in most of the Southern and Western States. The condition of colonies is 86.4 per cent of a normal at this date, compared with 91.1 per cent last year and an HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 61 average of 94.2 per cent, reflecting the bad effect upon the surviving colonies of the severe winter. The colonies appear to be building up rapidly, however. Colonies are reported in excellent condition in most Southern States, excepting Texas, and are above normal in several of the western group, although in California they are in only a trifle better than last year’s poor condition, and still 10 per cent below the average. The condition of honey plants is reported at 86.7 per cent, which is considerably better than the 82.3 per cent reported last spring, but distinctly below the average of 92.6 per cent. The lowest conditions are in Wisconsin, Iowa, and South Dakota, owing to winter killing of clover, and in Texas and Oklahoma, resulting from droughts. O Photomount Pamphlet Binder Gaylord Bros., Inc. Makers Syracyse, N. ¥. PAT. JAN 21, 1908 oe ee oy :