1917 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



103 



Crop Reports and Market Conditions 



In order to get this page started, we sent out from this 

 office several hundred letters to subscribers in which we 

 aslied the following questions: 



1. Condition of bees and amount of loss? 



2. Honey plant conditions and prospects? 



3. Are beekeepers going to increase in 1917? 



4. Are many turning from comb to extracted honey? 



5. How about supply of honey, comb and extracted 

 and does demand exceed supply? 



A summary of replies is given as follows: 

 Condition of Bees. 



Although a little early except in the South to deter- 

 mine accurately, losses so far are as follows: In New 

 England bees have wintered fine, better than usual, and 

 in New York and other Central Atlantic states about 

 normal. Throughout the Southeast losses are larger than 

 average, ranging from 10 to 25% and condition of bees is 

 below normal owing to backward weather and poor winter- 

 ing with some starvation. Throughout the Central states 

 there is little loss — less than average, although this has 

 been a harder winter than usual. Idaho and Wyoming 

 report that the loss will be above normal while in Montana 

 and Colorado, about normal. Arizona and New Mexico 

 report practically no loss as do Washington and Northern 

 California. In Texas the loss is normal and in California, 

 more than normal owing to a very peculiar and trying 

 winter. 



Condition of Plants. 



In most part, it is too early to determine this. Heavy 

 snows in the north half of the country have protected the 

 clovers and given them abundant moisture. It has been 

 too dry in Southern Illinois, Southern Iowa, Kansas, Mis- 

 souri, and Tennessee and clover may suffer. In the 

 Southeast heavy frosts have destroyed the early blooms 

 and the condition at present is discouraging. The West 

 has had abundant snows and prospects are above average. 

 Texas reports it too dry and the horsemint flow may suf- 

 fer; other plants normal. California is also very dry and 

 reports indicate that the condition is from 60 to 90% of 

 normal. 



Increase. 

 A few large producers state that they will increase 

 largely during 1917 if the season is favorable. In most 

 instances, however, the increase will be normal except 

 that beginners, influenced by large crops last year will 

 make considerable increase. 



Comb to Extract. 



There is a general trend in favor of extracted honey. 

 Two large producers in Michigan and Wisconsin are 

 dropping comb honey to take up extracted. Many more 

 large producers producing a mixed crop will devote more 



time to extracted in 1917. The bulk of large producers, 

 however, who are equipped for either kind of honey will 

 continue as before. The change from one to the other, 

 however, should be noticeable. 



The Honey Market. 



In practically every instance, reports agree that ex- 

 tracted honey is "wiped up clean" and the demand far 

 exceeds the supply. It is agreeable to note that in 

 several instances, this was laid to the increase in local 

 sales. Several leports are to the effect that there Is a 

 demand for carloads of honey with no supply available. 

 One Government official a short time ago made the 

 statement that there was market for 80 cars of honey 

 going unsupplied in New York City alone. A recent let- 

 ter from a prominent broker there states that the allies 

 are buying in carloads to supply to their soldiers. He 

 says that he could sell unlimited amounts of extracted 

 honey now at any reasonable price. What little extracted 

 honey there is left in the country is either in the hands 

 of bottlers to supply their trade or in the hands of bee- 

 keepers for keeping the home trade supplied. 



Comb honey, on the other hand, is easily obtained, 

 though it is likely that conditions are easier than a year 

 ago. In the east and central west, beekeepers are fairly 

 well sold out, though many small lots are still offered. 

 California seems to have disposed of most of its comb- 

 honey as has most localities in the west, though many 

 times at sacrifice prices. One locality in Montana re- 

 ports 2300 cases of comb still unsold, and one in Colorado 

 3,000 cases which they wish to dispose of. The large 

 markets are well supplied. In some instances there is 

 still comb-honey of the 1915 crop which is partly granu- 

 lated. 



Texas and the balance of the So'th have sold out all 

 stocks of bulk-comb and other honeys and the demand far 

 exceeds the supply. 



Depending o^ war and other conditions, there is every 

 likelihood that extracted honey should range higher in 

 price than in 1916 especially if every producer makes 

 special effort to supply the local trade and to increase iU 

 A million beekeepers each selling 100 pounds more locally 

 would withdraw many carloads from the big markets. 



