42 Bulletin 85 — Honey 



who intends to enter into a contract with a distributor. Most of the 

 concerns operating in the Salt River Valley are reliable, but experience 

 in 191 7 indicated the need for looking into the credentials and past 

 history of some operators who have been guilty of rather sharp 

 practices. 



Honey Honey usually is produced in the Salt River Valley as 

 a side line on the farm. The total annual production of this com- 

 modity, however, makes it a fairly important one. The report of the 

 State Apiary Inspector in 191 5 indicated that in Maricopa County 

 there were 52 beekeepers owning about 24,440 colonies of bees. Recent 

 estimates indicate that in 19 17 the total number of colonies had been 

 reduced by from 5 per cent to 10 per cent. More than 95 per cent of 

 the honey is extracted and placed in 5-gallon cans. Two of these cans 

 constitute a case, which is the unit for marketing. The average annual 

 yield per colony ranges from 50 to 70 pounds, the average in 191 7 

 being about 65 pounds. The small portion of the crop which is sold 

 as comb honey is disposed of locally. The commercial output of 

 extracted honey is divided into four grades, known as water white, 

 light amber, amber and dark amber. The various amber honeys are 

 produced from alfalfa bloom and constitute more than 90 per cent of 

 the commercial output. A small quantity of mesquite honey is classed 

 as water white and sold accordingly. A native desert plant known 

 locally as Cat's Claw furnishes nectar for a white honey which could 

 almost be classed as water white. A mixture of Cat's Claw and alfalfa 

 honey makes an excellent type of light amber honey. 



Of the total quantity of honey produced in the Valley, about one- 

 third is used locally and two-thirds finds its way to outside markets. 

 Records indicate that in 1916 about 26 carloads of honey were for- 

 warded from various points in the Valley. There is an association of 

 honey producers in the Valley known as the Arizona Honey Exchange, 

 which handles more than one-half of the product which goes to market. 

 The balance is handled by a local independent buyer who represents 

 several larger honey bviyers. 



The plan of selling honey through the Exchange is simplicity 

 itself. The extracted honey is delivered to the Association Secretary, 

 who negotiates with wholesale buyers in various parts of the country 

 and places the honey with the concerns offering the highest bid. For 

 his services the Secretary receives a small commission. There are no 

 closely drawn contracts connected with the association business. It 



