Regional Differences within the United States 215 



as a result these crops are important in determining the 

 wholesale price of honey. 



The enormous number of colonies in the southern States 

 is a surprise. In the fifteen States usually included in the 

 division of southern States are found forty-five per cent of all 

 the colonies in the United States. In this region the box- 

 hive and the farmer-beekeeper are still found in large num- 

 bers, there being few specialists except in Texas. Because 

 the industry has not developed on modern lines, most of 

 the honey from the South does not reach the larger centers 

 of distribution, and it therefore has little influence on the 

 wholesale honey markets. The number of colonies of bees 

 found in the South is proof of the wonderful opportunities 

 for the development of the industry, for many of these colo- 

 nies are given no attention. As one beekeeper expresses 

 it, these bees would die, if they could, to escape the ill-treat- 

 ment to which they are subjected, but the environment is 

 so favorable that they increase in spite of mismanagement. 



Attention should also be called to the larger number of 

 colonies in southern New York and northern Pennsylvania, 

 where buckwheat is plentiful. The other restricted honey 

 regions seem to have less influence on the number of colonies. 



This map will repay considerable study in connection 

 with other phases of beekeeping. To one familiar with 

 the distribution of the diseases of the brood of bees in the 

 United States 1 it is clear that there has been a severe loss 

 from this cause, as indicated by the smaller dots in regions 

 where diseases are most prevalent. New England was 

 formerly well stocked with bees, but many colonies have been 

 destroyed by disease. Certain areas in Pennsylvania, Ohio 

 and Indiana, where disease is abundant, are inadequately 

 provided with bees. One important reason for the larger 

 number of colonies in the South is probably the scarcity of 

 disease. 



1 Phillips, E. F., 1911. The occurrence of bee diseases in the United 

 States (Preliminary report). Circular No. 138, Bureau of Entomology, 

 25pp. 



