1901 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



649 



hold their crop till next season ; and I know 

 of at least five or six carloads that will be held 

 absolutely rather than sell at a low price. 



In Colorado the crop of alfalfa honey, east 

 of the Rockies, will be from one-half to two- 

 thirds as heavy as it was a year ago, while 

 west of the Rockies the season will probably 

 be as good. Last year there was considerable 

 alfalfa honey offered in the eastern markets, 

 and there will be this year, but not so much, 

 probably. 



Two or three weeks ago our people were 

 prepared to believe that prices would be lower 

 for honey this year than last ; but a careful 

 analysis of all the reports seems to indicate 

 that prices, instead of being from a cent to 

 two cents lower than last season, should and 

 probably will seek the level of 1900, for the 

 simple reason that the entire honey crop of 

 the country, probably, is no larger than it was 

 a year ago. 



But, aside from the report, we find that no 

 more honey has been offered us than last sea- 

 son at this time — a fact that seems to prove 

 the statements given by the reports. It may 

 not be generally known, but the Root Co., 

 perhaps, buys more small lots of honey than 

 any other concern in the United States, and, 

 as a general rule, we can get some idea of the 

 amount of honey produced by the number of 

 offerings, and the price asked for the honey. 

 Every thing considered, then, it appears to 

 us, from a careful survey of the whole field, 

 that prices should rule the same as last year. 

 If they should take a decided slump it will be 

 because the big buyers succeed in conveying 

 the notion that there has been a large crop, 

 in order to get the honev at low prices, and 

 then when prices stiffen they and not the pro- 

 ducers will get the advance. Bee-keepers 

 should, therefore, take it on themselves to in- 

 form each other. 



Let me give one interesting fact in this con- 

 nection. The Root Co. finds it can buy honey, 

 from those who do not read bee-journals, at a 

 lower figure than from those who take one or 

 more and keep track of the market. It is 

 not our rule to set prices. We ask for a sam- 

 ple and the prices asked ; and it is a fact that 

 the fellow who thinks he can not afford to take 

 a bee journal will sell his honey eno2igh lower 

 in one season to pay for all the bee-journals 

 for ten years. 



A careful analysis of the season in the prin- 

 cipal honey States below, will, perhaps, give 

 one a better idea of the actual situation. 



From Michigan it appears from something 

 like 30 reports, covering the entire State, that 

 the season is not as good as that of last year. 

 It will be remembered that, in 1900, our sister 

 State produced a pretty fair yield of honey ; 

 and all the clover honey the Root Co. could 

 buy came from Michigan. With very few ex- 

 ceptions the reporters for that State assert that 

 the season is poorer than last year ; and yet it 

 has produced some honey this season. 



New York, on the other hand, that has been 

 having a series of poor seasons, comes up 

 with a smiling face. The clover crop in that 

 State has been universally good ; and the 

 York Staters, if their bees have not largely 



died on account of black and foul brood dur- 

 ing the several poor years, will, if they are 

 not in too much haste, find a good market. 



Pennsylvania does not make a good show- 

 ing. While it is true that some honey has' 

 been produced, it appears that the season has 

 been even poorer than last year, and that was 

 about as poor as it could be. 



Some bee-keepers in Illinois have had an 

 absolute failure, while others have apparently 

 obtained some honey, and the same may be 

 said of Iowa. 



Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri, as well as 

 Arkansas, have, as every one knows, suffered 

 from a terrible drouth ; and the reports in 

 those States indicate little or no honey. 



Wisconsin, a State that usually shows up 

 well with basswood, if it does not with clover, 

 does not seem to have been blessed with a 

 good season ; while its sister, Minnesota, 

 seems to have had generally a good yield. 



Some parts of Texas, usually one of the 

 best bee States in the Union, have had a poor- 

 er year than last. But Texas never seems to 

 have a complete failure ; for, so far as I could 

 learn while in that State, the bee-keepers al- 

 ways make a living, and generally a good one. 



Utah, going to the extreme west again, has 

 had a rather flat failure. The bees died off 

 very badly in the spring. At the time I was 

 there, the prospects were not encouraging. 



Virginia and West Virginia, have not had a 

 very favorable season. 



Only two or three reports have come from 

 Vermont, but they pronounce the season bet- 

 ter than last year. 



I have tried to give the situation fairly and 

 impartially, and I believe I have stated the 

 facts not far from the real truth. 



GERMAN WAX-PRESS. 



In another column we show the new wax-press we 

 are putting on the market. The introduction price is 

 SIO.OO. We are likely to catalog it at a higher price 

 than this, and are offering it for only a short time at 

 this rate. So far as tried, it seems to fill the bill. 



HONEY, COMB AND EXTRACTED. 



We are again in the market for both comb and ex- 

 tracted honey. We are having a brisk demand al- 

 ready for a choice article, and shall be pleased to hear 

 from those having any for sale, with a sample of ex- 

 tracted. Write us how much you have, how it is put 

 up for shipment. We prefer extracted in 60-lb. cans. 

 In offering comb honey, tell us how it is packed, hov? 

 much you have of each grade, and what you a.<;k for 

 it. We have a lot of unfilled orders waiting for 

 stock to arrive. 



NO. 25 JARS AND MASON JARS. 



of the carload of jars received about a month ago 

 we have already sold all of the pint size, both flint 

 and green, and almost all of the 60 gross of No. 25 

 jars. We have ordered another car, consisting of 100 

 gross No. 2.5 jars, and more pint Masons. We hope to 

 have these here by Sept. 1. In the meantime we still 

 have a good supply of quart and two-quart Mason jars, 

 which we will sell, while they last, at prices last quot- 

 ed. The supply of quart jars is not so large as of the 

 two-quart, and may not last very long. Send on your 

 orders while the supply lasts. They can not be re- 

 placed at these prices. 



