GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Published by The A. T. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. 



A. I. Root, Editor Home Department J. T. Calvert, Business Manager 



H. H. Root, Managing Editor E. R. Root, Editor A. L. Boyden, Advertising Manager 



Entered at the Postoffice, Medina, Ohio, as second-class matter. 



VOL. XLIV. 



APRIL 15, 1916 



EDITORIAL 



NO. 8 



Our Cover Picture 



A STRiKiKG testimony to the value 



of 



bees as pollinators is given by George H. 

 West in his article, page 317. The picture 

 shows a bountiful yield, surely, especially 

 since the crop had been thinned down twice. 



Scarcity of Maple Sugar and Syrup 



From present advices the amount of ma- 

 ple sugar and synip this year will be very 

 small in comparison with other years. This 

 ought to stimulate the demand for good 

 extracted honey. If the good housewife 

 who has a preference for maple syrup can't 

 get it, and desires a high-grade sweet, she 

 will lake honey. 



Indiana Beekeepers, Take Notice 



It is not often that Gleanings takes a 

 hand in politics; but here is a case where a 

 beekeeper is running for Congress, and we 

 should like to call the attention of the In- 

 diana beekeepers to that fact. S. H. Bur- 

 ton, of Washington, Ind.. who is a frequent 

 contributor to these columns, is a candidate 

 for member of Congress on the Progressive 

 ticket, in the 2d Indiana District. He is an 

 extensive fruit-gTower and beekeeper, and 

 he stands right on the temperance question. 

 It seems to us that he deserves tlie support 

 of those interested in good government. 



Manufacture of Sugar from Sugar Cane 

 in the United States Decreasing 



From the Department of Commerce, Bu- 

 reau of the Census, we learn that in five 

 years the manufacture of sugar from sugar 

 cane has decreased 29.3 per cent. Reports 

 were received from 181 factorias, 168 of 

 which were located in Louisiana, 5 in Flor- 

 ida, 4 in Texas, 2 in Mississippi, and 1 each 

 in Arizona and South Carolina. In the 

 season of 1913-14 the total valuation of the 

 sugar produced was $18,947,683; molasses 



and syrup, $2,631,212; by-products, $56,- 

 477. Total valuation for the season of 

 1913-14, $21,635,372. 



In 1909 there were 214 factories, and the 

 valuation of the sugar produced was $26,- 

 095.673; molasses and syrup, $3,211,191. 

 Total valuation in 1909, $30,620,738. The 

 value of the annual production has there- 

 fore decreased nearly $9,000,000, or 29.3 

 per cent, as stated above. 



No fi"gures in this report were given for 

 1915. No doubt the effect of the last war 

 has been to increase the manufacture of 

 sugar. 



Considering the decrease up to 1914 from 

 the figures of 1909 probably the manufac- 

 turers of sugar from the sugar beet and the 

 manufacturers of other syrups are largely 

 responsible. Will the time ever come when 

 honey, so far from being a luxury, will be- 

 come an article of food that it may influence 

 the manufacture and sale of granulated 

 sugar ? 



Co-operative Experiments in Apiculture 



The provincial apiarist of Ontario, Mr. 

 Morley Pettit, is now sending out the 

 blanks for the collection of data concerning 

 beekeepers who will assist in performing 

 the prescribed experiments. Such beekeep- 

 ers in Ontario who have assisted in former 

 years are requested to make formal appli- 

 cation for the same experiment as before, 

 as better results are obtained the second 

 yeai". The following list of experiments, as 

 will be noticed, are those which have to do 

 with swarm control and spring manage- 

 ment. 



Experiment 1. — Prevention of natural 

 swarming in extracted-honey production by 

 holding the colonj^ together. This is one of 

 the most popular methods. Forty persons 

 tried it last year with good results. 



Experiment No. 2. — Prevention of natural 

 swarming in comb-honey production by ar- 

 tificial shaken swarming. 



Experiment No. .3. — Prevention of natural 

 swarming by manipulation of hives instead 

 of combs. The instructions will be some- 



