1909 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



393 



BEE-KEEPING AMONG 

 THE ROCKIES. 



By Wesley Foster, Boulder, Col. 



With the rapid spread of Fletcherism we 

 hope to see the disHke for candied honey go. 

 The thorough chewing will make a melting- 

 tank of the mouth, and our efforts at keep- 

 ing honey liquid will not be necessary. 

 -^ 



BIG HONEY CROP. 



Mr. Dow, p. 344, June 1, says that in Mass- 

 achusetts they do not get yields of 200 or 

 more pounds of comb honey per hive. We 

 do not get them here either. The average 

 yield would be a good deal under 50 lbs. If 

 I could average 50 lbs. of comb honey per 

 hive, bee-keeping would be a very profitable 

 business here in Colorado. Fifty pounds in 

 Massachusetts is much better than the same 

 yield in Colorado. 



HOLDING FOR BETTER PRICES. 



The experience of western bee-keepers is 

 that it does not pay to hold honey for a rise 

 in price. The honey that is sold in August 

 and September brings the best figures wlien 

 the average of several years is taken. There 

 are bee-keepers who have lost amounts run- 

 ning into thousands the last few years by 

 holding their honey. The sooner we can 

 get our honey ready for shipment the better, 

 and then sell for a fair figure. No one can 

 blame us if we try to sell, and fail. There 

 were a few such out here last year. Then 

 some counted on the local market being bet- 

 ter; but honey went down, and that hardly 

 stimulated consumption enough to clear up 

 the honev on hand. 



WAX-PRESSES AND PROPOLIS. 



With the increased use of wax-presses our 

 beeswax will contain more propolis than it 

 formerly did when high pressure was not 

 used. Since beeswax is used in so many 

 commercial articles that are injured by the 

 presence of any propolis, it behooves the 

 beekeeper to consider the importance of 

 having a clear wax if cheaper substitutes are 

 not adopted. The presence of propolis is in- 

 dicated in several ways — by a grayish color, 

 and lack of polish surface when rubbed. 

 The wax is more crumbly, and is not so firm 

 and brittle. .\ maker of floor polish had con- 

 siderable trouble with the polish sticking to 

 the shoes when walking over the floor. We 

 traced the trouble to the wax, which showed 

 signs of containing propolis. When a fine 

 clear beeswax was used the trouble was 

 overcome. The price of beeswax is kept up 

 very largely by its use in polishes, candles, 

 etc., and the matter of supplying the trade 

 with a pure article is highly important to 

 bee-keepers. 



[Some extensive producers use a large vat 

 of boiling water for melting the combs out of 

 frames. In this way the wires are not 

 broken and the frames are cleaned ready for 



new foundation. But, in view of the propo- 

 lis being melted from the frames with the 

 wax, it would seem the wiser plan to cut the 

 combs from the frames, wires and all, and 

 then boil the frames separately at another 

 time it they need such cleaning. We doubt 

 whether much propolis gets mto the wax 

 when the combs alone are treated. — Ed.] 



PROSPECTS. 



In most localities prospects are good for a 

 fair yield of honey. The spring nas been 

 backward, but frequent rains brought out the 

 wild flowers, furnishing abundance of pollen, 

 and the bees have built up very rapidly in 

 spite of the cool cloudy days. Swarming 

 commenced around Denver a little about 

 June 1. It is encouraging to see seven and 

 eight combs of brood in the hives by June 

 12. The period from fruit bloom to alfalfa 

 bloom is usually when our bees lose; but the 

 dandelions, white clover, and wild flowers 

 came with the almost daily showers, and the 

 bees responded by collecting an abundance 

 of pollen and considerable nectar. I never 

 knew the colonies to be in better condition 

 for the harvest, and, though the loss has been 

 far heavier than usual, Colorado will produce 

 some fine comb and extracted honey if 

 things remain favorable. 



THE GROCER'S PROFIT ON HONEY. 



Grocers tell me that they can not do busi- 

 ness on less than 20 per cent margin. Some 

 figure this on the selling price and some on 

 the cost; 20 per cent on the selling price is 

 25 per cent on cost. If a grocer pays $2.75 

 for a 24 lb. case of comb honey he can sell it 

 at 15 cts. straight, and make 85 cts. on it, 

 barring all loss by breakage or candying. 

 This is 31 per cent profit to the grocer on 

 cost price, which is a liberal profit, and is a 

 much larger profit than grocers make on 

 most things. Very few grocers, I find, are 

 willing to nandle comb honey if it costs $3.00 

 per case, or 12>2 cts., and sells at 15 cts., 

 which gives them a 20 per cent profit on cost 

 price. They say the loss from candying and 

 breakage is too great, and unless a larger 

 profit is made it does not pay to handle it at 

 all. The grocer will handle honey on a 20- 

 per-cent margin if he has calls for it; but I 

 find that not over ten per cent of the people 

 ever eat honey. There are usually one or 

 two families who take most of any one gro- 

 cer's honey. If more called for honey the 

 grocers would buy more liberally, and would 

 be content with a smaller margin. The way 

 to get every one to eating honey is to canvass 

 from house to house, giving away samples. 

 Another plan is to demonstrate in grocery 

 stores, giving every one a taste who comes 

 in, and selling the honey for the store in 

 which you demonstrate. I am confident the 

 plan would win in the end. I have seen the 

 mcreased sale by keeping stores supplied the 

 year round with honey displayed in a prom- 

 ment place. Let us give every one a taste 

 the way the first bees returning laden do ac- 

 cording to E. L. Pratt. 



