626 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



photogTaphed by a moving-picture man who 

 arrived just a little too late for the demon- 

 strations of the day before. After the field 

 work, these 65 salesmen were given a " hon- 

 ey-spred "consisting of hot biscuits, honey, 

 and milk. After a hot dusty ride this menu 

 seemed to go to the right spot — at least so 

 declared the men. With many thanks for the 

 courtesies extended them, they left here a 

 little after 5 o'clock in their machines, better 

 equipped than ever for selling honey. 



POPULARIZING HONEY. 



Incidentally it might be mentioned here 

 that The A. I. Root Co. is seeking to popu- 

 larize honey through the daily press, month- 

 ly magazines, the moving-picture theaters, 

 and through personal demonstrations to the 

 crowds that are coming here almost eveiy 

 day of the working season, and we believe 

 that our efforts are producing results; for 

 never in all the history of bee culture was 

 honey consumed so largely on the table as it 

 is to-day. Such concerns as the Wm. Ed- 

 wards Co., wholesale grocers, with their lit- 

 tle army of salesmen, will spread the gospel 

 of honey as a food far and wide. 



Honey-crop Conditions at the Pres- 

 ent Time ; a Short Crop of Clover 



It is evident now that the clover crop will 

 be short this season. While the yield has 

 been good in some favored localities, has 

 been from fair to good in northern Michi- 

 gan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, the aggre- 

 gale yield will be very much below that of 

 last year. When there is a shortage in clover 

 it always means a stiffening of the market. 



When the prospects wei-e so promising a 

 month ago, the general honey market was in 

 a state of decline. What few offerings weie 

 made were on a very conservative basis. In 

 fact, Florida beekeepers wrote us, asking 

 what was the matter of the market that they 

 could not sell their crops. Buyers, expect- 

 ing an enormous yield of clover again, either 

 would make no offers for honey or at figaires 

 so low that the producers did not care to 

 sell. But from now on, there should be a 

 stiffening of prices, notwithstanding there 

 is a prospect of a good yield of alfalfa in 

 the West, both comb and extracted, and 

 from a light to fair yield from mountain 

 sage in California. 



Those who have secured a crop of clover 

 comb honey should not make the mistake of 

 holding the price too high. In fact, their 

 figures should be but little higher than those 

 of last year. Buyers will not pay very high 

 prices for clover comb honey if there is a 

 good supply of alfalfa comb honey at lower 

 prices. So western alfalfa will probably 



jtrevent a very sharp advance on Eastern 

 clover. The facts are, consumers are being 

 educated to alfalfa. The day has gone by 

 v.hen white clover can command a price 

 exclusively its own. 



There has been a comparatively large 

 ;,ield so far from basswood — in fact, it is 

 a basswood year. At the present time we 

 arc having a splendid flow from our bass- 

 wood apiary. If every yard in Ohio were 

 getting as good a yield, Eastern prices, so 

 far as Ohio is concerned, would tumble 

 v.ithout doubt. We are getting as fine a lot 

 cf pure basswood as we ever had. We have 

 had yields other years from this source that 

 wore larger, but they were clover and bass- 

 ^vood mixed. Reports from other sections 

 of the country show that, where there is any 

 b-isswood left, the yield will be good; but 

 the areas where it grows are so limited that 

 ii does not greatly if at all affect the general 

 clover market. 



Much of the clover extracted this year 

 will contain a large projjortion of basswood, 

 but not enough to mar it for clover, because 

 it will have a flavor that many prize. A. I. 

 Root is very fond of the basswood flavor-, 

 especially when a little of it is intermingled 

 wiih clover, and A. I. Root is no exception 

 cmong connoisseurs of honey in the clover 

 belt. 



Buckwheat may be a little light this year, 

 owing to the general drouth conditions that 

 })revail at the i^resent time. If it is broken 

 by rains, there may yet be a fair yield from 

 buckwheat in New York. 



We have received no late advice from 

 Canada i-especting the sections north of the 

 Likes; but the Canadians Avill probably re- 

 ceive more clover honey tlian their neighbors 

 on this side of the lakes, for the Northern 

 sections seem to have more clover. From 

 present indications the honey market, how- 

 ever, in Canada should be firm. 



Bees 



Free 



There has been issued from the office of 

 (he State Entomologist, C. H. Baldwin, In- 

 dianapolis, Ind., another bulletin entitled 

 " Circular of Information for Beekeepers, 

 No. 2," by B. F. Kindig, one of the assist- 

 ant State inspectors. This is one of the very 

 best bulletins ever put out by any State or 

 by any writer. It contains 60 pages of good 

 sound orthodox teaching on bees. Mr. Kin- 

 dig is a practical beekeeper himself, and he 

 knows how to tell his story in such a way 

 that the reader can easily follow. It is well 

 illustrated, many of the illustrations being- 

 original. 



