Xo. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 347 



month. They receive about -15,000 per voyage for cattle freights 

 and all this transportation has been lost during this time. The rail- 

 roads are losing heavily, although the farmers' loss is the greatest. 



Now, there is only one way to overcome all this loss, and that is 

 by stamping out the disease. It is this we have been trying to do 

 ever since the outbreak in November. In this work, we have had 

 the co-operation of the United States Department of Agriculture. 

 At the beginning of the outbreak it was agreed that the State Live- 

 stock Sanitary Board would be justified in running into debt in 

 this matter, and we have done so. The Governor has supported 

 our work at every point, and has insisted that no useful and pro- 

 per step shall be omitted. 



There was no time to stop; everything pointed to the necessity 

 of taking steps to stamp out this infection. That is what we have 

 done, and what we are still doing. We have incurred obligations 

 in excess of the amiQunt of money that has been appropriated, and 

 I trust there will be no hesitation in supplying funds to pay the 

 relatively small amount of bills that have been incurred. 



REPORT OF THE APIAnST. 



By PROF. H. C. KLINGER. Liverpeol, Pa. 



Owing to the comparatively few in(}uiries that were made, the 

 report of the Apiarist for the year may be wanting in detail and 

 completeness. 



The majority of the colonies of bees in the State are wintered on 

 summer stands, and many of these without any special outside pro- 

 tection. Even with this want of proper winter care they came out 

 of winter quarters in fair condition, and with few losses. The in- 

 crease in swarms was but moderate. 



The crop of honey throughout the State varied much. Some sec- 

 tions reported an entire failure and others a "bumper" yield. The 

 central part of the State reported a very small amount of surplus 

 with scarcely enough for wintering, wlule the east reported a good 

 flow of an excellent quality. The largest yield came from the White 

 and Alsike clover. The cause of such a difference in the crop is 

 likely due to the severity of the drouglit in various sections of the 

 State. 



When we view the possibilities of the bee-keeping industry in 

 this State and compare it with its present condition, we must con- 

 scientiously say that it is but in its infancy. Pennsylvania has a 

 honey bearing flora perhaps excelled by no other state in the Union. 

 Among the first plants in spring, we have the soft maple and willows 

 which may not yield so muc^h nectar but give pollen and stimulate 

 brood-rearing. Following this are the fruit-blooms. The black 

 locust gives an excellent grade of honey but its period of bloom is 

 not very long. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company has planted 

 thousands of acres along Its line in locust treee. These will comp 



into blossom io a few years and be ready for tlie m^e awa^e t)e§ 