Comb-honey cannot well get lower in price than at 

 present and conditions should tend to improve. 

 Furnishing Reports. 



Every reader is urged to send reports of conditions 

 for our next number. The more reports there are, the 

 more valuable should be the summary from them. ' See 

 editorials for particulars. 



Write on a postcard, number your answers, and ad- 

 dress MARKET EDITOR, American Bee Journal HAMIL- 

 TON, ILLINOIS. 



HONEY AHD BEESWAX 



Chicago. Feb. ig.— During the past month 

 honey has sold auite well. Especially is 

 this true of the extracted, and it would ap- 

 pear that there is not much more to be 

 marketed. 



Comb honey has moved off freely, and 

 stocks are being reduced to a moderate 

 quantity. Indications are that there will 

 not be much carried over in this market. 



Prices for white extracted honey are loc 

 per pound; amber. 8@9C per pound. Comb 

 honey, 14C per pound for the best grades 

 and the light ambers I2@I3C per pound. 

 Very little of the darker grades on the mar- 

 ket, but sell readily at from i(92 per pound 

 less. 



Beeswax is very firm, and bringing 33@3S 

 per pound. R. A Burnett & Co. 



Kansas City, Mo.. Feb. 15.— The honey 

 market seems a little better. No. i comb 

 honey is firm at $2.7^ and No. 2 at around 

 $2. 50. Theextracted honey market continues 

 to advance and is firm at 754@o!2C a pound, 

 according to the quality and kind of honey. 

 There is plenty of comb honey on the mar- 

 ket, but extracted is scarce. Beeswax is 

 selling at 28@3oc a pound, according to Qual- 

 ity. C. C. Clemons Produce Company. 



San Antonio, Feb. 15. -There is little or 

 no honey offered in quantities for shipment 

 from Texas at this time. Nearly all surplus 

 in hands of producers has been marketed. 

 Extracted, according to color and flavor is 

 bringing 8@ioc in wholesale markets. Bees- 

 wax is very firm. We are paying 27c cash 

 and 30c exchange. 



Southwestern Bee Co. 



Denver, Colo.. Feb. 18 —The demand for 

 comb honey in carload lots is improving. 

 We are quoting the following jobbing prices; 



Comb honey, fancy white, $2.84; No. i white 

 $2.70; No. 2. $257; per pound of 24 sections. 

 Extracted, white, per pound. 9@qJ^c; light 

 amber. 8J4®gc per pound, we are always in 

 the market for beeswax; for clean yellow 

 wax we are paying 30c per pound in cash 

 and 32c in trade, delivered here in Denver. 



The Colo. Honey Producers' Ass'n. 

 F. Rauchfuss. Maer. 



Chicago, Feb.iB.— Our market on honev is 

 a little more active, and as a matter of fact 

 we created a demand for it by reducing the 

 price and advertising honey liberally. We 

 have advertised the honey in the trade 

 papers, and also have honey signs on both 

 sides of our ten w gons, so as to push and 

 create a demand for honey. 



We are selling now on an average of 100 to 

 125 cases a day; there was a time that we 

 would hardly sell 40 to 50 cases a day. Mon- 



day, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week 

 we sold 700 cases. At the rate we are going 

 we will be cleaned up in less than 60 days 

 Prices on double deck glass fronts. J3.00: 

 Hat crates glass fronts. $2.60 to $2.75; this is 

 lor the highest class of honey. We have 

 some light amber and dark honey that ii 

 beginning to show candy that we are obliged 

 to sell at reduced prices. Extracted honey 

 IS selling from g@ioc. Beeswax is firm at 

 3°®32c. Daniel J. Coyne 



Gray Caucasians 



Early breeders ; great honey 

 gatherers ; cap beantifolly white, 

 great comb builders ; very pro- 

 lific ; gentle ; hardy ; good win- 

 terers. Untested, $1.00. Select 

 untested, $ 1.2s. Tested, $1.50. 

 Select Tested, $2.00. The best 

 all-porpose bee. 



H. W.FULMER, Box 10, Andalusia, Pa. 



