652 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Beekeeping in the South^vest 



Louis Scholl, New Braunfels, Texas. 



COMB OR EXTRACTED HONEY? 



This question has often arisen, and has 

 been discussed at length. It was not long- 

 ago when the argnaments were in favor of 

 extracted-honey production. The tide is 

 drifting the other way, for we find that 

 there is now a better demand and price 

 for comb honey, and consequently its pro- 

 duction should follow. We remember well 

 when these discussions were in full sway, 

 and we decided to drift more and more 

 to the comb-honey side, for the very rea- 

 son that there would be a better demand 

 for this product if everybody else produced 

 extracted honey. The result is that we are 

 to-day advertising our business as exclu- 

 sive comb-honey producers and shippers, 

 and we have found that it has paid us to 

 stand by comb honey. The demand for 

 that kind has increased from year to year, 

 in spite of the efforts on the part of the 

 extracted-honey producers to advertise the 

 cheapness and better value of extracted 

 honey for the consumer. 



"We find to-day that the demand for 

 comb honey is brisk here in the South, 

 and at a good price, while extracted is 

 begging for a market at the present time, 

 and that at a lower j^rice, in comparison 

 to the comb honey, than ever before in our 

 ex^Derience. While it may be cheaper to 

 produce extracted honey, we have found 

 that it is much easier to sell comb honey. 



Of course, we are referring to bulk comb 

 honey, a product that fills the bill for the 

 masses as well as the richer class who want 

 full value for their money. 



COTTON HONEY VALUABLE. 



We have found cotton honey to be a 

 valuable product in Central and North 

 Texas territories, and the apiarist who has 

 his bees located within range of extensive 

 cotton areas can count on at least an aver- 

 age crop, year after year, with more cer- 

 tainty than many of the other numerous 

 honey-yielders that we have. 



It is but a few years, comparatively, 

 since cotton came into prominence as a 

 honey-yielding plant. Years ago cotton 

 honey was hardly known, this being due, 

 perhaps, to the fact that the honey Avliich 

 the bees obtained from the cotton was at- 

 tributed to some other source. But of late 

 years, especially when it is gTown on rich 

 land, in valleys and river bottoms where 

 the growth is luxuriant, cotton has come 



to be known as one of the very best honey- 

 yielding plants. It yields best when the 

 atmosphere is warm and damp. On poor 

 soil or on sandy land it does not yield nec- 

 tar plentifully, and, in some cases, not 

 at all. In the average season a good yield 

 may be exjDected from cotton in the black- 

 land districts and in the river vallej^s. Un- 

 der favorable conditions it is not excelled 

 by any other nectar-yielding plant in the 

 cotton belt. 



The yield is most abundant in the early 

 morning, and it decreases toward the mid- 

 dle of the day as the atmosphere becomes 

 drier. In the afternoon, unless the season 

 is very dry and hot, the yield begins to 

 increase again. During cloudy days, or 

 when the atmosphei'e is damp, the yield 

 continues abundantly throughout the en- 

 tire day. 



The nectaries from which nectar is se- 

 creted are located under the bracts next to 

 the stem of the blossom. There are other 

 nectaries located on the under side of the 

 leaves, one on each of the tlu'ee main I'ibs 

 of the leaf. They can easily be located 

 as small low indentations on both blos- 

 soms and leaves. Tliere are three under 

 each blossom, and those located on the ribs 

 of the leaves are located about a third of 

 the length from the main stem of the leaf. 

 At the pro]ier maturity of both buds or 

 blossoms and young leaves, the nectar may 

 be easily seen in a large drop in each 

 nectar}^, and is easily gathered by the bees. 

 During favorable conditions it is not neces- 

 sary for the buds or "squares," as these 

 are called, on the cotton jDlant, to develop] 

 into full bloom, but nectar secretion be-j 

 gins before the blossoms open. 



Cotton honey is very light in color and! 

 mild in flavor when thoroughly rijjened, andl 

 it compares favorably with the veiy best! 

 grades of honey. Honey from upland cot-:l 

 ton, or that which is grown on jDoorer soil,j 

 has a slight amber color. When first gath- 

 ered, cotton honey has a flavor which isl 

 very characteristic of the sap of the cottonl 

 plant itself; but this disappears as thel 

 honey ripens. During a heavy flow there 

 is a strong odor in the apiary like that 

 produced by bruising cotton leaves. 



Ordinarily, cotton honey gi-anulates 

 easily, and in the granulated form is al-l 

 . most pure white and very fine-grained. 



The flow begins,ordinarily about July 

 and continues until frost, except when th^ 

 fall of the year is a very dry one thai 

 causes the cotton to stop growing. 



