316 ANNUAL REPORT OP THE Off. Doc. 



tlie water used at the house. Too many dug wells stand in the door- 

 yard where the kitchen slops are often thrown, only to ferment and 

 multiply disease germs which are carried into the well. Cesspools 

 are often located near the well or on a more elevated position so that 

 the drainage runs toward the well. In the limestone regions there 

 are usually fissures through the rocks where the water can flow with- 

 out being filtered through sand or soil. This is a fruitful source of 

 contamination. As the country becomes more thickly populated and 

 as our wells are used for a longer time, the drinking water is apt to 

 become more and more exposed to contamination, and the time may 

 not be far distant, in some localities, and may have already come in 

 some places, where all drinking water should be boiled. 



REPORT OF APIARIST 



By H. C. KLINGER. 



The year 1914 will go down in agricultural history as a failure in 

 honey production. A few sections in the south and west report a 

 fair crop. Bees wintered well and came out of their winter quarters 

 strong and ready for a good harvest. Prospects for a good crop were 

 bright but did not materialize. The earlier blossoms, such as fruit 

 bloom and locust, yielded nectar as usual; but when the clovers 

 came into bloom a sudden drought set in and continued until the 

 blossoms were too far gone to be helped by the return of rain. The 

 honey carried into the hives during the early spring was consumed 

 in brood rearing and bees lived from "hand to mouth" until late 

 in the season. In many sections of the State fall flowers, such as 

 the asters and golden rods, were more abundant than usual, and if 

 it had not been for these plants, many beekeepers would have been 

 compelled to feed sugar for winter stores. 



Peculiar as it may seem, the manufacturers of supplies did a good 

 business. The great record bearing crop of 1013 cleaned up all the 

 supplies on hand and tlie earlier pi'ospects created a demand for 

 supplies never known before. The majority of beekeepers have a 

 stock of goods on hand to last for another season. National legis- 

 lation, which afPected bee-keeping during the year, has been the 

 operation of the net weight law. This has produced some incon- 

 venience and has augmented the tendency to change from producing 

 comb honey to that of extracted. This, in conjunction Avith the effect 

 of the European War will cause extracted honey particularly, to 

 become lower in price. South American and West Indian honey, 

 which formerly Avent to European markets, is now being dumped on 

 our shores and competes with our extract honey. Bee-keepers should 

 continue to produce comb honey since it is the finer product and 

 commands- a better price. 



