DECEMBER 15, 1912 



789 



up; but there was no let-up — at least for a 

 very long period in most of the Northern 

 States. The severe cold continued clear up 

 into spring; and not until late spring did 

 the beekeepers over the country realize that 

 the winter of 1911 and '12 was the most se- 

 vere ever experienced since the winter of 

 1881 and '82. Then, as this year, most colo- 

 nies managed to pull through to the begin- 

 ning of spring, but in a weakened condi- 

 tion. "When the changeable spring weather 

 came on, spring dwindling of the worst 

 Idnd did its deadly work, so that the winter 

 of 1911 and '12 and the following spring- 

 caused the greatest mortality among bees 

 that has been known for thirty j-ears. It 

 was indeed a severe blow to the industry; 

 but, fortunately for the bees and their own- 

 ers, the following summer was a good honey 

 year in most localities of the Northern 

 States at least. Bees have a wonderfully 

 recuperative power; and in spite of the 

 fact, that two-thirds of them were lost in 

 many localities, and even 75 to 90 per cent 

 in others, they quickly recovered themselves, 

 so that now, as we are about to embark 

 in 1913, we find practically all the bees re- 

 placed. Strangely enough, after the severe 

 winter, clovers made a most wonderful 

 growth, and well they might, because the 

 summer of 1912 had an abundance of rain 

 all over the country. Automobile men every- 

 where kicked about the bad roads, and ev- 

 erybody was complaining of a lack of de- 

 pendable weather. Contractors were unable 

 to complete their jobs on time. But this 

 very condition made a wonderful growth in 

 all the clovers. Unless untoward conditions 

 prevail during the next six months, 1913 

 will witness the greatest yield of clover that 

 has been known in many a year. There is 

 no question but that 1912 would have pro- 

 duced the greatest crop of Eastern honey 

 known in history had it not been for the 

 fact that the number of bees to gather it 

 was away below the average. But in spite 

 of the few bees, 1912 will record a larger 

 Aaeld of clover honey than for many years. 

 Not all parts of the West and South, how- 

 ever, fared as well as the clover belt, so that 

 the total aggi'egate of honey of all kinds 

 will be onl}' slightlj' in excess of an average 

 year. 



The year 1911 took away such men as 

 Mr. Hutchinson, Heddon, Hilton, Hall, 

 and Herlong — all stars in the apicultural 

 firmament: and 1912 has likewise taken four 

 other stars — John S. Harbison, John G. 

 Corev, both of the western coast, and R. L. 

 Taylor, of Michigan, and S. T. Pettit, of 

 Ontario. 



The year 1912 has witnessed the change of 



ownership of the American Bee Journal; 

 and those of our subscribers who are also 

 readers of that publication will not fail to 

 note its strong and healthy growth. The 

 Dadants are to be congratulated. The Bee- 

 keepers' Beview is now the official organ of 

 the National Beekeepers' Association, with 

 a corps of editors and contributors that 

 should and doubtless will make the Beview 

 a great help to the organization it fosters. 

 The year has not been marked by any gi-eat 

 inventions or methods of management; but 

 there has been a healthy development, show- 

 ing that the industry is being put more 

 and more on a solid foundation. The don't- 

 care, don't-read-bee-papers type of beekeep- 

 ers are dropping out. What have not been 

 put out of business by bee diseases have 

 been eliminated by winter losses. In their 

 places have come the enthusiastic amateurs 

 from the agricultural and professional 

 ranks, and also the specialist beekeepers. 

 More and more we see a disposition on the 

 part of many to keep bees on a large scale. 

 Extractors are now. being made in much 

 larger sizes than formerly. Power-driven 

 machines are taking the place of those driv- 

 en by hand; honey-pumps and steam un- 

 capping-knives are demonstrating their su- 

 periority over the old ways. 



More attention is being given to the mar- 

 keting of honey. The tendency to drop the 

 production of comb honey entirely has been 

 checked, and now we find more comb-honey 

 producers producing a little extracted, and 

 more extracted-honey producers producing 

 a little comb honey. 'Tis well. 



The amount of white clover in the soil all 

 over the United States shows that 1913 is 

 going to deal kindly with us providing we 

 have nothing more than an average winter. 

 As it is seldom that one severe winter fol- 

 lows another, we have every reason to think 

 that 1913 will let us have our bees and our 

 honey. 



The year 1912 has seen the publication 

 of a larger number of free bulletins on 

 bees, both State and National, than usual. 

 The Bureau of Entomology, Washington, 

 D. C, for example, has sent out a large 

 number on various phases of the industry. 

 Among the States that have given us com- 

 plete books on bees, for free distribution, 

 are Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Texas, 

 as well as Ontario, Canada. Apicultural 

 schools are growing and developing, both 

 in this country and Canada, so that we now 

 have at least four universities that have 

 complete courses in apiculture, and a score 

 or more that give more or less prominence 

 to bee culture in connection with their gen- 

 eral agricultural courses. 



