112 SOUTHERN BEE CULTURE 



these various plants would take up too much space ; and as the contributors 

 to this book give much information on the Southern honey flora I will not 

 list the honey and pollen plants. 



BEE-KEEPING IN THE SOUTH. 



I am proud of the South as a bee and honey country, and of the possi- 

 bilities there are here for the bee and honey industry, and the wonderful 

 progress it is making. Until late years but little has been known of modern 

 hives and bee-keeping appliances which were invented and first manufactured 

 in the North. Now the Northern bee-keepers' supply manufacturers have 

 branch oflfices in many sections of the South from which bee-keepers are sup- 

 plied, saving heavy transportation charges. The majority of these agents 

 were reared in the South, are progressive bee-keepers, and are doing all 

 in their power to promote the industry here. We have also Southern bee- 

 keepers' supply manufacturing plants, one in Alabama and one or two in 

 Texas, which are manufacturing bee-keeper's supplies and distributing them 

 all over the South. With this large amount of available bee supplies, which 

 are sold at a reasonable price, it assures a rapid progress for the industry. 

 Thousands of bee-keepers have already adopted modern appliances for their 

 bees, and the number is greatly increased each year. 



Then literature, to enlighten the people's mind along the lines of bee- 

 keeping or bee culture has been slowly penetrating the South ; and bee- 

 keepers have been backward in expressing themselves or giving their views 

 or experiences in the culture of bees. But these conditions have changed, 

 and it is hoped that the honey-bee and its culture will soon be better known. 



The Southern climate seems to be ideal for bees and bee-keeping; there 

 is no heavy loss sustained from cold, even if they are wintered on their 

 summer stands ; and there are but few days during the winter when bees 

 are confined to their hives ; and the constant flights assure good health for 

 them. Spring brings with it many blossoms laden with rich pollen upon 

 which bees build up rapidly; and with just a little attention they will be in 

 splendid condition for the spring honey-flow. 



The bees' working season is long, and sometimes it seems rather Icng 

 to us bee-keepers ; but great progress can be made with our bees during 

 this time ; and there are honey-flows heavy or light at intervals along during 

 the season, assuring that great progress can be made in bee-keeping. 



Spring usually brings with it a long and heavy honey-flow, and during 

 summer there is a long .and heavy honey-flow in many locations; and fall also 

 brings a he-^ - honey-flow which furnishes some surplus honey and winter 

 stor- ^r bees. 



: i ig seasons with honey-flows at intervals assure a crop of honey 



at somt .. .le during them; and in but very few sections has there ever been 

 a total honey failure. 



