DECEMBER 1, 1914 



927 



Beekeeping Among the Eocme: 



Sunday, November 8, the writer was in 

 Delta County, near Ci'awford, at an eleva- 

 tion of about 7000 feet, and there was alfal- 

 fa in bloom ; and but a short distance away 

 was ice half an inch thick. The amount of 

 bloom so late in the season was certainly a 

 surprise to me. 



» * *- 



COLORADO VOTED DRY. 



The Prohibition amendment carried in 

 Colorado by about 8000 majority. As it 

 does not take effect till 1916 the liquor- 

 dealers have an opportunity to close out 

 their stocks and their business. There is 

 about $20,000,000 a year spent for liquor in 

 this State. This money will find its way 

 into other channels, doubtless, and I believe 

 that we need not fear the panic the liquor 

 interests have promised us if Colorado went 

 dry. Ts it not rather signifieant that Colo- 

 rado, Arizona, Washington, and Oregon 

 (all western States) Avere the only ones that 

 voted dry. Montana was the only State 

 voting in favor of woman's suffrage. The 

 western States .seem to have the lead in 

 measure of gallantry. 



* « « 



THE fX)ST OF PRODUCING A SECTION OP HONEY. 



Mr. Frank A. Gray asks Dr. Miller on 

 page 776, October 1, what it costs to pro- 

 duce a section of honey. The Department 

 of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Farm 

 ]\Ianagement, is making considerable head- 

 way among the farmers to find out what it 

 costs them to produce the various farm 

 crops. It is no more difficult to ascertain 

 the cost of producing a section of honey 

 than of producing potatoes or wheat or 

 hogs. I have read several agricultural 

 bulletins that Avould help any beekeeper or 

 farmer to solve these questions. 



I know one system of apiaries whei'e a 

 fair crop in 1913 was harvested, and cost 

 something over $1300 to produce 1000 cases 

 of comb honey ready for market. It took 

 about 500 colonies of bees, and in this 

 amount nothing Avas put down for interest 

 on the investment or pay for the owners 

 who did the work. However, it paid for 

 hired help, supplies, rent, horse feed, etc. 

 I believe that beekeepers should be urged 

 to begin keeping accurate accounts, so they 

 may know Avhere they stand. It is a rare 

 farm that will pay the owner interest on the 

 investment, allow for depreciation, repairs, 

 etc., and pay the owner any thing but day 

 wages. Most farmers simply get a job Avhen 



they buy a farm, and the same is true in 

 the majority of eases with beekeepers. 



No. 1 sections co.st me $5.00 a thousand, 

 and foundation 60 cents a pound. I pay 

 $1.25 a thousand for folding and putting 

 two starters in each section and placing in 

 the supers. My supers are wedged up when 

 they are put on the auto to be taken to the 

 outyards. Here is the approximate cost to 

 me of a case of comb honey, leaving out the 

 apiary management and all other charges. 



24 sections in flat IJi .12 



Extra-thin foundation for 24 sections 12 



Worlc putting up and startering 24 sections. . .03 

 Work cutting foundation, dampening sections, 



waiting upon operator 05 



Cleaning 24 sections of honey 05 



Packing and stamping sections 05 



Cost of shipping-ca,se in flat 165 



Cost of nailing up case 01 



Cost of nailing on cover, and stamping outside 



of case and piling in storage pile 01 



Cartage to car or depot 01 



$0.58 



This represents the cost of material and 

 ^hop labor in producing a case of comb 

 lioney. This does not cover the large items 

 of interest on investment, depreciation on 

 outfit, rent of location, labor of apiarist, 

 expense for horse of auto, help in the api- 

 ary, etc. At a later date I may offer some- 

 tliing on these latter items, as it will pay 

 for all of us to know what is put into our 

 business and what we get out. 



Concluded from previous pat/e. 



that the feed was taken very slowly. Very 

 fcAv bees went to the field during the period 

 of 36 hours Avhich it took them to consume 

 tlie feed. About that time Mr. E. R. Root 

 came into the yard, and his attention Avas 

 called to the remarkable fact that they had 

 drawn out six sheets of foundation about 

 half Avay. It could hardly have been that 

 they obtained feed from any other source. 

 In addition to draAving out this foundation 

 tliey Avould naturally consume some of it 

 t liemsehres, oAving to their starved condition. 

 Now, Ave Avill admit this one experiment 

 with one colony does not prove any thing, 

 and it may be that it Avould take more than 

 one quart of such syrup to finish out the 

 partly drawn comb. The actual cost of 

 comb-building has not yet been clearly 

 demonstrated. 



This is an important question to beekeep- 

 ers; and if nothing prevents carrying out 

 our plans Ave expect to do considerable ex- 

 perimenting along tliat line another season, 

 — G. H. R.] 



